Rush Limbaugh's June 5 marriage to girlfriend Kathryn Rogers has generated a lot of discussion. Much of it is about his surprise reception singer, Sir Elton John — but a few people have commented on his choice of pastor.
Ken "The Hutch" Hutcherson, a former NFL player and the famously pro-family pastor of Antioch Bible Church in Redmond, Wash., officiated at the conservative radio icon's fourth wedding.
"He had asked me to come to the wedding, and his uncle, Judge [Stephen] Limbaugh, was supposed to do the entire service, and there were some complications," Hutcherson told CT.
Judge Limbaugh could not solemnize a marriage in Florida, so Rush asked Hutcherson to make it official.
"Uncle Steve led it off, and then the Hutch, in his own inimitable way secured the deal," Limbaugh told his audience on his June 15 radio show.
Some have questioned why Hutcherson, well-known for his pro-marriage stand, would preside at the thrice-divorced Limbaugh's Palm Beach, Fla. ceremony. The former Dallas Cowboys linebacker uses a football analogy to explain why he felt he ought to be a part of it:
"The Buffalo Bills went to the Super Bowl and they lost a lot of times, but they never gave up," Hutcherson said. "Rush Limbaugh never gave up on the institution of marriage."
The wedding, he says, was "absolutely fantastic," with the couple "committing themselves to Jesus Christ." If they are growing in Christ, Hutcherson believes, a couple won't have a hard time growing together.
And Hutcherson says he didn't mince words in his message to the bride and groom.
"If anyone knows me they know that I would not bite my tongue [about what makes] a successful marriage," he said, namely: "There's no such thing until there's 'death do us part.'"
Hutcherson says that a number of the guests, including conservative luminary Sean Hannity and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, came up afterwards to thank him for his message.
Surprise over Hutcherson's part in the wedding was nothing compared to the transatlantic — correction, worldwide — bemusement surrounding Elton John's concert at the reception.
Hutcherson says he and the assembled guests greatly appreciated the knighted pop idol's unexpected performance.
"It was a great concert. It was surprising," Hutcherson said. "Rush and Katherine didn't let anybody know" that John was coming.
"I think Elton was blown away by the reception he got," Hutcherson said, musing that if Limbaugh had shown up to a liberal crowd, he would not have gotten as warm a reception as John did at the Limbaugh wedding.
After his honeymoon, Limbaugh returned to the air June 15.
(Image source: Wikipedia User: Apache119)
