---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I respect Rush Limbaugh; he is a national…"
description: "\"I respect Rush Limbaugh; he is a national conservative leader, and in no way do I want to diminish his voice.\" — Michael Steele"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/michael-steele-16681_conservative_i-respect-rush-limbaugh-he-is-a-national_2699640.jpg"
---

#  I respect Rush Limbaugh; he is a national conservative…

![“I respect Rush Limbaugh; he is a national conservative leader, and in no way do I want to diminish his voice.” quote by Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/michael-steele-16681_conservative_i-respect-rush-limbaugh-he-is-a-national_2699640.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/michael-steele-16681_conservative_i-respect-rush-limbaugh-he-is-a-national_2699640.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/michael-steele-16681_conservative_i-respect-rush-limbaugh-he-is-a-national_2699640.jpg)

> “I respect Rush Limbaugh; he is a national conservative leader, and in no way do I want to diminish his voice.”

[Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He expresses respect for a political figure while maintaining personal dissent.

**In simple terms:** Respectful disagreement is possible.

Key Takeaway

Acknowledge opposing voices.

Themes

politics respect dialogue

Mood

thoughtful balanced

Type

political opinion

When to use this quote

- media interview
- political commentary

Key Concepts

civil discourse political identity

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we respect without endorsing?
- What limits respect in politics?

A Different Perspective

Respect may be superficial.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Conservative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative/) [Conservative Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative-leader-2722947/) [Diminish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diminish/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [His](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/his/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Limbaugh National](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limbaugh-national-2722946/) [National](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/national/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Respect Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect-rush-2722945/) [Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rush/) [Rush limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rush-limbaugh/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/)

## Related quotes

> [My intent was not to go after Rush - I have enormous respect for Rush Limbaugh. I was maybe a little bit inarticulate. ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/my-intent-was-not-to-go-after-rush-i-have-enormous-respect-for-rush/)

[Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/)

> [Rush Limbaugh is an entertainer. Rush Limbaugh's whole thing is entertainment. Yes, it is incendiary. Yes, it is ugly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/rush-limbaugh-is-an-entertainer-rush-limbaugh-s-whole-thing-is/)

[Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/)

> [We have a Conservative leader that believes in green taxes, that won't bring back grammar schools, that believes in continuing with total open-door migration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-farage/we-have-a-conservative-leader-that-believes-in-green-taxes-that-won-t/)

[Nigel Farage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-farage/)

> [I'm an honest, hardworking conservative leader who will stand up to Washington and fight for Nebraska.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-fischer/i-m-an-honest-hardworking-conservative-leader-who-will-stand-up-to/)

[Deb Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-fischer/)

> [Some call-in moderators are neutral and courteous. Then there's Rush Limbaugh, who is funny and pompous and a scapegoater and hatemonger. His popularity could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/some-call-in-moderators-are-neutral-and-courteous-then-there-s-rush/)

[Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/)

> [Well, what happened is that I had been the subject of vicious attacks by Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/well-what-happened-is-that-i-had-been-the-subject-of-vicious-attacks/)

[Robert Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/)

> [What was the more likely cause of the Oklahoma City bombing: talk radio or Bill Clinton and Janet Renos hands-on management of Waco, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-olbermann/what-was-the-more-likely-cause-of-the-oklahoma-city-bombing-talk/)

[Keith Olbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-olbermann/)

> [The reason I take Rush Limbaugh seriously is not because he's offensive or right-wing, but because he is one of the few people addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/the-reason-i-take-rush-limbaugh-seriously-is-not-because-he-s/)

[Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/)

> [Conservatives and companies condoned Rush Limbaugh's politics of personal destruction when it came to smearing elected officials. 'Fair game,' they said, even when crass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-pelosi/conservatives-and-companies-condoned-rush-limbaugh-s-politics-of/)

[Christine Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-pelosi/)

> [The big 3 networks don't like the fact that there's a Rush Limbaugh out there, they don't like the fact that there's a Fox…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/the-big-3-networks-don-t-like-the-fact-that-there-s-a-rush-limbaugh/)

[Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/)

> [Rush Limbaugh, whether you hate him or not, he's a great entertainer; he's a great broadcaster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-miller/rush-limbaugh-whether-you-hate-him-or-not-he-s-a-great-entertainer-he/)

[Stephanie Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-miller/)

> [Rush Limbaugh makes money getting simpleminded people to feel good about their intellectually undernourished brain spasms. He's very good at it, and I scarcely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/rush-limbaugh-makes-money-getting-simpleminded-people-to-feel-good/)

[Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/)

> [Rush Limbaugh criticizes me a lot on the air. I take that as a badge of honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-david/rush-limbaugh-criticizes-me-a-lot-on-the-air-i-take-that-as-a-badge/)

[Laurie David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-david/)

> [Last year, on a long car trip, I was listening to Rush Limbaugh shout. I usually agree with Rush Limbaugh; therefore I usually don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/last-year-on-a-long-car-trip-i-was-listening-to-rush-limbaugh-shout-i/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Rush Limbaugh is a tool. At least when I disagree with O Reilly I feel like its over issues. Rush is just in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/rush-limbaugh-is-a-tool-at-least-when-i-disagree-with-o-reilly-i-feel/)

[Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/)

## More by Michael Steele

> [Not in the history of mankind has the government ever created a job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/not-in-the-history-of-mankind-has-the-government-ever-created-a-job/)

[Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/)

> [Let's focus on how we can take someone who is being poorly educated in an American public school and how they are poorly trained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/let-s-focus-on-how-we-can-take-someone-who-is-being-poorly-educated/)

[Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/)

> [We have a lot to gain through furthering stem cell research, but medical breakthroughs should be fundamentally about saving, not destroying, human life. Therefore,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/we-have-a-lot-to-gain-through-furthering-stem-cell-research-but/)

[Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/)

> [We don't need to allow any more Nancy Pelosies to wind up in Congress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/we-don-t-need-to-allow-any-more-nancy-pelosies-to-wind-up-in-congress/)

[Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/)

> [ \[The healthcare bill is a\] headlong rush into socialism…we will not stand for the Obama-Pelosi-Reid hijacking of our freedom and democracy so they can… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/the-healthcare-bill-is-a-headlong-rush-into-socialism-we-will-not/)

[Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/)

> [George Bush created lots of jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/george-bush-created-lots-of-jobs/)

[Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/)

> [I'm a pro-life Roman Catholic conservative, always have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/i-m-a-pro-life-roman-catholic-conservative-always-have-been/)

[Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/)

> [The bottom line is, I hear my donors, I hear our base out there, I hear the leadership. And we're taking steps to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/the-bottom-line-is-i-hear-my-donors-i-hear-our-base-out-there-i-hear/)

[Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/)

> [You know, when we get to a point in this country where dissent is extremism, we've turned, I think, a very dark page in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/you-know-when-we-get-to-a-point-in-this-country-where-dissent-is/)

[Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/)

> [Up until, really, Roosevelt, African-Americans largely voted ninety per cent Republican. That was the political origins, that's what their political voice was in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/up-until-really-roosevelt-african-americans-largely-voted-ninety-per/)

[Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/)

> [We need to increase access to health insurance through Health Savings Accounts and high deductible policies, so individuals and families can purchase the insurance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/we-need-to-increase-access-to-health-insurance-through-health-savings/)

[Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/)

> [You can have all the gun control laws in the country, but if you don't enforce them, people are going to find a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/you-can-have-all-the-gun-control-laws-in-the-country-but-if-you-don-t/)

[Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/)

> [Oh, no. I don't think I've ever really subscribed to that view, that you can turn it on and off like a water tap.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/oh-no-i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-really-subscribed-to-that-view-that-you/)

[Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/)

> [In order to achieve optimal economic growth, Congress must adhere to sane spending guidelines while promoting smart policies devoted to growing businesses and creating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/in-order-to-achieve-optimal-economic-growth-congress-must-adhere-to/)

[Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/)

> [I was born in D.C. on 8th Street. I know what's up. I know what time it is. I used to hang out in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/i-was-born-in-d-c-on-8th-street-i-know-what-s-up-i-know-what-time-it/)

[Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/)

[Explore all 39 Michael Steele quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/)

## More Conservative quotes

> [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/)

[Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/)

> [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

> [Progressive Conservative candidates from Quebec want to exert real power in Ottawa, not simply be content with playing a secondary role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-campbell/progressive-conservative-candidates-from-quebec-want-to-exert-real/)

[Kim Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-campbell/)

> [Play small ball. Get back to basics. I would say that you need to be a conservative, but you need to maintain your independent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/play-small-ball-get-back-to-basics-i-would-say-that-you-need-to-be-a/)

[Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/)

> [I am a conservative type of person, so sometimes when I'm chilling with myself, people always come ask me, 'What's wrong with you? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-wonder/i-am-a-conservative-type-of-person-so-sometimes-when-i-m-chilling/)

[Wayne Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-wonder/)

> [In the Tea Party era, it is the restless conservative Republican who has become passion's plaything, the toy of impetuous romance, an erotomania only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/in-the-tea-party-era-it-is-the-restless-conservative-republican-who/)

[James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/)

> [I'm a principle liberty, rule-of-law Conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-o-toole/i-m-a-principle-liberty-rule-of-law-conservative/)

[Erin O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-o-toole/)

> [I would say I'm a fiscal conservative and a social liberal, if that contradiction can make sense, because in Bolivia, we have a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/i-would-say-i-m-a-fiscal-conservative-and-a-social-liberal-if-that/)

[Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/)

> [My dad's quite a conservative person, and he brought me up to be very questioning of the commercial world. He looked down on pop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-and-the-diamonds/my-dad-s-quite-a-conservative-person-and-he-brought-me-up-to-be-very/)

[Marina and the Diamonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-and-the-diamonds/)

> [To all conservative women out there: If you are so sure the embryo needed for stem cell research are precious human life that can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/to-all-conservative-women-out-there-if-you-are-so-sure-the-embryo/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [There are a lot of conservative people, a lot of moderate people, Republicans, Democrats, in Hollywood. It is just that the conservative people by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/there-are-a-lot-of-conservative-people-a-lot-of-moderate-people/)

[Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/)

> [“Those who consider themselves ‘Conservative’ frequently identify with family values, so they should consider carefully the fact that in 1960, only 18% of women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/those-who-consider-themselves-conservative-frequently-identify-with/)

[Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/)

> [A faithfully kept program of savings and conservative investments can give you more money and a better life than that of your neighbors who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-bryant-quinn/a-faithfully-kept-program-of-savings-and-conservative-investments-can/)

[Jane Bryant Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-bryant-quinn/)

> [Conservative political opinion in America cleaves to the tradition of the judge as passive interpreter, believing that his absolute loyalty to authoritative law is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/conservative-political-opinion-in-america-cleaves-to-the-tradition-of/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

> [Conservative feminism is such an artificial term that doesn't mean much to me. For me conservatism means accepting reality. I acknowledge that there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-schroder/conservative-feminism-is-such-an-artificial-term-that-doesn-t-mean/)

[Kristina Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristina-schroder/)

[Browse all 2,995 Conservative quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I respect Rush Limbaugh; he is a national conservative leader, and in no way do I want to diminish his voice.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Michael Steele"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/i-respect-rush-limbaugh-he-is-a-national-conservative-leader-and-in/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Conservative"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/i-respect-rush-limbaugh-he-is-a-national-conservative-leader-and-in/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/michael-steele-16681_conservative_i-respect-rush-limbaugh-he-is-a-national_2699640.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/michael-steele-16681_conservative_i-respect-rush-limbaugh-he-is-a-national_2699640.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/michael-steele-16681_conservative_i-respect-rush-limbaugh-he-is-a-national_2699640.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I respect Rush Limbaugh; he is a national conservative leader, and in no way do I want to diminish his voice.” — Michael Steele",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Michael Steele",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I respect Rush Limbaugh; he is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/i-respect-rush-limbaugh-he-is-a-national-conservative-leader-and-in/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/i-respect-rush-limbaugh-he-is-a-national-conservative-leader-and-in/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
