Rush Mac Whammy

Poor, poor Rush. First the flap over possibly racist remarks that resulted in his resigning from ESPN. Then it turns out he’s been investigated for involvement in a drug ring from which he may have been purchasing oxycontin in massive quantities.

Now I learn that Rush is a huge Mac fan. And he’s been begging Apple to let him do a Switch ad for them. And that Apple hasn’t gone for it, presumably because Jobs’ and Limbaugh’s politics don’t mesh. Quel surprise. Now he’s telling listeners that Apple’s marketshare is stagnant despite their superior products because Jobs is too obstinate to let Limbaugh buoy their sales with his fame.

The episode did make me wonder: Why is it surprising to learn that Limbaugh is a Mac fan? I guess it’s because most Mac users are pretty liberal. I had never really thought about it, but there seems to be a distinct leftist political leaning that accompanies Mac use, and I’m not sure what to make of that. Theories?

Music: The Specials :: International Jet Set

16 Replies to “Rush Mac Whammy”

  1. Interesting tidbit. Maybe it has something to do with the Steve Jobs cult of personality? I’ve heard stories that he was a longtime Republican until Clinton/Gore came along and wowed him by appreciating the Internet’s potential.

    Then again, it could be that lefties are more willing to challenge the status quo (wintel) in general…

  2. I think it has something to do with aesthetics. Rush is a Mac user, but he also is a cat-lover. He adores his Abyssinians. This is atypical for a Republican because the officially sanctioned pet of the Republican party is the dog: they’re servile and sycophantic. Cats are seditious because don’t respect authority and they don’t work (i.e., lazy welfare cases); therefore, they are considered leftists by Republicans.

    Macs are much more aesthetically pleasing that PCs, but people who appreciate aethestics are often regarded as effete or “gay” as so many Slashdotters are fond of pointing out. Effete and gay are two descriptions that Republicans recoil from, but most lefties are comfortable with those terms.

    Okay, I’m being facetious.

    But I do believe that the aesthetics of Macs (both the OS and the hardware) does “turn off” more conservatively-minded folk. Remember the old toilet-seat iBooks? Many people complained that they resembled purses.

  3. Having worked at Computerware San Rafael for 2 years in the early 90s I can honestly say that the customers there were of all stripes, conservative, liberal, and everything in between. From Anne Lamott to Hal Riney, what they all shared was their preference for Macs.

    I work for a software company in the print/publishing/advertising space now and I still recognize that many (most?) creatives lean to the left, however there are plenty of production and management types who are much more conservative, and still love Macs.

    What about Rush? I dont doubt the Jobs story for a minute (and damn glad for it!), but at the same time I cant condemn him for showing good taste and common sense in *something*.

  4. mnep, I didn’t forget you! You and Rush, that makes two. Out of the total number of Mac users in the world, which is around 23. So that means that 21/23s of Mac users are liberals, which still counts as “most” :)

  5. Actually, a number of the conservatives I’ve known are Mac users… They may be wrong, but they’re not stupid.

  6. Doesn’t Dubya use a Mac too? Almost certain both his dad did, same with Clinton. As for Jobs’ politics, he’s pretty infamous in non profit circles for giving money to absolutely no one…

  7. Me? A conservative? Hardly?

    But I’m hardly a lefty, either.

    I’m a libertarian. I truly do “Think Different.” And if you were to ask me, I’d also label it as:

    “Thinking For Myself”

    “Thinking Clearly”

    “NOT Thinking I Have A Right To Impose My Beliefs On All Of Society Simply Because I Think I’m Educated”

    Am I wrong? Most probably. I’m just another naked monkey interpreting the world through a flawed set of perceptions. Knowing this, I will not impose my views, beliefs, values or ideas on others. I am hard pressed to find anyone on the right or left willing to cede that maybe *they just don’t know*. The left is SURE that subsidizing the poor is a good idea. The right is SURE it is not. And both of them are willing to bust into my living room and wallet and legislate their beliefs.

    No thanks. That ain’t America.

    And neither is hiring an editor and then letting him hang out to dry. For shame, ESPN. Even if you don’t agree with what Rush said, his entire career is editorial and not journalism. You stick up for him in public, and ask him to tone it down behind closed doors.

  8. Mac is the preferred computer of higher education. Educated people tend to be liberal.

    Forget Rush. Mac should sponsor a Nascar team. That crowd is big into brand loyalty.

  9. Well, with Mneptok, that makes two Libertarian Mac fans ;) I *might* fill the bill, since on a personal basis I’m socially “liberal.”

    However, as a Dave Barry-ish Libertarian, I’m simply uncomfortable with using the power of gov’t to force those views on anyone else – at least in in most cases…

    As for old Rush, I’m with Mneptok on that, too. Although I *will* add that, in the words of a recent book, I think he’s a Big Fat Idiot ;)

  10. >>First the flap over possibly racist remarks that resulted in his resigning from ESPN.

    http://www.lewrockwell.com/decoster/decoster94.html
    http://slate.msn.com/id/2089193/
    http://www.colbycosh.com/#tlfs

    And if those aren’t enough, dig this:
    http://www.vdare.com/sailer/limbaugh.htm

    >>Then it turns out he’s been investigated for involvement in a drug ring from which he may have been purchasing oxycontin in massive quantities.

    http://blog.lewrockwell.com/lewrw/archives/001818.html

    >>Now I learn that Rush is a huge Mac fan.

    Hey, if you’d of ast me, I’d of told ya :-).

    >>And that Apple hasn’t gone for it, presumably because Jobs’ and Limbaugh’s politics don’t mesh. /Quel[sic] surprise/.

    If Steve Jobs His Bad Self’s politics are more important to him than his company’s profits, well, then, so be it.

    >>Well, with Mneptok, that makes two Libertarian Mac fans ;)

    Just for interest’s sake, here’s a third:
    http://blog.lewrockwell.com/lewrw/archives/001826.html

    >>Although I *will* add that, in the words of a recent book, I think he’s a Big Fat Idiot ;)

    I don’t listen to RL anymore, at least not since he showed his true colors as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the War Party earlier this year. There are other reasons, as well:
    http://www.thenewamerican.com/tna/1995/vo11no14/vo11no14_limbaugh.htm

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