By Mark Gray
6:51am PST, Feb 18, 2021
Rush Limbaugh, arguably the most influential voice in conservative talk radio and a Republican icon, passed away on Feb. 17 after a battle with lung cancer. Rush, who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Donald Trump in February 2020, hosted the most listened-to radio show in the United States, the website for "The Rush Limbaugh Show" claimed. Despite being controversial, Rush reached up to 27 million people weekly via the airwaves. After his death, many in the entertainment world reacted to the news on social media. Click through to see what celebrities, media personalities and politicians are saying…
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"The legacy of Rush Limbaugh is clear: the most successful radio broadcaster in history. Mr. Limbaugh provided a conservative balance against the dangerous left wing corporate media machine. History counts few entertainers among those who made a difference in the country. Rush Limbaugh did." –Bill O'Reilly
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"In a lot of ways, the Republican party outsourced its philosophical exposition, its explaining of their beliefs, to Rush Limbaugh" –Tucker Carlson, via Fox News
"An icon of conservative thinking and a master of communication. We have lost a great American. Rest in peace, Rush Limbaugh." –Jeanine Pirro
"Today America lost a Giant with the passing of Rush Limbaugh, and Karen and I send our most heartfelt sympathies to Kathryn, his brother David, and the millions of Americans who loved and cherished his incomparable voice. Rush Limbaugh gave voice to the ideals and values that made this country great, he inspired a generation of American conservatives, and he will be deeply missed. Rush Limbaugh made Conservatives proud and he made Conservatism fun. For more than 30 years no one did more to educate, inform, inspire, and just plain entertain Americans about the issues of the day than Rush Limbaugh. Karen and I are among the millions who loved and admired this Good and Great Man. We started as fans, had the privilege to become friends, and we will miss him dearly. During my years in Conservative talk radio, he was my daily inspiration and the gold standard on the airwaves as he sat behind the golden EIB microphone. During my years among House Conservatives in Congress, he was our greatest champion. And during my service as Governor and Vice President, he was the anchor of Conservatism, giving voice to a movement and fighting for the ideals that make America great. Rush Limbaugh's legacy will live on for generations in the hearts of the millions of Americans he inspired. His matchless voice will never be forgotten. May God comfort his family and all those who loved him. God Bless Rush Limbaugh." –Mike Pence
"Rest In Peace & Love Rush. A Legend you are." –Kristy Swanson
"R.I.P Rush. A true Champion!" –Antonio Sabato Jr.
Scott Baio posted a photo from the golf course, writing, "This rounds for you #RushLimbaugh."
"Rest easy Rush, thank you for all you did. You will not be forgotten." –Kevin Sorbo
"The conservative movement wouldn't have grown the way it did without Rush. Off the radio he was kind and generous in ways that will likely never be fully recognized or appreciated. 70 is way to soon. Prayers to the Limbaugh family #rushlimbaugh" –Sean Spicer
"A person who consistently and continually did a tremendous amount of damage to the world, #RushLimbaugh, lived twice as long as my friend Jonathan Larson, whose work and legacy have only changed the world for the better. It's difficult to reconcile the unfairness of that fact." –Anthony Rapp
"Rush Limbaugh was an architect of the center-right movement, defined & dominated political talk radio for decades & gave daily voice to millions of pro-freedom Americans. Rush's inimitable influence inspires his listeners & inflames his critics. Sympathy to his family. RIP" –Kellyanne Conway
"Cancer killed the cancer" –David Cross
"The left is celebrating the slow and painful death of #RushLimbaugh as they demand we all 'unify or else!' I'm sure Rush would have expected exactly this level of hypocrisy from them. Really disgusting." –John Rich
"I have never wished another person dead, and whew! He beat me to the punch before it ever got to that point. #namaste" –George Takei
"Heartbroken about #RushLimbaugh. He is an American icon that can never be replaced. Let the life he led serve as a reminder to us all to fight nonstop for truth. We face dark times in this country, but we can all be a light if we have the courage to speak up, unapologetically." –Candace Owens
"All I can think of is the Sunday circa '94 I arrived at my desk at ESPN to find an awestruck Rush Limbaugh standing there looking into the ESPN Newsroom, gushing over our work, and quietly saying 'I'd trade everything I've ever had if I could co-host SportsCenter.' Wish he had." –Keith Olbermann
"Rush Limbaugh ~ friend, encourager, leader, patriot, brilliant thought-provoker, a good man; forever missed on earth…until we meet again" — Sarah Palin
"Rush Limbaugh was a generational media trailblazer. He gave a voice to millions of conservative Americans whom the mainstream media had not even tried to represent. His impact is impossible to overstate. May he rest in peace." –Mitch McConnell
"Rest in peace to the tireless voice for freedom and the conservative movement Rush Limbaugh. I'm praying for the entire Limbaugh family." –Ted Cruz
"Rush Limbaugh revolutionized American radio. His voice guided the conservative movement for millions every day. Rest In Peace, Rush." –Kevin McCarthy
"Broadcast Legend Rush Limbaugh has died. His legions of fans will miss him, and his powerful and bright contribution to our national dialogue is a treasure that will endure for decades to come. Rush Limbaugh, a great American, dead at 70. God bless you Rush." –Lou Dobbs
"RIP. More than any single person, Rush Limbaugh helped break the left's monopoly in the media. The left is still dominant, but not to the extent it was before he came along. He waged a brave struggle against deafness and later, the cancer that killed him. He was a giant." –Brit Hume
"I think Newt Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh and Donald Trump are three of the five most important and influential conservative figures in American life over the past three decades. (along with Ailes and Murdoch) The conservatism we have is the conservatism they have forged." –Chris Hayes
"Rush is the GOAT— of radio, of conservative media and of inspiring a loyal army of American patriots. We don't know who will succeed Rush as America's anchorman, but we do know that nobody will ever replace him." –Ron DeSantis
"RIP to a legend and a patriot, Rush Limbaugh. Not many people can say they revolutionized and stayed at the top of an industry the way he did. My condolences to his family." –Rand Paul
"Feeling very sorry for the people of Hell who now have to deal with Rush Limbaugh for the rest of eternity" –Finneas
