Rush Limbaugh lives in a glass house where everyone can see his fat posterior, so why is he throwing rocks at Michelle Obama? He recently went on a tirade on his radio show complaining about the first lady’s “leftist” healthy eating campaign and called her a hypocrite for asking Americans to subsist on “cardboard and tofu” while she dined on greasy, calorie-laden ribs during the Presidents Day holiday.
On top of his many criticisms of the first lady, Limbaugh now takes umbrage at her eating habits. He also said she doesn’t have the looks to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated or to make Alex Rodriguez want to date her. So because of her hypocritical eating habits, she’s not appropriately physically fit (meaning not thin or hot enough) to meet Limbaugh’s standard of beauty? The man has clearly not looked at a mirror recently.
Mrs. Obama has graced the cover of countless fashion, fitness, and health magazines. When was the last time Men’s Health magazine featured Limbaugh on its cover? Perhaps if Mrs. Obama was overweight or was spotted making regular nighttime runs to Krispy Kreme Donuts in Dupont Circle , Limbaugh might have a point. But he doesn’t. I’d like to see him try this or this before considering himself qualified to critique her body or her “Let’s Move” campaign .
Limbaugh seemed to take great satisfaction in announcing the calorie count (1,575) and grams of fat (141) of the recent meal Mrs. Obama consumed, but as usual, he was flat wrong. According to USA Today , she had a 5-ounce braised short rib with most of the fat cooked off. The calorie count was closer to 600.
A man who can’t control his mouth whether he’s using it to spew racist and patently dishonest bile or shoving food, or his foot, in it, should spend less time worrying about what the first lady eats and more time worrying about what he eats. Given his girth and recent health problems, he might also consider laying off the Big Macs, whole roasted pigs, Oxycontin-laced brownies, or whatever else he consumes, and start exercising other muscles besides his mouth.
Limbaugh is obsessed with debasing and maligning Mrs. Obama on just about anything she does or says. And this was not the first time he discussed her weight on his show . For such a big man, this pattern seems incredibly small. If he had done his homework, he’d know that she never advocated for taking the joy or the taste out of eating. If anything, she has shown us that it’s still possible to enjoy a great meal even while eating less and eating healthier.
Photograph courtesy Ethan Miller for Getty Images.
