City beat - Hometown author remains rooted in Cape

By Christopher Brotherton

For 10 weeks, his book "Absolute Power" was on the New York Times bestseller list.

David Limbaugh, author of the book about the Clinton administration, lives right here in Cape Girardeau with his wife, Lisa, and their four children, Christina, Courtney, Caitlyn, and Scott.

He has lived in Cape for the biggest part of his life, since his birth in 1952. After graduating from Central High School, he attended Southeast Missouri State and then the University of Missouri - Columbia where he studied law.

The Limbaugh family -- including David's grandfather Rush Limbaugh Sr., his own father Rush Limbaugh Jr., and his uncle, Steve Limbaugh -- is in his words, "a law-oriented family, a family who has much tradition in law."

He said, "I always wanted to be a lawyer. I remember when I was in the second grade, our teacher asked us to draw a picture of the profession that we see ourselves in when we grow up, and I drew a courtroom."

Limbaugh has carried on the family profession by practicing law in Cape Girardeau for the past 20 years.

In addition to law, Limbaugh has always liked to write. His passion for and respect of the Constitution and the Rule of Law as the foundations of liberty in the United States, led him to begin writing articles and submitting them to the Washington Times.

He said he was shocked when his first article comparing the impeachment of Nixon and Clinton was accepted. Today, Limbaugh writes a syndicated column that is published daily in many papers.

His book, "Absolute Power," addresses various scandals during the Clinton administration, beginning with the siege at Waco, Texas and ending with the Elian Gonzalez incident.

About the book, Limbaugh said, "It is not important because I am a Republican and he is a Democrat. It is important because no person, no administration, no public official regardless of party should be permitted to abuse the system that is the foundation to our liberty. That is what I tried to demonstrate in the book in its various chapters."

He said he does not have any specific plans for another book at this time, but does believe that he will write another book when a subject that "I can wrap my arms around" comes up.

Limbaugh is younger than his brother, radio talk show personality Rush Limbaugh, by two years. He refers to having a celebrity for a brother as "very interesting" and said that a lot of opportunities have opened up for him as a result of representing Rush on entertainment contracts and various other things.

He shares his brother's stated philosophy on the radio in regard to success. He quoted Rush by saying, "The best chance you have to be successful is to pursue something you are passionate about."

Limbaugh credits his opportunities in writing from his home in Cape Girardeau to the technological explosion of computers and the Internet.

"I am able to access all of the information that everyone else is, " he said, "so it really levels the playing field and enables someone like me to be able to write a column and be knowledgeable enough and be able to compete."

What has kept him in Cape Girardeau?

"I really don't see any reason not to be in Cape. I think Midwest America is the place to be," Limbaugh said.

"The thing that is best about Cape is the same thing that was best about Cape when I was growing up. It is still a place that represents traditional family values, and that is why I want to bring my kids up in this area."