Whispers Poll Voters Love Rush Limbaugh but at a Distance

Rush Limbaugh may be the most popular radio talk show host, but our latest Washington Whispers poll finds that Americans want him shouting from their radio, not next door to their summer vacation home. In the poll by our associates at Synovate eNation, we asked which of four of the media elite—Limbaugh, Fox's Bill O ' Reilly, MSNBC's Keith Olbermann , and Hardball's Chris Matthews—you wouldn't want renting the Martha's Vineyard home next to you. By more than a 2-to-1 margin, it was Limbaugh people wanted to avoid. Some 53 percent shot Limbaugh down, which is too bad, since he reportedly is something of a recluse once he leaves his EIB studio and would probably be a good neighbor. O'Reilly was next at 20 percent, with the others splitting the remainder. What was interesting, says Synovate eNation, is that the results were echoed across all demographics. Normally rich and poor, urban and rural, and young and old poll participants split their response. But in this case, over half in every category expressed their wish to keep Limbaugh in the studio.

The Whispers Poll

You just rented a vacation home on Martha's Vineyard where the political and media elite go. Who is the last person you want as a summer neighbor?

Radio Host Rush Limbaugh 53%

Fox's Bill O'Reilly 20%

MSNBC's Keith Olbermann 14%

Hardball's Chris Matthews 13%

Source: The Synovate eNation Internet poll was conducted July 17-21, 2008, among 1,000 nationally representative households by global market research firm Synovate.