The Legacy of Rush Limbaugh

<p>The conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh died last week. He was 70.</p><p>For decades, he broadcast mistrust and grievance into the homes of millions. Mr. Limbaugh helped create an entire ecosystem of right-wing media and changed the course of American conservatism.</p><p>Today, we look back on Rush Limbaugh’s career and how he came to have an outsize influence on Republican politics.</p><p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/jim-rutenberg?searchResultPosition=0">Jim Rutenberg</a>, a writer at large for The New York Times and The Times Magazine. </p><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/newsletters/signup/NTTD">Sign up here</a> to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/newsletters/the-daily?module=inline">subscribe to our newsletter</a>. </p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li>With a following of many millions and a a divisive, derisive style of mockery and grievance, Rush Limbaugh was a force in reshaping American conservatism.<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/17/business/media/rush-limbaugh-dead.html"> Read his obituary here</a>.</li><li>Weaponizing conspiracy theories and bigotry long before Donald Trump’s ascent, the radio giant helped usher in the<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/17/us/politics/limbaugh-death.html?name=styln-rush-limbaugh&region=TOP_BANNER&block=storyline_menu_recirc&action=click&pgtype=Article&impression_id=&variant=show"> political style that came to dominate</a> the Republican Party.  </li></ul><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily">nytimes.com/thedaily.</a> Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. </p>