RUSH: Spartanburg, South Carolina, Jimmy, hello and welcome to open line Friday!

JIMMY: Hey Rush!

RUSH: Yeah?

JIMMY: Hey! I'm, uh, one of those people that are getting that extra 13 weeks...

RUSH: Uh-huh.

JIMMY: I collected unemployment through October last year...

RUSH: Good for you!

JIMMY: and, of course, when I dropped off, everyone assumes that you have a job, but I've still not got a job and I'm still suffering trying to find a job. And so this extra 13 weeks is definitely coming in handy...

RUSH: I'm sure!

JIMMY: in this, in this crunch time...

RUSH: Um, When do your 13 weeks expire?

JIMMY: At the end of June.

RUSH: I knew you would know the date.

JIMMY: And I do know the date, but at the same time I also have lots of opportunities coming up to find a job and especially one by that time will definitely make itself available.

RUSH: Oh, a job will make itself available by that time. What kind of job are you looking for?

JIMMY: In politics here in South Carolina, there are some definite opportunities that are available, but it wonít happen until after the GOP primary...

RUSH: Oh?

JIMMY: And Iím trying to get on with a certain candidate...

RUSH: Oh, I see, but you donít...

JIMMY: Then that person will be the candidate and Iíll try to get on with his staff then...

RUSH: I see, so, there is no job really until this guy wins...

JIMMY: Correct.

RUSH: the primary.

JIMMY: Correct.

RUSH: Well thatís a pretty big risk youíre taking. Youíre putting...

JIMMY: It is a big risk, but at the same time Iíve got some backup plans as well, Rush. Iím not...

RUSH: I know, youíve got unemployment. But youíre putting your future in somebody elseís fortunes.

JIMMY: Thatís true for this particular case, but what Iím saying is Iím also keeping my options open in other areas as well so they make themselves available. Obviously, Iím not throwing all my eggs in just this basket, Rush.

RUSH: Yeah, well thatís good. When are some of these other opportunities going to make themselves available? And why arenít they making themselves available now? Why is it they are going to be making themselves available later when the 13 weeks of unemployment runs out?

JIMMY: And Iím not waiting for the 13 weeks to be up before I begin...

RUSH: Oh.

JIMMY: researching and getting into those. Iím actually researching and applying now for those jobs. Theseís just nobody calling.

RUSH: Nobody calling?

JIMMY: Nobody is calling from any of those jobs. They not saying Ďhey, come in for an interview.í Those jobs just are not available.

RUSH: Which, uh, what kind of jobs are you talking about you are looking for?

JIMMY: Iím actually looking for jobs in the government and/or political field. Thatís what I have my education in. I have a Master of Arts degree in public policy. So, Iím trying to get into that field. I donít have a lot of experience other than volunteer work with candidates. But in the meantime, Iíve been working retail jobs and just felt like it was better to move on and try to pursue the career that I spent so much money in student loans on for years...

RUSH: Yeah..

JIMMY: trying to get an education.

RUSH: You ought to got to Washington.

JIMMY: Well? (sighs) My wife may not like that too well, but youíre right, your very much right. Washington is where those jobs are.

RUSH: Thatís, especially what you just described. I mean, I mean...Government employees. That sector is rising...

JIMMY: It is, and I...

RUSH: Thatís the one area thatís not suffering any loss of employment.

JIMMY: And Iíve applied for many of those jobs here in the state of South Carolina in Columbia and with different government agencies that are located here and none of them have called back or written back and said Ďcome in for an interview.í So, itís very discouraging Rush, but the 13 weeks is definitely helping is what Iím trying to say.

RUSH: Oh, Iím sure it is. I, I understand that. Itís just I would bet you that if you didnít have the 13 weeks, youíd have a job is all Iím saying. It may not be a job that you ultimately want, but youíd have a job.

JIMMY: Well, I disagree with that because I havenít had a job since October, in other, uh, let me start over...

RUSH: But you havenít had to, you havenít really had to.

JIMMY: No, no, listen to me, Rush. I havenít had a job since April last year. But then my unemployment ran out in October. Iíve not gotten any payment from unemployment since October. So from October until last week when they just started to allow people to claim unemployment again for the extended 13 weeks...

RUSH: Mmm hmm.

JIMMY: Iíve not had any income. Zero. Zip, zero, nada as you would say.

RUSH: On what have you been living?

JIMMY: My wife has been working and Iíve been selling, uh, some things over the Internet. I mean just scraping by...

RUSH: Yeah, tough out there.

JIMMY: Itís been tough, itís been tough trying to find that job. Thereís a lot of Americans that are going through the exact same thing Iím going through right now and they agree with me.

RUSH: Iím sure they do. Where does...

JIMMY: Iím not saying itís a good thing.

RUSH: No.

JIMMY: Iím a very principled conservative with all these issues and I hate taking it, but, hey. Itís there and Iím gonna use it.

RUSH: Hey, thatís what the people who dole it out intend you to do with it. Uh, what does your wife do?

JIMMY: She works in retail as a manager. She was not working when I lost my job and found this job subsequent to my, uh, my losing my job. So, sheís basically supporting us right now.

RUSH: Yeah, she...where would you be if she werenít doing that?

JIMMY: Um, yeah. Basically, I guess I would have to go back into the retail business as well. Itís just I felt like I was in a rut working in an industry thatís not in my field of education. I feel like itís time to move on to where Iíve spent so many years investing my money and my time and my energy...

RUSH: Where are you? Where are you?

JIMMY: Where am I right now.

RUSH: Youíre collecting unemployment.

JIMMY: Well thatís where I am at this very moment, but that wonít last long.

RUSH: Well, you hope. I wish you the best, I really do. I donít want to be disspiriting here, thatís not the point. I just, I do think...letís just say I wish you the best and I hope, uh, umm, that things continue to work out for your wife until things materialize or open up, become available, uh, for you.

(To hear the audio of the telephone call over the Internet at Rush Limbaughís website, click here. Once you get to that page, click on the link at the bottom of the page called ďdo his best to pull the unemployed Jimmy out of his funk.Ē The audio runs just a little bit over 6 minutes long.)