Reid Urges Public To Complain To Clear Channel On Limbaugh Comments

By John Bresnahan

(The Politico)  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) wants the public to complain to Clear Channel Communications CEO Mark Mays over comments by conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh. Reid is trying to pressure Limbaugh into an apology, which, so far, Limbaugh and Clear Channel have refused to do.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee sent out an e-mail to its supporters today urging them to contact Mays and demand that he force Limbaugh to apologize for saying that only "phony soldiers" oppose the war in Iraq, while "real soldiers" don't. Limbaugh says his comments were referring to only one specific soldier, but Democrats are not buying that line and have pressed Limbaugh and Clear Channel to refute them. Both Limbaugh and Mays say that isn't going to happen, so the controversy has sputtered on.

Here's the full content of Reid's e-mail to DSCC supporters today:

"I normally ignore Rush Limbaugh, but his comments last Wednesday went too far for me to remain silent. It's one thing to call me "Dingy Harry" -- it's another to insult our men and women in uniform, calling those who oppose the war "phony soldiers," as Rush did during his Sept. 26 broadcast.

Of course, Rush continued his tirade Monday by denying he had said anything wrong and attacking John Murtha, who served 37 years in the Marines.

This week, 41 Democrats signed a letter to Clear Channel CEO Mark Mays, demanding that Rush apologize.