--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have been attacked by Rush Limbaugh on…" description: "\"I have been attacked by Rush Limbaugh on the air, an experience somewhat akin to being gummed by a newt. It doesn't actually hurt, but it leaves you wi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d3/molly-ivins-1296_air_i-have-been-attacked-by-rush-limbaugh-on_1922062.jpg" --- # I have been attacked by Rush Limbaugh on the air, an… ![“I have been attacked by Rush Limbaugh on the air, an experience somewhat akin to being gummed by a newt. It doesn't actually hurt, but it leaves you with slimy stuff on your ankle.” quote by Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d3/molly-ivins-1296_air_i-have-been-attacked-by-rush-limbaugh-on_1922062.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d3/molly-ivins-1296_air_i-have-been-attacked-by-rush-limbaugh-on_1922062.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d3/molly-ivins-1296_air_i-have-been-attacked-by-rush-limbaugh-on_1922062.jpg) > “I have been attacked by Rush Limbaugh on the air, an experience somewhat akin to being gummed by a newt. It doesn't actually hurt, but it leaves you with slimy stuff on your ankle.” [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A vivid metaphor describes a painful yet harmless attack, highlighting how some insults feel sticky and lingering. **In simple terms:** A metaphor shows a harmless but sticky insult. Key Takeaway Recognize and let go of petty attacks. Themes humor politics insult Mood wry critical Type satirical observational When to use this quote - political commentary - personal attacks Key Concepts media criticism public discourse Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond to petty criticism? - What impact do such metaphors have on public perception? A Different Perspective Such remarks can distract from substantive issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actually Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actually-hurt-946011/) [Air](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/air/) [Ankles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ankles/) [Attacked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attacked/) [Attacked Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attacked-rush-2957074/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurt/) [Newts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newts/) [Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rush/) [Rush limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rush-limbaugh/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Stuff Ankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff-ankle-2957075/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [ Whatever had happened to him \[Newt\] out there — maybe even related to his lingering ankle injury — had been truly awful. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/whatever-had-happened-to-him-newt-out-there-maybe-even-related-to-his/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [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/) > [Rush Limbaugh's pathetic abuse of logic, his absurd pomposity, his relentless self-promotion, his ridiculous ego - now those, friends, are appropriate targets for satire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/rush-limbaugh-s-pathetic-abuse-of-logic-his-absurd-pomposity-his/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [“How down?” It was a Barrel turn of phrase. How badly do you want him hurt? “Shut eye.” Knock him out, but don’t actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/how-down-it-was-a-barrel-turn-of-phrase-how-badly-do-you-want-him/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“You are really…” “Amazing? Awesome?” He paused, brows raised. “Astonishing?” “I was going to go with bizarre.” “Well, hell, if I had feelings that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-lynn/you-are-really-amazing-awesome-he-paused-brows-raised-astonishing-i/) [J. Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-lynn/) > [“I’d fallen in love with Aston so hard that it actually hurt. It was like he was my everything, my sun, my air, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsty-moseley/i-d-fallen-in-love-with-aston-so-hard-that-it-actually-hurt-it-was/) [Kirsty Moseley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsty-moseley/) > [“That brought Rachel up short. Getting any sort of response out of Notak was hard enough. She could count one hand the times she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-g-night/that-brought-rachel-up-short-getting-any-sort-of-response-out-of/) [S.G. Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-g-night/) > [Actually is hurt when u love the person , but the person leave u with a big cut in your heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waty-sewel/actually-is-hurt-when-u-love-the-person-but-the-person-leave-u-with-a/) [Waty Sewel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waty-sewel/) > [The key is just to ignore the pain, because physical comedy only works if you see someone get hurt and they aren't actually hurt.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pratt/the-key-is-just-to-ignore-the-pain-because-physical-comedy-only-works/) [Chris Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pratt/) > [I'm a really bad twerker - I still haven't figured out how to do it. I actually hurt my back one day. I woke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-snow/i-m-a-really-bad-twerker-i-still-haven-t-figured-out-how-to-do-it-i/) [Brittany Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-snow/) > [“Jamie wondered if it would actually hurt more if Ryan stuck a knife in his gut and twisted it slowly. He thought he smiled.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessandra-hazard/jamie-wondered-if-it-would-actually-hurt-more-if-ryan-stuck-a-knife/) [Alessandra Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessandra-hazard/) > [I had actually hurt my neck, and because I went a while without getting it taken care of - it was pushing up against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-carlile/i-had-actually-hurt-my-neck-and-because-i-went-a-while-without/) [Austin Carlile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-carlile/) > [It sucks when the one who once told you that they will never hurt you... is actually the one who hurt you the most...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-sucks-when-the-one-who-once-told-you-that-they-will-never-hurt-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes you just have to be hurt in order to be in love again and if you never been hurt you don't know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-you-just-have-to-be-hurt-in-order-to-be-in-love-again-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes if you love someone so much, it will actually hurt more...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-if-you-love-someone-so-much-it-will-actually-hurt-more/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Molly Ivins > [Preemptive war is what Israel did in '67 with Arab armies on its borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/preemptive-war-is-what-israel-did-in-67-with-arab-armies-on-its/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [The idols of one's adolescence tend to endure - you never forget how you worshipped them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/the-idols-of-one-s-adolescence-tend-to-endure-you-never-forget-how/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Having breast cancer is massive amounts of no fun,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/having-breast-cancer-is-massive-amounts-of-no-fun/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [How the American right managed to convince itself that the programs to alleviate poverty are responsible for the consequences of poverty will someday be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/how-the-american-right-managed-to-convince-itself-that-the-programs/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [To mistake Midland for the volk heartland is the West Texas equivalent of assuming that Greenwich, Connecticut, is Levittown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/to-mistake-midland-for-the-volk-heartland-is-the-west-texas/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [I only aim at the powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/i-only-aim-at-the-powerful/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Even for southerners, Arkansans are amazingly friendly and extend hospitality to all strangers with astonishing openness. You couldn't find a pretension in that state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/even-for-southerners-arkansans-are-amazingly-friendly-and-extend/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [It's hard to convince people that you're killing them for their own good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/it-s-hard-to-convince-people-that-you-re-killing-them-for-their-own/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [the pyramids were built for pharaohs on the happy theory that they could take their stuff with them. Versailles was built for kings on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/the-pyramids-were-built-for-pharaohs-on-the-happy-theory-that-they/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Any nation that can survive what we have lately in the way of government, is on the high road to permanent glory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/any-nation-that-can-survive-what-we-have-lately-in-the-way-of/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [I think provincialism is an endemic characteristic with mankind, I think everybody everywhere is provincial, but it is particularly striking with Texans, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/i-think-provincialism-is-an-endemic-characteristic-with-mankind-i/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [During a recent panel on the numerous failures of American journalism, I proposed that almost all stories about government should begin: “Look out! They're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/during-a-recent-panel-on-the-numerous-failures-of-american-journalism/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Naturally, when it comes to voting, we in Texas are accustomed to discerning that fine hair’s-breadth worth of difference that makes one hopeless dipstick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/naturally-when-it-comes-to-voting-we-in-texas-are-accustomed-to/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Be outrageous, ridicule the fraidy-cats, rejoice in all the oddities that freedom can produce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/be-outrageous-ridicule-the-fraidy-cats-rejoice-in-all-the-oddities/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Texas is not a civilized place. Texans shoot one another a lot. They also knife, razor, and stomp one another to death with some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/texas-is-not-a-civilized-place-texans-shoot-one-another-a-lot-they/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) [Explore all 260 Molly Ivins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) ## More Air quotes > [I will be a tireless advocate for our District's defense priorities including Sheppard Air Force Base, Pantex, Bell Helicopter, universities conducting important research, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/i-will-be-a-tireless-advocate-for-our-district-s-defense-priorities/) [Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [If U.S. air, naval, missile, and ground forces were not in and around Korea, and if we were not treaty-bound to fight alongside South…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/if-u-s-air-naval-missile-and-ground-forces-were-not-in-and-around/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [The cooler days have brought a wistful mood upon him. The smell of coalsmoke in the air at night. Old times, dead years. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/the-cooler-days-have-brought-a-wistful-mood-upon-him-the-smell-of/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [I'm a candle flame that sways in currents of air you can't see. You need to be the one who steadies me to burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/i-m-a-candle-flame-that-sways-in-currents-of-air-you-can-t-see-you/) [Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/) > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. 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