Rush Limbaugh Calls Barack Obama a 'Jackass,' Just Like Obama on Kanye West

(Oct. 6) -- Rush Limbaugh felt he was being "charitable" when he called President Barack Obama a "jackass."

And for good measure, the conservative radio host also threw in "economic ignoramus" and "idiot" during a monologue on Tuesday, just in case listeners missed the point. Limbaugh's choice words for the president emerged during a segment about George W. Bush's tax cuts, which Limbaugh believes should be extended to all Americans, including the wealthiest 2 percent of wage earners.

Although he probably won't meet a fate similar to former CNN anchor Rick Sanchez (note to self: calling the president a "jackass" is OK, calling a comedian a "bigot" is not), Limbaugh is drawing his share of criticism.

One might call this an outburst, but really, love him or hate him, it's the sort of tone that listeners have come to expect from Limbaugh. Here is a video of Limbaugh's monologue:

Of course, the respective Limbaugh and Sanchez episodes draw on very different contexts, and even if you are a notorious Obama critic, calling the president a "jackass" on the radio show is generally not OK. The statement has raised questions among media analysts.

"There is no question that the vast majority of those listening to Mr. Limbaugh likely agree with his sentiment, but there is a legitimate question to be asked," wrote Mediaite blogger Colby Hall. "Is it appropriate for an individual broadcasting over government-regulated airwaves to call the sitting president a jackass? Or is he just looking for attention? Or both?"

A thought-provoking question, to be sure. But most important from Surge Desk's perspective is the fact that the incident recalls Obama's own use of the less than flattering synonym for donkeys, as applied to one Kanye West, following the latter's infamous 2009 MTV Video Music Awards "interruption-of-Taylor-Swift" scandal (Swiftgate?). Remember that gaffe, when Obama thought he was speaking to reporters off the record? Here's the clip: