Rush Out

The Claremont Institute regrets to inform me that

Rush Limbaugh will not be in attendance at the Institute's annual Churchill Dinner on Friday, November 21, 2003. Mr. Limbaugh was to receive the Claremont Institute's Statesmanship Award at that time.

From his New York studio, Rush said, "Because I must limit my travel for the remainder of this year, I am unable to attend the Claremont Institute's Churchill Dinner on November 21. I deeply regret the inconvenience and disappointment caused the Claremont Institute by my having to postpone my appearance at such a late date. However, I am hopeful that we can re-schedule my attendance at another event in 2004."

The institute, ever tactful, does not explain further, but presumably Limbaugh was cautioned against leaving the state because of his recent drug-related legal troubles. His replacement as keynote speaker, naturally, is Bill Bennett, freshly anointed a Washington Fellow of the institute, who this week explained why his excessive gambling was not as bad as Limbaugh's pill popping. But if you ask me, Limbaugh, a functional narcotic addict, was a better choice to speak at a dinner honoring Churchill, a functional alcoholic.