Outside the Beltway

Rush Limbaugh: Batman Villain Created In 1993 Is Attack On Romney

Rush Limbaugh made perhaps one of the dumber comments I’ve seen from the right about the entire Bain Capital story, and managed to display an apparent inability to use Google to look things up.

Doug Mataconis
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Rush Limbaugh made perhaps one of the dumber comments I’ve seen from the right about the entire Bain Capital story, and managed to display an apparent inability to use Google to look things up:

RUSH: Have you heard this new movie, the Batman movie, what is it, The Dark Knight Lights Up or whatever the name is.  That’s right, Dark Knight Rises. Lights Up, same thing.  Do you know the name of the villain in this movie?  Bane.  The villain in The Dark Knight Rises is named Bane, B-a-n-e.  What is the name of the venture capital firm that Romney ran and around which there’s now this make-believe controversy?  Bain.  The movie has been in the works for a long time.  The release date’s been known, summer 2012 for a long time.  Do you think that it is accidental that the name of the really vicious fire breathing four eyed whatever it is villain in this movie is named Bane?

Adam Serwer is gobsmacked: 

Bane the Batman villain was originally introduced by DC Comics as part of a story arc that involves Batman being harried to exhaustion by having to deal with a rash of escaped supervillains. Bane inflicts a devastating defeat on Batman, who is too tired to fight back, breaking his back and leaving him in a wheelchair for a year. This happened in 1993. Almost 20 years ago. A guy named Bill Clinton was president.

To believe that Bane is a Hollywood conspiracy to elect Barack Obama, you’d have to believe that Bane co-creators Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench, and Graham Nolan* (COINCIDENCE?!?!?!) anticipated prior to Romney even announcing a run for public office that Romney would eventually win the GOP primary in 2012, or that Christopher Nolan, anticipating all of this, chose to pick a villain whose name sounds like the company Romney used to work for. On the other hand, if you’re the kind of Republican who believes Barack Obama’s parents placed afraudulent birth announcement in a Hawaii newspaper in order to shore up his claim to American citizenship in the event he might someday run for president, this probably doesn’t sound like the dumbest thing ever.

And Rachel Maddow had some fun with it on her show last night.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Doesn’t anyone at that EIB place know how to use Google or Wikipedia?

And this is the guy people on the right consider one of their leaders.

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47 responses to “Rush Limbaugh: Batman Villain Created In 1993 Is Attack On Romney”

  1. Vast Variety Avatar
    Vast Variety

    Doug, don’t trouble Rush with facts, he interupts his hate mongering.

  2. john personna Avatar
    john personna

    Retroactive politics changes everything

  3. john personna Avatar
    john personna

    We have become unstuck in time

  4. mattb Avatar
    mattb

    Bane co-creators Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench, and Graham Nolan*

    Not to mention that both Dixon and Nolan are well known, self proclaimed conservatives. In fact they consider themselves to be amoung the most conservative people in mainstream comics.

    http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/07/18/chuck-dixon-rush-limbaugh-bane-bain-and-the-dark-knight-rises/

    Ps. Bane was also featured in the infamous “Batman and Robin” (1997) Of course that also starred George Clooney, so I guess that’s a point in Limbaugh’s favor.

  5. Stormy Dragon Avatar
    Stormy Dragon

    This is just part of the roll out of the Texas GOP’s new 2012 party platform:

    Texas GOP rejects ‘critical thinking’ skills. Really.

    Knowledge-Based Education – We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.

  6. Moosebreath Avatar
    Moosebreath

    “The Dark Knight Lights Up”

    Another reference to the new Republican strategy to remind everyone of Obama’s drug use?

  7. Herb Avatar
    Herb

    @john personna: So it goes….

  8. Jeremy Avatar
    Jeremy

    Rush Limbaugh is a goddamn moron. Enough said.

  9. al-Ameda Avatar
    al-Ameda

    Please, don’t try to stop him. And remember, as much as you’d like to have him committed for observation – you legally can’t intervene because this cannot be done unless he presents a danger to himself or to others.

    Fiction is obsolete, you just can’t make it up any more.

  10. DC Loser Avatar
    DC Loser

    To Paraphrase Otter, “Never mind, he’s on a roll.”

  11. mattb Avatar
    mattb

    BTW, according to Chuck Dixon, this is the second time that Limbaugh attacked him… Ironically, the first time happened in 1993 in response the Batman stories that immediately followed the introduction of Bane.

    Dixon:
    Back during Knightquest, Graham and I had a recurring character, Simpson Flanders, a psychologist at Arkham who’d written a book claiming that all the crazies that Batman fights are just misunderstood. In three succeeding stories he appears on a Larry King and Sally Jesse Raphael type talk show to promote his book. Both hosts take his proposition seriously. Finally, he appears on the Link Rambeau show and Link mocks the shrink and calls his proposition hogwash.

    Someone on Rush’s staff told him about it and he dismissed it as a liberal attack on him without looking at the context.

    source: http://dixonverse.net/board3/index.php?topic=7474.0

  12. john personna Avatar
    john personna

    @Stormy Dragon: Amazing.

  13. mattb Avatar
    mattb

    And a killer tweet on the topic:

    Chase Mitchell ‏@ChaseMit:

    @rushlimbaugh You should read up on Bane. He’s an oversized drug-addict with anger issues who’s been popular since the 90s. You’d love him.

  14. Cudgel the Clever Avatar
    Cudgel the Clever

    @Moosebreath:

    And what about the tub o’ lard….er, Limbaugh’s drug use?

  15. Stormy Dragon Avatar
    Stormy Dragon

    @john personna:

    Well, on the bright side, the did finally drop the plank calling for the recriminalization of homosexuality. So why they make it clear they still hate me, at least they don’t want to kidnap me and lock me in a cage anymore.

    So I guess that’s a little progress…

  16. Xerxes Avatar
    Xerxes

    Oh look what we have here…I guess reports of Ron Paul being disqualified for nomination at the GOP convention a few days back were greatly exaggerated! LMAO!!!! In your faces!!!!

    http://www.examiner.com/article/rnc-confirms-ron-paul-will-be-up-for-nomination

  17. PJ Avatar
    PJ

    Finally facing the truth, Romney will lose in November, Limbaugh is back popping pills.

  18. CSK Avatar
    CSK

    Well, Limbaugh DID once refer to Tom Clancy as “our greatest American novelist,” so a comment like this really doesn’t surprise me.

    He probably doesn’t know, either, that “bane” is an actual word, and that it’s not a bad monicker for a villain.

  19. ernieyeball Avatar
    ernieyeball

    Brush Lintoff is a Bloated Sack of Protoplasm.

  20. roger Avatar
    roger

    Back in 1990 or so, I heard Rush mention on one broadcast that he did this all for entertainment and he was surprised people took him seriously.

    The surprising/sad thing is that he’s making money of this diatribe he spews out.

  21. Moosebreath Avatar
    Moosebreath

    “To Paraphrase Otter, “Never mind, he’s on a roll.””

    Fitting, as he is quite a hot dog.

  22. Herb Avatar
    Herb

    @Xerxes:

    “In your faces!!!!”

    That’s what I’d say if I could do a slam dunk.

    Not what I’d say if a candidate who will never be elected president pulls some shenanigans at the convention…..

  23. Septimius Avatar
    Septimius

    So, anyway, this evil villain in the new Batman movie is named Bane. And there’s now a discussion out there as to whether or not this is purposeful and whether or not it will influence voters. It’s gonna have a lot of people. This movie, the audience is gonna be huge. A lot of people are gonna see the movie, and it’s a lot of brain-dead people, entertainment, the pop culture crowd, and they’re gonna hear Bane in the movie and they’re gonna associate Bain. The thought is that when they start paying attention to the campaign later in the year, and Obama and the Democrats keep talking about Bain, Romney and Bain, that these people will think back to the Batman movie, “Oh, yeah, I know who that is.” (laughing) There are some people who think it’ll work. Others think you’re really underestimating the American people to think that will work.

    Never let context get in the way of a good smear on Rush Limbaugh.

  24. bk Avatar
    bk

    @Septimius: So then are you saying that the first quote – from a transcript on his website – is made up?

  25. mattb Avatar
    mattb

    @Septimius: So you are saying that you agree with Limbaugh’s suggestion the idea that the use of Bane in this movie was part of a long-view plan to influence the current election?

  26. Rob in CT Avatar
    Rob in CT

    Rush knows full well, of course. He simply doesn’t care. He’s basically perfected hateful BS.

    Some of the people who listen to his show will believe it. Others will simply find it funny, for various reasons (e.g. “hur-hur, dumb Democrat voters will link Bane with Bain, hur-hur they’re so dumb”) and others will ignore it/excuse it.

    He’s running a radioshow fergawdsakes. The prescription drug habit and Dominican hookers don’t pay for themselves, ya know.

  27. legion Avatar
    legion

    So, the sub-head to this article is:
    “Limbaugh Back On Drugs”

  28. Septimius Avatar
    Septimius

    @bk:

    No. I didn’t say it was made up. I said it was out of context. I realize that context is difficult for you, but I’ll try to explain. Limbaugh wasn’t trying to say that the choice of Bane as the villain in the Batman movie was an attack on Romney. He was saying that there is discussion as to whether or not the Obama campaign’s sustained attack on Bain is an attempt to reinforce a negative attitude among people that see the movie but don’t really follow politics closely. Moreover, he didn’t even say that he bought into it. He just said that it’s being talked about. That’s why I posted the quote of what Rush said immediately following what Doug posted. Apparently, reading isn’t your strong suit, either.

  29. mattb Avatar
    mattb

    @Septimius:

    Moreover, he didn’t even say that he bought into it.

    Ahhh… the old “some people say, but I don’t believe.”

    As in “some people say that, based on his posts, Septimius is a souless, bigoted, republican, hack, apologist who has no problems lying and twisting the truth in order to ensure his side wins. I’m not saying I believe this of course. I’m just bringing up that some people say it.”

    Of course some people will associate Romney with the movie. But to think that this was the primary reason that Obama launched this sort of attack is Limbaugh’s usual conspiracy mongering. I mean it’s not like Bain ever came up during the Republican primaries…

    Oh, wait.

    It did.

    Multiple times.

    Clearly Gingrich and Perry were in league with Nolan.

  30. Not Likely Avatar
    Not Likely

    @Septimius: “I said it was out of context.”

    The context is that Rush is claiming that this is a conspiracy, an intentional attempt to manipulate the public. A conspiracy that began in 1993.

  31. Tsar Nicholas Avatar
    Tsar Nicholas

    Not at all surprising.

    Limbaugh quite literally is one of the dumbest people ever to attain any significant measures of wealth and fame. Seriously. Dude flunked out of a college so low on the totem pole it boggles the mind. That’s no accident. I’ve known crack addicts with better academic credentials and again I mean that literally.

    You actually can lose IQ points listening to Limbaugh. That he possesses more wealth than any of us can fathom proves three key points: (1) PT Barnum was correct, (2) the lowest common denominator can be quite profitable for “special” individuals, (3) the future bodes ill for substantial segments of the country at large.

  32. mattb Avatar
    mattb

    @Tsar Nicholas:

    You actually can lose IQ points listening to Limbaugh. That he possesses more wealth than any of us can fathom proves three key points: (1) PT Barnum was correct, (2) the lowest common denominator can be quite profitable for “special” individuals, (3) the future bodes ill for substantial segments of the country at large.

    I think it also proves a fourth point, attributed to Limbaugh himself, is (paraphrased) that one of the surest ways to become wealthy is to make half the country love you by making the other half hate you.

    Limbaugh’s success — beyond his skills in bringing a specific, already successful, genre of radio broadcast to political talk radio — is that he’s made his fortune through hate that inspires rabid devotion.

  33. Moosebreath Avatar
    Moosebreath

    @mattb:

    And a fifth point, originally made by Mencken — No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people.

  34. mattb Avatar
    mattb

    BTW, redit for the win:

    http://i.imgur.com/vlyle.jpg

    Totally SFW, but to tell you what it is ruins the effect.

  35. Trumwill Avatar
    Trumwill

    Though the creation of the Bane character was in 1993, we don’t know when the decision was made to use him in the next movie. So it’s technically possible that they made a decision involving the movie of a multi-bazillionaire property as a partisan potshot. The rumor was that they were going to use Black Mask, so maybe they chose to use Bane instead cause of the Romney connection. The only thing that is lacking in this theory is a shred of evidence.

    Truthfully, it would have been easier to take Black Mask and make him more like Romney than it would have to take a character like Bane and use him.

    (Incidentally, I am irritated that they are stripping Bane of his heritage. One of the few minority super-villains out there.)

  36. mattb Avatar
    mattb

    @Trumwill: I have a hard time seeing how the Black Mask could ever have worked in this movie without a complete reinvention.

    You make a good point that its too bad that they chose not to go with the Latin American Bane. I am a little of a loss as to why as from what I have heard about the plot, that background would have worked fine for the character.

  37. Trumwill Avatar
    Trumwill

    @mattb: If the early rumors about Black Mask were true, it’s entirely possible that they had a different movie and changed trajectory. You’re right that BM is incompatible with the movie that they made, but he would have been compatible with a third movie in the franchise.

    Not sure why they made the decision they did with Bane. My inclination is that I would have kept the South American part. However, after seeing the movie I may think differently for some reason. I suppose if you’re stripping him of his origin (sounds like he is going to be one of those mysterious “came from nowhere” villains) there’s no reason not to make him whatever ethnicity. But even with that in mind, why not at least keep that part? Also, I’m kind of sick of villains with British accents.

  38. HowthCastle Avatar
    HowthCastle

    Listen, the conspiracy goes further than tha! Remember in the Lord of the Rings movie, the evil magic ring is referred to as “Isuldur’s Bane!”

  39. al-Ameda Avatar
    al-Ameda

    I think Rush is a smart man, however he does not believe that his listeners are. They’re called “dittoheads” that is a damned good clue as to how smart he thinks his listeners are.

    Whatever, I’m enjoying this latest episode – you just can’t make this stuff up.

  40. mattb Avatar
    mattb

    @Trumwill:

    If the early rumors about Black Mask were true, it’s entirely possible that they had a different movie and changed trajectory.

    Possibly. It just seems like any story involving the Black Mask (and therefore a “freak enhanced” mob) would end up retreading the last movie.

    Count me amoung the “it was Baine from the beginning” because it’s a pretty logical progression from the last movie. If the Joker is absolute chaos, then Baine is absolute disiplined cunning. The Joker always threatens to bring Batman down to his level. Bane, when written well, always threatens to be on a level above Batman.

  41. NIgel Hendricks Avatar
    NIgel Hendricks

    @Vast Variety: http://hollywoodandswine.com/occupy-wall-street-finally-clears-out-as-last-squatters-leave-to-camp-out-for-the-dark-knight-rises/

  42. William Teach Avatar
    William Teach

    The only fools are those who didn’t bother to read the full transcript or hear what Rush was saying. Instead, Doug and all the Progressives posting comments here at what used to be a Conservative blog rushed to judgement on the beginning, without apply the context of the full remarks.

    I’m having a hard time differentiating Outside The Beltway with Andrew Sullivan.

    1. Doug Mataconis Avatar
      Doug Mataconis

      I linked to the transcript, dude. And I read the whole thing. Rush said what he said. And he’s a moron.

  43. mattb Avatar
    mattb

    @Doug Mataconis: And note that he had to go back today and “revise” he said what he said yesterday…

    http://www.mediaite.com/online/limbaugh-revisits-his-batmanbane-comment-i-never-said-theres-a-conspiracy/

  44. mattb Avatar
    mattb

    @William Teach:

    I’m having a hard time differentiating Outside The Beltway with Andrew Sullivan.

    I realize this was meant as an insult… I guess… but considering Sullivan’s success in the field of political blogging, it’s hard not to see that as a compliment.

  45. G.A. Avatar
    G.A.

    I linked to the transcript, dude. And I read the whole thing. Rush said what he said. And he’s a moron.

    lol…

    I’m having a hard time differentiating Outside The Beltway with Andrew Sullivan.

    This is a leftist site now, completely.

  46. dennis Avatar
    dennis

    @G.A.:

    Well, no one is twisting your arm to force you to stick around…

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