Al Sharpton Criticizes Rush Limbaugh For His George Steinbrenner Comments

*Al Sharpton has released a statement condemning radio host Rush Limbaugh for his comments about the late New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.

On Rush’s radio show Tuesday, the conservative host remembered Steinbrenner as the “classic capitalist” by saying: “That cracker made a lot of African-American millionaires. …And at the same time he fired a bunch of white guys.”

The watchdog group MediaMatters pounced on the comments, calling them “race-baiting.”

Sharpton said the remarks were “repugnant and offensive whether they were intended to be facetious or tongue and cheek.”

Click here to visit the Media Matters web site to listen to Rush Limbaugh’s comments.

You can read Rev. Al’s statement below:

“The statements made by Rush Limbaugh about George Steinbrenner were repugnant and offensive whether they were intended to be facetious or tongue and cheek. The fact that he could make these comments less than 24-hours after Mr. Steinbrenner’s death makes it even more offensive.

For the last 20-years I have known George Steinbrenner and we have quarreled over diversity and community programs but I always found him fair, direct, and genuinely prone to do what he felt was right. He generated a lot of money for a lot of players as well as for baseball as a whole and should not be disparaged in any matter.

In later years, in a twist of irony, his granddaughter and my daughter became close, which only brought me closer to knowing him, and we developed a mutual respect. Mr. Limbaugh and his broadcasters owe his family an apology that the first day of their mourning to have to be subjected to this type of rhetoric.

To think that just a year ago Mr. Limbaugh sought to be an owner of an NFL team and has now said this about a legendary baseball team owner. This says more about Mr. Limbaugh than it does Mr. Steinbrenner.”

Reverend Al Sharpton, President of National Action Network

Comedian Michael Steele

By Gary A. Johnson

May 19, 2009

Comedian Michael Steele gave a much anticipated speech today at the National Harbor Complex in Oxon Hill, MD, where he tried to steady the sinking ship also known as his “leadership” of the Republican National Committee (RNC). If you’ve followed this man’s career, it is hard to take him seriously.  This is why I refer to him as comedian Michael Steele.

In his one-man show in the form of a speech today, comedian Steele promised the that “the era of apology for Republican mistakes of the past is officially over,” declared that “we’re going to take the president head-on” and boasted that the Republican comeback is already under way.

Oh really?

Steele is shaking in his boots that he doesn’t upset another entertainer—Rush Limbaugh, because that will mean Steele would have to apologize to Limbaugh (again).

Absent from the comedian’s remarks were new ideas.  He said nothing new and nothing of substance.  This dude is really obsessed with President Barack Obama.  I don’t know what the President ever said or did to him, but comedian Steele never misses an opportunity to try and “diss” President Obama.  Comedian Steele repeatedly argued that President Obama was making our lives worse by increasing federal spending.  He never mentioned any Republican plan to help families and small businesses.

I bet leaders in the Republican Party are sorry they ever elected this dude as the front man for their party.

Why do I say this?

For starters he appears to be in over his head.  He doesn’t know where he stands on an issue and some of his positions are not consistent with the party line.  I don’t care what HE says, comedian Michael Steele appears very much to be a figurehead for the organization and he knows it.  What is beginning to bother him is that WE know it!

Comedian Steele addressing reports that the RNC is seeking to reduce his funding authority told FOX News that part of his job is to “manage the money” and suggested that if committee members strip him of that authority he’ll step aside.  Think about it.  The RNC elects a black chairman to run the party and now they’re looking to implement ways to restrict his ability to manage the money.  Yeah, that’s a vote of confidence.

The Republican Party is treating comedian Michael Steele like a baby wearing “Pull Ups.” They just don’t think he’s ready for “big boy” pants.  Real power in politics comes with MONEY! If you can’t control the money, you have no power.  The Republican Party is sending the comedian Michael Steele a “warning shot” in the form of a message by threatening to mess with his money.

“They can contemplate all they want to, but the reality is if they want a figurehead chairman you can have a figurehead chairman, but it won’t be Michael Steele,” the comedian said.

If ever there was an “empty suit” it is comedian Michael Steele.  His party lost the presidency and control of Congress in the last two major national elections and national polls show more Americans are moving away from the Republican Party.

Under Steele’s leadership the big debate on the agenda today is whether to refer to the Democratic Party as “socialist.”  Is this leadership?

And you wanted to know why I refer to this guy as a comedian.  He’s funny and not to be taken seriously—that’s why.

Gary Johnson is the Founder & Publisher of Black Men In America.com a popular online magazine on the Internet and the Black Men In America.com Blog. Gary is also the author of the new book “25 Things That Really Matter In Life.”

Rush Limbaugh For President 2012

By Brandon Whitney

Many are saying that Rush Limbaugh is the leader of the Republican Party. Michael Steele, the current Chairman of the Republican disputed this and said that Rush is simply an entertainer, and then apologized to Rush for his statement. A title does not make one a leader, power makes one a leader. Rush Limbaugh has the power to turn commanding elected officials into Oliver Twist like begging supplicants. I think we are witnessing the collapse of the Republican Party.

Rush Limbaugh has never been elected to any office. He really is just an entertainer. Rush is the right wing angry version of Howard Stern. He doesn’t actually do anything except talk. However, Rush has a following of mostly hard-line right wingers. These are people who show up in Republican primaries, and these are people that many Republican law makers have to please if they want to be re-elected. Here’s the problem for them, the country is not full of hard-line right wingers. People reside all along the political spectrum; the extreme right wing is probably 25% of the population. You can’t win general elections with just a quarter of the voters.

Rush Limbaugh for president is a sign I’d love to see in 2012. It’s unlikely, but I’m sure that if his influence remains strong someone just like him will be the candidate. They won’t have a chance in Hades of winning. Unless moderate Republicans begin to take control of their party, the Party will go the way of the Whigs. After all, no one wants to support a political party who only loves the country when their running it, and whose idea of bi-partisanship doesn’t involve compromise but domination.

Brandon Whitney is the creator of Homelandcolors.blogspot.com a blog that focuses on issues that affect the African American community. He is also a frequent guest on News and Notes’ Blogger Roundtable. Brandon has political experience as an Outreach Director for the Democratic party and is passionate about being a positive force in his community regarding African American issues.  He is also a frequent guest on News and Notes’ Blogger Roundtable. You can read more of Brandon’s work at Homeland Colors.