Biden Sends His Condolences to Family, Friends of Rush Limbaugh, Psaki Says

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki offered President Joe Biden's condolences to the family and friends of conservative radio icon Rush Limbaugh, who died Wednesday after a battle with lung cancer. Limbaugh, the conservative radio talk-show host who attracted a large audience by espousing right-wing political opinions and conspiracy theories while attacking mainstream media, was 70. He told his listeners a year ago that he was receiving treatment for advanced lung cancer. Limbaugh, a favorite of conservatives including presidents Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump, began “The Rush Limbaugh Show” in 1988 and expanded its audience to more than 27 million people, according to his website. The three-hour program aired weekdays on Premier Networks, a subsidiary of San Antonio, Texas-based iHeartMedia Inc. The unit also carries talk programs hosted by Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity. In 2008 Limbaugh signed an eight-year contract valued at $400 million, solidifying his position as the king of conservative talk radio. It was renewed in 2016 for four years, with the financial details undisclosed. Limbaugh’s influence was credited with helping the Republican Party regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994. He also helped persuade Trump to flip-flop in 2018 and veto a funding bill that didn’t provide money for a U.S.-Mexico border wall – Trump’s signature campaign promise. The veto, promised by Trump during an on-air call to Limbaugh, caused a government shutdown that lasted more than one month. Trump, who awarded Limbaugh the Medal of Freedom last year, said the radio host was “a legend” who had an instinct for politics and street smarts that few people possess. “He was a fantastic man, a fantastic talent,” Trump said Wednesday during a call into Fox News. “People, whether they loved him or not, they respected him, they really did.” Although millions of Americans cheered him on, the radio per Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2TwO8Gm Bloomberg Quicktake brings you live global news and original shows spanning business, technology, politics and culture. Make sense of the stories changing your business and your world. To watch complete coverage on Bloomberg Quicktake 24/7, visit http://www.bloomberg.com/qt/live, or watch on Apple TV, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Fire TV and Android TV on the Bloomberg app. Have a story to tell? Fill out this survey for a chance to have it featured on Bloomberg Quicktake: https://cor.us/surveys/27AF30 Connect with us on… YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Bloomberg Breaking News on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BloombergQuickTakeNews Twitter: https://twitter.com/quicktake Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quicktake Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quicktake