John McCain Defends Drug Criminal Rush Limbaugh

On Fox and Friends, Sen. John McCain said President Obama shouldn’t have made critical remarks about Limbaugh when he told Republicans, "Don't listen to Rush Limbaugh."

However, in September 2007 Limbaugh controversially claimed that U.S. service members who support withdrawal from Iraq are actually “phony soldiers.” At the time, McCain spoke out against the remarks and called on Limbaugh to apologize:

Any American who risks his or her life to defend us has earned the respect and gratitude of every American citizen, irrespective of their views on this war. If Mr. Limbaugh made the remark he is reported to have made, it reflects very poorly on him and not the objects of his offensive comment. I expect most Americans, whatever their political views, will have the same reaction. He would be well advised to retract it and apologize.

In 2006, Rush Limbaugh took a deal from prosecutors to drop drug charges if he completed a drug treatment program.