“Thousands of active troops and veterans were subjected to Mr. Limbaugh’s unpatriotic and indefensible comments on your broadcast,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said in his letter to Clear Channel Chief Executive Mark Mays. “We trust you will agree that not a single one of our sons, daughters, neighbors and friends serving overseas is a ‘phony soldier.’ We call on you to publicly repudiate these comments that call into question their service and sacrifice and to ask Mr. Limbaugh to apologize for his comments.”

On his show Monday, Limbaugh blasted Democrats for their criticism, saying it is part of a smear campaign aimed at discrediting him.

“If anybody in this country has been trying to demoralize the troops, it is you, sir, and your members of the Democrat Party,” Limbaugh said. “You have waved the white flag of defeat.”

Reid stated that he is confident that “Republicans join with us in overwhelming numbers,” arguing that “anything less would be a double standard that has no place in the United States Senate.”

The Democratic leader stated that the letter would be available all day to allow other senators to sign on.

The letter points to a December 2006 poll that shows more service members disapproved of President Bush’s handling of the war than voiced their support for it.

“From this figure alone, it is clear that Mr. Limbaugh’s insult is directed at thousands of American service members,” the letter said. In remarks on the Senate floor, Reid noted that Limbaugh’s show is broadcast on Armed Forces Radio, indicating that this makes the matter even worse.

The Democratic leader voiced his strong support for the First Amendment but said in this case Limbaugh went “way over the line.”

He blasted the popular talk show host for attacking the “courage and character of those fighting and dying for him and for all of us.”