Rush Limbaugh admitted to Honolulu hospital

[December 31, 2009]  HONOLULU (AP) -- Conservative talk-show host Rush Limbaugh is resting comfortably in a Hawaii hospital after suffering chest pains while on vacation, his radio program says.

"Rush appreciates your prayers and well wishes and will keep you updated via rushlimbaugh.com and on his radio program," the program said in a statement late Wednesday night.

Limbaugh was rushed for medical treatment earlier in the day. The statement said "Rush was admitted to and is resting comfortably in a Honolulu hospital today after suffering chest pains."

Kit Carson, Limbaugh's chief of staff, told The Associated Press that he had no further information on Limbaugh's condition.

He said the 58-year-old left for his usual Christmas vacation on Dec. 23 and is due to return to his show on Jan. 4. Carson didn't have any information on whether that schedule would change.

Prior to the program statement, Honolulu television station KITV reported that paramedics took Limbaugh to The Queen's Medical Center in serious condition from the Kahala Hotel and Resort.

The report said that Limbaugh was seen golfing at Waialae Country Club -- a country club next to the hotel -- earlier this week.

With his sarcastic putdowns of liberal policies, parodies and self-promotion, he began capturing conservative listeners in the 1980s and grew to become the highest-rated radio broadcaster in the U.S. Recently, he's found a renewed purpose and has boosted ratings by railing against Barack Obama's presidency.

His three-hour weekday show is heard on some 600 radio stations across the country, and more than 14 million people listen to him at least once a week.

Americans said in a poll last month that Limbaugh was America's most influential conservative voice.

In 2001, Limbaugh reported he had lost most of his hearing due to an autoimmune inner-ear disease. He had surgery to have an electronic device placed in his skull to restore his hearing.

Two years later Limbaugh acknowledged he was addicted to pain medicine. He blamed the addiction on severe back pain, and took a five-week leave from his radio show to enter rehab.

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On the Net:

Rush Limbaugh: http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/

[Associated Press; By AUDREY McAVOY]

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