Rush Limbaugh, 'Breakfast Club' find common ground during rare radio broadcast about George Floyd

close

Video

Bret Baier on Trump scolding governors: 'This is America in crisis'

Bret Baier weighs in on President Trump calling out several governors for being weak during rioting and looting

In a first-time dialogue between two of the biggest brands in political radio, conservative icon Rush Limbaugh and the progressive co-hosts of "The Breakfast Club" -- Charlamagne tha God, DJ Envy, and Angela Yee -- found common ground in a candid conversation about the death of George Floyd.

"For almost 10 years, we have been the voice of our community working to push our culture forward," DJ Envy told listeners at the beginning of the interview. "We've always had diverse guests and are open to the tough conversations. In that spirit, today we're having a candid conversation with fellow broadcaster Rush Limbaugh. Why are we having this conversation with someone whose historical viewpoints differ so significantly from ours and who we represent? Because a dialogue has to happen beyond who we know and who we talk to every morning."

He continued, "Today, Rush's listeners will hear us probably for the first time ever. What we are witnessing in our nation right now is not normal and it compels our attention to understand every side and look for ways to bring this country together and stop the senseless killing of our people. So we will start with a conversation that we think might be the first step."

Limbaugh began the conversation by telling the "Breakfast Club" co-hosts it was "his honor" to appear on their show, noting that it became a must-do campaign stop for every major Democratic candidate during the 2020 primaries.

CORNEL WEST TRACES US UNREST TO OBAMA FAILURES: 'BLACK FACES IN HIGH PLACES' COULDN'T DELIVER

"The George Floyd story is being lost," Limbaugh said. "It sickens me what happened to him. Legitimate, national outrage about a policeman's criminal brutality has been hijacked -- and I don't want to forget about George Floyd. What happened to George Floyd sickened me and I wanted to reach out to you and tell you all this. I want to make sure you have no doubt and I'm not the only American who feels this way -- the senselessness of it. You know, we're only given one life ... but George Floyd had his taken away from him. He didn't lose it. He had it taken away from him."

The conservative radio host then expressed his anger at the three other Minneapolis police officers who "didn't do anything" to prevent Floyd's death.

"I can't tell you how frustrating it is. And I just wanted to share the emotions I have with you guys about this and try to convey to you that I actually think most Americans are just as sickened and outraged about it as I am," Limbaugh added.

BIDEN SAYS CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD WAS 'BAITING' HIM, WHICH PROMPTED 'YOU AIN'T BLACK' REMARK

Yee explained to Limbaugh that the frustration for minority communities that what happened to Floyd was not an "isolated incident" and that "nothing happens" after previous police-involved killings of unarmed black men, something Limbaugh agreed with.

Both Limbaugh and the "Breakfast Club" co-hosts expressed commonality over the callousness from officer Derek Chauvin with Limbaugh suggesting that Chauvin looked like he was "having fun" while DJ Envy compared him to "the Devil."

Charlamagne tha God then pressed Limbaugh on why the Floyd case is "making you say, 'enough is enough.'"

"Because I'm fed up with it," Limbaugh responded. "I'm not tolerant with any of them but I'm fed up with it, Charlamagne ... To me, and I know you're going to disagree with me on this, this is not America."

"No, it's definitely America," Charlamagne tha God pushed back.

"But it's not what we can be," Limbaugh continued. "It's not what we have been. We're the greatest nation in the history of the world and we haven't achieved that on the basis of --"

KILLER MIKE PLEADS TO CNN: STOP FEEDING FEAR AND ANGER EVERY DAY'

"But for who though, Rush?" the "Breakfast Club" co-host interjected. "I think it's easy for you to say because you're a white male and that comes with a different level of privilege.  And I do think America does work, but it works for the people who it's designed to work for. Doesn't work for everybody else the way it works for you."

Video

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Limbaugh doubled down, saying the system "can work" for anyone who pursues opportunities, later pointing to the success of the "Breakfast Club" co-hosts.

While both sides clashed on the subject of white privilege and white supremacy, they agreed that the shutdowns from the coronavirus created a "powder keg" for riots to break out.