Sen. Ken Salazar Calls For "Public Reprimanding" Of Rush Limbaugh Over DNC Riot Comments

"As I read Mr. Limbaugh's comments about riots at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, they appear to me to be a clear exhortation that those riots are exactly what he wants to happen. For that kind of incendiary comment, I ask Clear Channel to reprimand Mr. Limbaugh.

It is wrong to have political partisans of any stipe suggesting that violence is somehow an acceptable outcome of our political conventions"--Sen. Ken Salazar on Rush Limbaugh

From an 850KOA email:

Citing Rush Limbaugh's 'incendiary comments' about a riot in Denver, Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.) has called for a public repimanding of the controversial talk show host.

In the letter, addressed to Lee Larsen, Senior VP of the Rocky Mountain Region of Clear Channel Radio, Sen. Salazar complains about what he sees as a 'clear exhortation' of rioting and violence in the streets of Denver in the wake of the Democratic National Convention.

Sen. Salazar will join Dave Logan and Lois Melkonian on The Ride Home at 4:10pm today, make sure to tune in, and come talk about the Rush-troversy in our forums.

850KOA.com Webmaster,
Matthew Quane

Sen. Ken Salazar is on 850koa.com at the moment (listen live at the link). More to come--including archived link. Here is a transcript and audio of Rush Limbaugh's comments from two days ago.

**Update--The full text of the letter (pdf):

Dear Mr. Larsen:

I was disappointed to hear the incendiary comments made this week by Rush Limbaugh, one of the voices on your station. As I read Mr. Limbaugh's comments about riots at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, they appear to me to be a clear exhortation that those riots are exactly what he wants to happen. For that kind of incendiary comment, I ask Clear Channel to reprimand Mr. Limbaugh.

It is wrong to have political partisans of any stipe suggesting that violence is somehow an acceptable outcome of our political conventions. Political commentary on our public airwaves - heard by millions of Americans every day - should speak to the great strength reflected in the peaceful exercise of democracy at the national conventions in Minneapolis, Minesota and Denver, Colorado.

Please call me if you have any questions.

Respectfully,

Ken Salazar,
United States Senator

Given that Sen. Salazar is a Democrat Superdelegate, there is an added dimension to the whole scenario--any potential political violence/riots/disorder will be greatly diminished if the nomination is decided before the Democratic National Convention.

**Update--Sen. Salazar rejects Recreate '68.

The hosts challenged Sen. Salazar on freedom of speech issues and censorship, and whether or not the Senator had actually listened to the comments within the context of the call and Limbaugh's subsequent explanations.

Like all citizens of Colorado, and Denver in particular, no one here wants anything but a rhetorical "war of words" at the convention. We find it interesting that an uncommitted superdelegate would expend efforts to blast Limbaugh instead of asserting some leadership--presumably why he was given the superdelegate status in the first place, on account of the office he held.