After announcing in February of 2020 that he had late-stage lung cancer, conservative radio talk pundit Rush Limbaugh has passed away at the age of 70. His death on February 17 was announced by his wife during his regularly-scheduled radio show. Despite his illness, Limbaugh had continued hosting.
Limbaugh’s death drew a polarizing response from social media, with many conservatives offering condolences while liberals found it hard to muster sympathy for the controversial host. Limbaugh’s often conspiratorial opinions and open disdain for people with different political views made him a frequent target of Democratic ire.
His career was defined by his late-90s breakout radio show, which pioneered the format of conservative talk radio. Some have called him integral to the modern conservative way of thinking, with his radio show backing George Bush’s 2000 campaign. Limbaugh counted former president Donald Trump among his personal friends and even suggested he was sympathetic to the rioters who perpetrated the January 6 Capitol attack.
