Why is Rush Limbaugh so popular and effective?

By Thomas Lifson

Journalists and leftists love to hate Rush Limbaugh, all the while consumed with envy of his success. Journalists are an insecure and unhappy lot these days, and for good reason, as further budget cuts and layoffs loom. So Rush Limbaugh's enormous audience and vast compensation gall them all the more. Leftists humiliate themselves every time they launch a "Rush Limbaugh of the left."

They might learn a thing or two by reading an analysis of Rush Limbaugh's success factors penned by someone in position to know a lot about delivering a powerful message on a steady basis. Greg Laurie* is the senior pastor of one of America's 8 largest churches, and sees Rush as a kind of fellow preacher, at least in terms of what makes him so successful.

Number one on the list is Rush's passion, followed by his ability to make the complex understandable, his sense of humor, and his willingness to stick with his beliefs, whether popular or not. The article is insightful and entertaining in explaining each of these points. World Net Daily is the exclusive publisher. Read it here.

I agree with Pastor Laurie as far as he goes. But I would also add a couple of important items to the list. One is Rush's capacity for original insight on the events of the day. He brings to his on-air analysis an understanding of the media, politics, human nature, history, the market, and many other factors. Often he is able to see past the façade people and organizations erect to disguise or soften their intent because he recognizes patterns he has understood and noted before.

The other factor is Rush's devotion to discovering the truth. This is why Rush sticks by his beliefs: because he believes he is on a quest for the truth, and over time, as Shakespeare put it, "the truth will out." I see him as a seeker of truth, and so do many in his audience, I think. That sort of thing keeps people coming back.

*WND notes that Pastor Laure has suffered a devastating personal loss this week. I wish him deep sympathy -- TL