Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh’s latest jab at the National Organization for Women has attracted more Facebook “likes” in 24 hours than NOW’s main page has collected in a little under four years.
Limbaugh’s new “Rush Babes for America” Facebook page — also known as “The National Organization of Rush Babes” — was open for public viewing just prior to the beginning of his radio program Tuesday. He announced it in the third hour of his show, between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. EDT.
Twenty-four hours later, Limbaugh’s page devoted to conservative women had more than 33,800 “likes.”
The National Organization for Women launched its main Facebook page on June 17, 2008. At time of publication, that page had 28,146.
Limbaugh launched the new Facebook page as a direct response to NOW’s campaign to get him off the air. The conservative host explained Tuesday that he believes NOW does not represent the views of a majority of American women.
“[W]hat ‘Rush Babes for America’ is about is posting stories and ideas that happen here on the program, and occasionally elsewhere,” he said Tuesday, “and inviting all of you to participate in conversations on Facebook with other women about what matters to you as a means of demonstrating just what a minority the National Organization for Women and its so-called affiliates really are.” (RELATED: More on Rush Limbaugh)
NOW president Terry O’Neill told Politico Wednesday morning that Limbaugh’s antics are part of his bullying tactics.
“I don’t think conservative women want to associate themselves with his hate. I don’t think they would want to associate themselves with his bullying,” O’Neill said. “I don’t think conservative women would want to associate themselves with his vitriolic attacks.”
Limbaugh cheered the numbers at the end of his Wednesday program.
“We are zooming past them,” he said. “And it’s just — it’s gonna continue. So you in this audience, the Rush Babes, are showing that there are more of you than there are friends of the National Organization for Women.”
Limbaugh added that he expects NOW to begin padding its numbers to catch up.