For years, Rush Limbaugh, conservative radio commentator who, whether you agree with him or not, revolutionized the radio industry and commands an audience of over 20 million daily listeners, has extolled the benefits of Apple Macintosh, but lamented Apple’s unwillingness to tap his potential to widen the Mac platform’s base.
Limbaugh writes, “The entire EIB radio staff uses Apple computers. That fact draws calls like those from Vince, a graphic artist in Calhoun, Georgia. Vince asked the perfect Open Line Friday question: one that made the host look good, but that wasn’t necessarily one of the topics of the day. He wanted my learned opinion on Apple’s new G5 tower.”
“It was announced this week, but won’t be released until August. The G5 is going to go to 64 bits, and it’s going to change everything – which is why I’m so frustrated that this technology isn’t more mainstream,” Limbaugh writes. “I recently bought the latest dual-processor G4. I’ve already hooked up audio, video, iChat – which is their version of AOL instant messenger – and it’s incredible. It’s real-time video conferencing on your computer. The long-distance companies are going to have to get in on this. The G5 is an even more advanced machine, yet Apple’s market share remains static! They have so much superior equipment that they should have at least double the share of the market they hold now. Apple is apparently a company that is so constrained by the political views of its corporate leadership and board, which now includes Algore, that it’s accepting lower sales. What a shame.” Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Again, whether you agree with his politics or not, Rush makes a valid point. Why does Apple ignore a potential endorsement opportunity that could add arguably tens of thousands (or more) Mac users to the fold?
I have to say, the older (and wiser) I get, the more sense Rush makes. Having him endorse the Mac officially, with backing from Apple, would be a “good thing.”
I�ve asked myself this same question for several years. I even called apple about five years ago and suggested they work with Rush. Personally, I thought the addition of Al Gore to their BOD was a smart move, but the blatant disregard for Rush’s dedication to the Macintosh is simply foolish and lends credence to Rush’s comments. Does not a single person inside apple have the balls to say, hey, this might be a good idea? Imagine the new apple Al/Rush commercial!
Ed: I don’t recall who said it (I think it was Mark Twain nee Sam Clemens), but it was something like, “I’ve never met a man under 25 who wasn’t a Democrat, and I’ve never met a man over 25 who wasn’t a Republican.”
Wisdom comes only with age. (;
Ditto, Ditto, & Mega Dittos to the MahaRushdi!!!!!!
What a bunch of tired, old crap. Rush’s complaint isn’t political, but of
course he has to phrase it so for his march-in-lockstep fans. It is
standard for a radio host that regularly mentions a product to expect
a quid-pro-quo purchase of advertising, etc. Apple isn’t playing ball,
so he does a little bit of whining. Besides, apparently Apple provides
a product he wants for a price he is willing to pay. Under normal
conservative ideology that is the only obligation a corporation has in
a free market. Finally, wouldn’t being endorsed by the leader of a
bunch of dittoheads who are daily uploaded their new thoughts be hard to reconcile with the motto Think Different?
Rush is so dead on with this. It shouldn’t matter whether you’re conservative or liberal when it comes to something like a computer or technology. I love Apple and my Mac but I’m also conservative and a Republican. I certainly am on the polar opposite side of the political spectrum from Al Gore to say the least, that’s for sure. I know for a fact that I’m not the only Mac user that is this way but you wouldn’t know it from the way Apple goes about things. Why can’t we put politics aside in this instance?? It makes absolutely no sense to not be as inclusive as you can. Try to “Think Different” about it Steve…
Why would anyone want to align themselves with mush gumball. It’s good that he uses a Mac, but the guy’s an idiot.
Cinque
Right on Rush. With a slogan like “Think Different” you would think Apple would want to be as INCLUSIVE as possible and not be strictly EXCLUSIVE to only liberal democrats (like most everyone from anywhere near Cupertino).
Hmm, I thought this would devolve into a name calling show before long. Listen to the clip on Rush’s website and you will find that he really knows his macs. He also rants a bit about the superiority of Macintosh computers. By the way, wouldn’t Rush’s use of Macs qualify as thinking different? Do we only want people we completely agree with using our precious macs?
‘Opinionated Jerk’ doesn’t begin to know just how true his handle is. To him, anyone who has ever listened to Limbaugh, or read any of his writing, or ever expressed agreement with any of his opinions, is a ‘march-in-lockstep fan’ who is ‘daily uploaded’ his ‘new thoughts’.
A clue for you, O.J.: Millions of people who have never listened to a single Limbaugh broadcast find themselves agreeing with him from time to time. If you use a Mac, you’re one of them. Does that make YOU a ‘dittohead’? If not, then you might want to stop your silly rant against anyone else who shares opinions with the guy.
(Me, I have never heard Limbaugh’s radio show, but whenever I find an opinion of his in print, the odds are good that I agree with the substance . . . & wish the man were not such an arrogant goofball in the way he chooses to present it.)
I don’t think having Limbaugh advertising Macs is a good idea. I don’t think having Gore on the board is a good idea, either. Aren’t corporate directors SUPPOSED to be expert business people who keep an eye out for the interests of the shareholders?
A Commercial in the future:
ALGORE goes on about his values and beliefs
cut to RUSH
RUSH goes on about his values and beliefs
cut to a 2 shot of RUSH and ALGORE
“There’s one thing we can agree on…
The Apple Macintosh is the most powerful, versatile and easy to use computer on earth.”
ALGORE- “I like the PowerBook the Best”
RUSH-“EVERYBODY KNOWS THE G5 PowerMac is better”
and back and forth
(fade out)
If done right, it could be very cool
P.S.
To all of the Rush bashers out there, more people listen to Rush every day than use Macintosh computers every day. The Limbaugh show has a high-income, high-education demographic with a large number of self-employed and small business people. Who do you think Apple should sell their computers to?
Politics aside, has anyone noticed that to “listen live” to Rush you have to use Windows Media or RealPlayer? And below the article is a huge button to download Windows Media Player. Rush, why no Quicktime? You rave about how superior Apple is but fail to use arguably the best media format and player around. What’s the deal?
I agree about the lack of Quicktime support. I suppose they had to go with the numbers.
Umm…OK, I’m Jamaican, and we have our own brand of spectacularly shitty politics (and practitioners thereof), but Limbaugh is neither here nor there to me, and I fail to see what the perceived political leanings of Apple’s corporate leadership have to do with Apple’s market performance whatsoever. Is he trying to say that more Republicans would buy Macs if Jobs didn’t come across as some kind of Marin County pinko liberal? That’s a meaningless argument, because Apple’s market share is testament to the fact that liberal Democrats aren’t swarming the Apple stores either. I personally think that Jobs is an immature, arrogant jackass with the stage presence of a carnival barker, and I wouldn’t piss in his mouth if his teeth were on fire. But I consider him one of the great visionary minds of the computer industry, and under his leadership Apple has set the gold standard for innovation. I wouldn’t dream of using anything except a Mac. Seems to me that Limbaugh is trying to drag his political views into an arena where it doesn’t have any context.
Politics in Jamaica is a blood sport. I’ve seen the horrifying effects of political demagoguery first-hand, and it never fails to amaze me that otherwise intelligent people can get so caught up in the shrill invective and tribalising influence of commentators with personal axes to grind. I guess it’s a testament to the vitality of democracy in America, that despite the idiotic posturing on both sides of the political spectrum, � la CNN’s Crossfire, your nation remains the greatest on the planet. The average American takes for granted the freedoms bestowed by your remarkable constitution; you know your country is great but you don’t know why.
he revolutionized radio like mike tyson revolutionized politix! Howard Stern revolutionized radio. Rush is a Putz. Though his use of an apple shocks me. who would have thunk that someone so mainstream and conservitive would use a machine designed by a vegan hippy?
Apple has lost half its customers over the last 3 years… associating the companies dwindling prospects with Gore can be of no benefit. Why piss off half your base? Probably more like 70% of you your base, considering demographics. All in all, this is not what they need right now.
I run a reasonably large business on macs and it has given me reason to consider switching. If i were using pc’s I would probably obsess on Gore as a reason not to use macs. It could be worse though, like making macs in France or adding Hillary to the board.
Why not let it all hang out and have every imac launch with a pro-abortion quicktime movie?
BTW- pairing Gore and Limbaugh in the same Apple ad would be priceless.
Rush has always said that regardless of race, politics, or religion, always choose the best for the job. Thus, he chooses Macs because he thinks they are the best.
By the way, at EIB, Rush employs blacks, Democrats and Jews not because they fit the demographics, but because they are the best at what they do!
Johnboy,
You sound like a nutter to me. A Christian-right-neo-conservative-insular-xenphobe.
I bet you even think the US/UK have actually done a good job in Iraq don’t you ? (When they didn’t even have a plan for post-war law and order beyond protecting the oil fields)
The fact that Rush would extol the virtues of Apple’s products, knowing the political base of it’s founder and some board members, speakes volumes about Rush. The man has far more depth than his blatant critics will admit.
Those who run large companies and ultimately choose which platform are not the tree-huggin’ type. They are pragmatic, conservative, right-thinking, and mostly white men. They’re not impressed with Algore, or John Lennon “Think Different” posters. And they’re not buying Macs outside of their “crazy” art departments. Macs are for wacko Libs (and not for the rest of us) until Jobs either removes his wacked out politics from Apple or Apple removes Jobs.
I’d just like to point out to all of you including Rush Limbaugh that his name is Al Gore not Algore.
I am the classic lefty that Rush despises and my dad is the stereotypical Rush lover. We do agree on one thing…our love for our TiPowerBooks.
I know my dad bought his not to be more like me but because his hero, Rush has one. He feels cool knowing he has the same machine as Rush. He also knows I know a thing or two about computers and if his weirdo, commie, pinko, computer freak, homo son and Rush both have one, it must be really cool!
Rush is right (pun intended). Apple really should try harder to not exclude the rest of the world from their cool little, tiny, exclusive club.
Hey Opinionated Jerk, Rush isn’t asking for free computers. Heck, he doesn’t even use his health insurance, he PAYS FOR IT out of pocket. His goal isn’t to get free stuff, it’s to tell people about something he thinks is great…even if you don’t agree with what he stands for, think of it this way…when you find something great, be it a political belief, a spiritual revelation, or even a really cool product, you WANT people to know about it, you WANT people to see the light. That’s the reason he has his own show, and that’s the reason he talks about his Macs the way he does. Even now, he basically advertises for them with no payoff. Separate the politics and look at it this way…what would the HARM be if Apple advertised with him. 20 million listeners? You know how uneducated many in the public sector are? ESPECIALLY if you think his listeners do only what he says…THAT’S EVEN BETTER FOR APPLE!
I for one think the commercial Adam Smith envisioned is a GREAT idea. Both these guys have a sense of humor…and I think they would BOTH have fun with it. The perfect commercial to bridge the political gap and reach everyone.
In Other Words, Rush would like free ‘puters & money to keep speaking of Apple. It isn’t about politics, it isn’t about Al Gore, it is about getting free stuff and getting paid. Thats what “stars” expect when they talk about a particular brand!
A true Apple Loyalist does not worry about the politics of Apple, nor do we talk about Apple computers because we can get a free toaster oven with every 3 switchers we make. We are loyal and support *OUR* platform because we *FEEL* (read *KNOW*) that it is the best desktop platform out there.
It is true that Apple and Jobs do hold certain political ideology, but it has been that way from day 1. MS and many other companies like your phone company, electric company, and others choose to make political statments, donations and even create thier own political action commities (the RIAA is a great example). I live in Chicago, and I know what ComEd the electric company supports politically, it isn’t my politics, but it is the choice of the company’s leadership to do as they please, but you don’t see Rush doing psa for the Electric Industry.
Over the years Rush has talked alot about his use of Mac’s on his shows, as have many other famous people. That said, anyone who cares what Rush has to say would already know that he uses a Mac and if that was the basis for also using a Mac then everyone that is going to get a Mac because of Rush should already have one.
How many people think Rush has a following that DOES NOT already tune into his show now?
As it is now, the politics of Apple and Steve Jobs are not a front issue, even with “citizen” Al Gore on the board of directors (You would be surprised at how many former politicians are on corporate boards-Cheney & Halliburton ring any bells?). But if Apple was to make Rush into a commercial or soundbyte, by the very nature of Rush being a political entertainer it would put Apples politics front and center.
Just another example of someone tyring to make politics a way to more personal gain.