Rush says the "S" word

No, not that word. "S" as in SORRY, for slandering Sandra Fluke by calling her a "slut" and implying that she leads an active sex life that he demanded be filmed and posted on the Internet.

At least it's his version of an apology.

“My choice of words was not the best, and in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir,” Limbaugh said on his website. “I sincerely apologize to Ms. Fluke for the insulting word choices.”

This quasi-apology came only after he received blowback from a few key Republicans, and a couple of his advertisers.  Is he sorry for his "insulting word choices," or for making her the poster girl for nymphomaniacs? Several of his advertisers, believing it is the former, have pulled their advertisements from his show, and several others are considering it. 

Much of the criticizm, however, came not from his original comments about the "need" for the Pill, but his demand that she post videos of her sexual activity as a sort of "payment" for having employer-provided contraceptives. As a result, Citrix, Sleep Number, Sleep Train, Legal Zoom and Carbonite have all pulled their ads after a firestorm of complaints from customers. “Due to recent commentary by Rush Limbaugh that does not align with our values, we’ve made the decision to immediately suspend all advertising on that program," Gabby Nelson, company spokeswoman at mattress manufacturer Select Comfort, said in an emailed statement.

Sears and Pro-Flowers are considering cancelling their spots. Pro-Flowers has Mother's Day coming up soon, and there is currently an effort to start a national boycott against them if they don't cancel their advertising. A quick peek at his website this morning shows that the only advertiser left on the page is...Rush. He is still peddling t shirts. 

Several commentators have pointed out that Rush must think women have to take the Pill everytime they have sex, much like he relies on Viagra. What he did not bother to find out is that Ms. Fluke never testified on the benefits of contraception. Her speech before the Congressional committee was about a friend of hers with cystic ovarian disease who needs to take the Pill to control the growth of the cysts. Rush ignored the fact that many sexually abstinate women take the Pill to control cramps, endometriosis and to level out hormones when approaching menopause. To him, birth control means getting it ON!!

Was his apology enough? Forbes Magazine was not impressed:

"He tries to non-apologize by saying it was all just a big joke that no one should have taken seriously...

For over 20 years, I have illustrated the absurd with absurdity, three hours a day, five days a week.  In this instance, I chose the wrong words in my analogy of the situation. I did not mean a personal attack on Ms. Fluke.

Limbaugh, of course, spent several days attacking Sandra Fluke in the most personal of terms. He called her a slut and a prostitute. Now he’s saying we should not believe what his words said. No, it was all just a wild spoof of some kind, a meta-commentary on the absurdity of modern life under a liberal regime...The idea of Rush Limbaugh attempting to retcon weasely nuance into his own past statements to obscure his excesses: now that’s absurd."

We agree.

RR

 

Comments

[Ryder]

Will just one of you give me a good reason as to why you or anyone care what Limbaugh or any other entertainer has to say about anything.

[sparky]

Its not about whether or not we care ( I dont) but there are a lot of people who read this blog who complain that there are not enough stories about talk radio. Can't please everyone, huh? :)

[Ryder]

Point made, Sparky. This blog could use more talk radio news. And not just political talk radio.

[Mike Barer]

Give me a break, Rush is not sorry!
He apoligizes because he has to. If a serial killer could get out of prison with an apology, they would say they are sorry too.

[Belly Lint]

Those of us who know that Rush is full of crap are not my concern. It's the folks who believe he knows what he is talking about that make sleeping at night a little difficult. If he didn't have an audience he wouldn't have a job. He's still hanging in there, but he may have just screwed the pooch on this one. We can hope.

[Mike D]

"I chose the wrong words in my analogy of the situation. I did not mean a personal attack on Ms. Fluke."

He chose the wrong words three days in a row? It was made clear by the public's reaction on the first day that it WAS an attack and it WAS offensive. How many days does it take this idiot to get a clue?

At any rate, even though the apology is laughably insincere, it's nice to see him grovel.

[Mary]

I wonder if all those listeneers will reconsider their earnest worship of Rush's self-proclaimed absurdities.

[Coiler]

They'll call him a pussy, and not in a Trans-Vaginal Way.

[sparky]

That is the whole point...he doubled down the next day. He has always been pretty sure he can yell the proverbial "Fire!" in the theater and get away with it.

[Ray]

If I owned any number of radio stations Rush would either be relegated to the early morning hours or taken off the air completely.

This time he went over the line, just as Don Imus did a few years ago. Even though Imus is known for his satire and wit, he was let go. Imus survived to jab another day.

Rush, on the other hand, doe not really have the kind of reputation that will let him get away with his comments, let alone his "apology."

In many ways I think talk radio has run it course as a viable format. Too many national hosts use their programs as bully pulpits, pushing foolish agendas.

Time for Rush and all the others to consider taking all their millions and riding off into the sunset.

[Rick]

If Limbaugh proved anything this week, it's that the free market can force even the misogynistiest of misogynists to issue half apologies about showing misogynistic misogynistiness.

How's that for a hot and fruity slice of Ayn Randian irony? Not that his conservative fans get the irony.

Once advertisers stop advertising on your show because you're a FREAK SHOW who has lived so far above the 1% line for so long that you no longer can relate to the concept of accoutability.....that's when you've crossed a line.

It's not the Government, baby.

It's the Free Market.

It's the FREE MARKET that's kicking Rush Limbaugh's ass, baby. It's the FREE ASS MARKET.

One would think his ultraconservative freakshow fans might appreciate that. To appreciate that it's not the GOVERNMENT stepping in and forcing Rush Limbaugh to enter an apology. It's business. It's pure business. But the free market is too darn Librul for them. Their beloved, Person corporations are listening to the millions of customers who are saying "WHOA...now THAT is ONE F****D UP DUDE."

The Constitution protects Limbaugh's right to say the stupid shit he says. The government can't just decide that him being an idiot is illegal.

Limbaugh is "Free" to say whatever the fuck he wants to say (within FCC rules, obviously) and We The People are "Free" to be outraged by it, and demand that businesses we patronize to cease their financial support of his audio cesspool. Those advertisers are "Free" to listen to our concerns, or, well, they'd be "Free" to ignore us as well.

Limbaugh and his supporters should be proud. This is the vaunted "Free Market" they're always clamoring about.

[Truth-seeker]

The Free Market? You're excited about something but I'm not sure what. I guess seven advertisers say they are quitting for good but do you think that's true? As long as he gets the ratings, he'll get the ads.

I wonder how many people on this blog will quit listening to him.

We'll see.

[Mike D]

Remember during the '08 campaign when Obama said in a speech "you can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig" in reference to John McCain's policies being identical to Bush's? And how every goddamn rightwinger tried to make it seem like he was referring to Sarah Palin so they could all cry "sexism!" in unison?

[Puget Sound Blathers]

Remember during the '08 campaign when Obama said in a speech "you can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig" in reference to John McCain's policies being identical to Bush's? And how every goddamn rightwinger tried to make it seem like he was referring to Sarah Palin so they could all cry "sexism!" in unison?

Posted by: Mike D | March 05, 2012 at 12:09 AM

You mean those same 'failed Bush Policies' that Obama follows on Foreign Policy, Gitmo, Rendition, Bush Tax Cuts, etc etc etc. LMAO

[Puget Sound Blathers]

...or USA PATRIOT ACT, or Drones, or War on Terror, or Trials for Terrorists, or Recognition of Corporations as People.
LMAO.

The striking point between Pres Obama is not the differences, rather it is the similarities.

[Mike D]

Well that's a seperate argument. I'm talking about the fake conservative outrage over a statement Obama made in 2008 and you're trying to pull some dumb rightwing jiu jitsu switcheroo spin bullshit. Try to stay focused, Blathers.

[Cueburner]

Bottom line, this is the free market at work. If I don't like what you do, I can pull my advertising. We can still make choices in this society, can't we?

[greg]

KPUA 670 Radio in Hilo, Hawaii has just pulled the Rush Limbaugh show as of today. The Big Island is now Limbaugh free!

[Harbour City Fund, Ltd.]

Time for Limbaugh to retire. Sell your Maybach collection, Bluto and start your own hedge fund. The sensible, reponsible voice against the anti-male media and the ballbusting feminists , is Tom Leykis, who returns with a new, uncensored internet radio show on monday April 2. Leykis would never bash a woman for having an active sex life or wanting to obtain affordale or free birth control. Tommy will never be forced to apologize for anything, since he owns the internet network. Even if he goes on Satellite, Sirius will have to apologize on his behalf, if he says something wrong, since he never apologized for anyhting he said even in his old school radio days.