On April 25, We issued a Clarification to this transcript: Mike Illitch and the Detroit Tigers Did Not Hold a Fundraiser for Obama
RUSH: Rod in Saginaw, Michigan. Rod, you’re first. Great to have you on the EIB Network today. Hello.
CALLER: Hey, mega, mega dittos, Rush. I’ve been a longtime listener, since 1990, and it’s a true honor to speak with you right now.
RUSH: Thank you, sir.
CALLER: I appreciate your taking my call.
RUSH: Thank you very much. I appreciate that.
CALLER: You are the man. Hey, listen, I need your help on something, and I mean this very sincerely. I’m really in a true pickle right now that I think you are the only one that can help me.
RUSH: All right.
CALLER: And you teed it up perfect earlier. Earlier in the show here, you explained about the effects when Oprah endorsed Obama, the effects of that situation. And, as you know, mixing politics with business can be a slippery slope. And this is where I need your help. I need to know how you can continue to support the Pittsburgh Steelers, even though you know that owner Art Rooney dedicated the last Super Bowl trophy to Obama. The reason why I need to really embrace this and understand this is because I’m in a very similar situation here in Michigan. I’ve been a full season ticket holder for Detroit Tigers for close to ten years, and I’ve been a fan my whole life. I grew up in the Detroit area. I used to take my paper route money, go down to old Tiger Stadium, and buy some bleacher seats. And I did that my whole life. I’ve been a fan my whole life. And Mike Ilitch, who owns Little Caesars Pizza… For some of you that don’t know that, Mike Ilitch, he owns Little Caesars Pizza and he’s also the owner of the Detroit Tigers.
RUSH: Okay, I’m down to one minute.
CALLER: Okay.
RUSH: If you could get to the nub of it.
CALLER: All right. Here’s the deal. Ilitch has been a great owner, but his daughter, Denise — who is extremely involved in the business and probably will take over — invited Obama to her house last week for a fundraiser. And Mike Ilitch is great. I support him. He’s done a great job with the Detroit Tigers and he’s revolutionized the city of Detroit and brought back Tiger baseball. People are excited about it. But I’m personally having a problem supporting the Detroit Tigers organization if they are backing Obama.
RUSH: Okay. So you got the owner’s daughter doing a fundraiser for Obama. You’re a big Tigers fan. It’s sort of depressed you. You don’t really feel right being a Tigers fan anymore, right?
CALLER: Well, it’s not that I don’t feel right about it. I don’t know how to handle it moving forward. Like I said, Mike Ilitch is a great owner. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him. But this kind of threw me a curveball. You know, I’m a true conservative, and it’s kind of messing my head up. I need your help.
RUSH: Do not let Barack Obama destroy the love you have for the Detroit Tigers, because it’s the team that you like. Owners come and go. The team is the Detroit Tigers. That’s the way I would look at it. I wouldn’t pay it any mind. You’re not gonna be able to avoid this kind of stuff throughout life. By this thinking, you ought to never, ever, go to a movie, by the way.