We've all heard a lot of rightwing garbage trying make the equivalence between Rush Limbaugh and Bill Maher. There are a number of reasons why Maher's remarks (which I still condemn) were not even in the same ballpark as Limbaugh's. But there is a simple comeback to the false equivalence.
Very simply, no Democrat ever put a tribute to Bill Maher in the Congressional record, nor declared him an "honorary member of Congress." Bill Maher does not dictate or even affect what Democratic legislators think or say.
On the other side, a Republican representative placed a tribute to Limbaugh in the Congressional Record, and the freshman Republican class of 1994 made Limbaugh an honorary member of their class.
You won't find prominent liberal bloggers writing "Bill speaks for us" or extolling him as an important progressive voice. Examples of the right claiming Rush as an important conservative voice are easy to find. The linked quote from RedState
Mark Levin was asked to do the article for Human Events. He does a great job summing up what a lot of us think and why Human Events chose Rush Limbaugh as its Man of the Year.
"What is it about Rush that drives the left crazy (that is, crazier than they already are)? The answer is actually quite simple: Rush is the most important voice in the conservative movement. Others want to be, some claim to be, but he is. More than any conservative politician, columnist or pundit, Rush speaks for us. ...
Bill Maher is a comedian with a sometimes foul mouth who takes on public figures. Rush Limbaugh was put forth by republicans as their spokesman.
UPDATE Hat tip to ValleyForger for this one. Ronald Reagan told Rush Limbaugh
"Now that I've retired from active politics, I don't mind that you've become the number-one, voice for conservatism in our country."