On the August 2 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh aired a “new commercial” by “the left” that attacked Supreme Court nominee John G. Roberts Jr. for being a Catholic, “just like the Pope, who's from Germany.” The “commercial” ended with the claim that it had been paid for by “George Soros and Hollywood friends of [House Minority Leader] Nancy Pelosi [D-CA].” Limbaugh did not identify the “commercial” as either a fake or a parody.

From the August 2 broadcast of The Rush Limbaugh Show:

LIMBAUGH: And that I'm going to use as the transition for the discussion into [U.S. ambassador to the United Nations] John Bolton and all things related to it, but he's right when he says that I'm right. When the liberals are out of power, they are funny and hilarious. When they're in power, they're dangerous. That's why you've got to take them differently at different times. It's why people who always come up to me and say, “Boy, I bet you love Clinton being in office.” No. I didn't love Clinton being in office. “Why, he had to give you so much material.” You think that was fun? I hated it because of what was happening to the country, for crying out loud. I care about issues here. Not personalities. I care about issues and so forth.

Anyway, I've got to go. I'm a little long here. Quick time-out. We will be back in -- oh, folks -- I must let you hear something. A new commercial. It's a new spot for -- well, it's the left again and they're terribly upset about John Rogers [sic]. Do you have that? Listen to this:

(Clip)

(Evil Laughter)

ANNOUNCER: It's no joke. George Bush picked John Roberts to sit on the highest court in the land. Who does he think he's kidding?

(Evil Laughter)

ANNOUNCER: As a lawyer, John Roberts worked closely with Ken Starr.

BACKGROUND VOICE (whisper): Ken Starr.

ANNOUNCER: Yeah, that Ken Starr. And as a federal judge, John Roberts took away a 12-year-old girl's civil right to eat French fries on the D.C. subway.

BACKGROUND VOICE (whisper): Civil rights.

ANNOUNCER: And to top it all off, John Roberts is a Catholic.

BACKGROUND VOICE (whisper): Catholic.

ANNOUNCER: Just like the Pope, who's from Germany.

BACKGROUND VOICE (whisper): Germany.

ANNOUNCER: American values? Stop kidding around, Mr. President, and pick someone 'mainstream' -- like Judge [Ruth Bader] Ginsburg.

VOICEOVER: Paid for by George Soros and Hollywood friends of Nancy Pelosi.

(End Clip)

(Commercial Break)

LIMBAUGH: Welcome back! Great to have you! Rush Limbaugh off and running the EIB network as America's truth detector and the doctor of democracy. All right, John Bolton. The media all atwitter today because Bolton is headed to meet with [U.N. Secretary-General] Kofi Annan.