The NY Times Magazine recently published an interesting profile of Rush Limbaugh. As someone interested in changing the culture for the better, I was interested to read about his history, methods, and influence. However, the most amazing bit is the reporter’s description of Limbaugh’s capacity to speak for nearly three hours extemporaneously:

Limbaugh’s program that day was, as usual, a virtuoso performance. He took a few calls, but mostly he delivered a series of monologues on political and cultural topics. Limbaugh works extemporaneously. He has no writers or script, just notes and a producer on the line from New York with occasional bits of information. That day, and every day, he produced 10,000 words of fluent, often clever political talk.

Also, Limbaugh’s influence is not just his direct influence on his listeners, as those listeners influence others by their own advocacy:

Limbaugh entertains, but he also instructs. He provides his listeners with news and views they can use, and he teaches them how to employ it. “Rush is an intellectual-force multiplier,” Rove told me. “His listeners are, themselves, communicators.”

Fascinating! I might say, “if only his ideas were better…” but the fact is that his example is a valuable lesson for those of us with better ideas.