Rush Limbaugh's apology doesn't change anything

[garbon]

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-sandra-fluke-limbaughs-apology-doesnt-change-anything-20120305,0,4455709.story

Look like AOL just announced they are splitting too.

Reporting from Washington—

Two days after Rush Limbaugh issued a tepid apology to Sandra Fluke, the woman who he called a "slut" and a "prostitute" for her advocacy for expansion of access to birth control, Fluke dismissed Limbaugh's statement as insufficient.

The 30-year-old Georgetown law student noted in a Monday appearance on "The View" that Limbaugh had only apologized for his choice of words, as she sought to refocus the discussion on access to contraceptives being a matter of women's rights .

"I don't think that a statement like this, issued saying that his choice of words was not the best, changes anything," Fluke said. "Especially when that statement is issued when he's under significant pressure from his sponsors, who have begun to pull their support from the show."

Limbaugh's apology – "I chose the wrong words in my analogy of the situation. I did not mean a personal attack on Ms. Fluke" – came after some advertisers, including Sleep Train, Sleep Number and Quicken Loans, had pulled their ads from his show.

Limbaugh again apologized on his show Monday, insisting that the apology had nothing to do with his lost advertisers. The apology was "heartfelt" and "sincere," he said.

Before welcoming her to "The View," hosts Barbara Walters and Whoopi Goldberg took issue with the practice of advertisers pulling away from an entertainer whose opinions have offended some listeners.

Goldberg, referencing her past experience angering sponsors, said advertiser revolt was "a slippery slope."

"If you don't like something somebody's saying, you have the right to protest, but to take away their livelihood, I think, is not the right way to go," Goldberg said.

Fluke told Goldberg that she disagreed with the comparison because Limbaugh's single statement that he regretted his choice of words came after he'd been on the attack for days.

"I think you're doing a disservice by comparing yourself, because this was not someone who made one accidental statement," Fluke said." This was three days of significant portions of his three-hour show. He insulted me and the women of Georgetown  -- who have received no apology – he insulted us over 53 times."

Among the statements Limbaugh made about Fluke, he characterized her testimony to a panel of lawmakers as asking "you and me and the taxpayers" to pay her "to have sex." He said the request made her a "slut" and a "prostitute" and would make the American public "pimps."

The comments drew criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. President Obama placed a phone call to Fluke on Friday to express support and thank her for speaking out in support of his administration's new rule requiring employers, including Catholic hospitals and universities, to offer health insurance plans that cover contraceptives.

Limbaugh's apology failed to stem the advertiser revolt: At least seven sponsors have pulled their ads from his show, including Carbonite, a data backup service, and ProFlowers.com, both of which announced their decisions after the apology was issued.

On "The View," Fluke said Limbaugh was not alone in attacking her personally for her viewpoint.

"It is really important for us all to understand that this was not one person who went crazy and made 'funny' outrageous statements," Fluke said. "This is evidently a segment of our political commentators who think that it is acceptable in today's society to say these things about women."

Fluke said Limbaugh also had incorrectly portrayed her testimony. Fluke said she advocated for a woman's right to contraceptives as a part of health insurance coverage. She did not argue that the government should pay for contraceptives, but said employers and universities that offer health insurance plans should ensure such coverage is included in those plans.

In his apology, Limbaugh said that he believes "it is not our business whatsoever to know what is going on in anyone's bedroom nor do I think it is a topic that should reach a presidential level."

Fluke had argued that contraceptive coverage was important for women's health and she focused on its medical uses beyond preventing pregnancy. She told the story of a friend who lost an ovary because she did not have access to birth control, which might have prevented the growth of a cyst.

Fluke said she had not heard from Limbaugh personally.

"I think his statements that he made about me on the air have been personal enough, so I'd rather not have a personal phonecall from him," she said.

[Jacob]

Seems like this Fluke lady has her shit together. Nice to see.

[crazy canuck]

Limbaugh's apology – "I chose the wrong words in my analogy of the situation. I did not mean a personal attack on Ms. Fluke" – came after some advertisers, including Sleep Train, Sleep Number and Quicken Loans, had pulled their ads from his show.

I dont know any of these companies but there may be some indication that at least a part of  Limbaugh's audience is made up of people who tune him in so that he can put them to sleep.

[HVC]

Being a pill popper didn't knock em down, this won't either.

[Neil]

Seems like this Fluke lady has her shit together. Nice to see.

Is it?  I haven't really followed the story, but it's hard to have anything but contempt for a law student.

[sbr]

Seems like this Fluke lady has her shit together. Nice to see.

Is it?  I haven't really followed the story, but it's hard to have anything but contempt for a law student.

That's how bad limbaugh is he makes her look sympathetic.

Also whoopi Goldberg is an idiot.

[garbon]

http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/103126/seven-advertisers-bail-from-rush-limbaugh-despite-

The tally of advertisers who have pulled their spots from PREMIERE NETWORKS host RUSH LIMBAUGH's show over his comments about law student/activist SANDRA FLUKE last week (NET NEWS 3/2) now stands at nine, although it is presently unclear whether LIMBAUGH's weekend apology (NET NEWS 3/3) will result in any returning advertisers or whether the advertising suspensions are permanent or temporary.

The list of advertisers pulling spots from LIMBAUGH's show includes CALIFORNIA regional mattress chain SLEEP TRAIN and national advertisers QUICKEN LOANS, CITRIX (GOTOMYPC), SLEEP NUMBER, PROFLOWERS.COM, CARBONITE (which initially said it would hold off pulling its ads until its CEO spoke to LIMBAUGH), AOL, and LEGAL ZOOM.  QUICKEN LOANS' sister CLEVELAND CAVALIERS have pulled spots from LIMBAUGH's show on CLEAR CHANNEL Talk WTAM-A/CLEVELAND, which happens to be the team's flagship station, according to WTAM, citing TALKING POINTS MEMO. Most recently, MICHAEL ROZBRUCH of TAX RESOLUTION SERVICES tweeted: "We have decided to join other advertisers and suspend our sponsorship of The RUSH LIMBAUGH Show."

"All of this," LIMBAUGH said, "is political," adding that the examples of women denied coverage of contraception by GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY's health plan that FLUKE sought to testify about were anecdotal and "unprovable" hearsay, and that FLUKE, knowing that GEORGETOWN is a Jesuit Catholic school, went there to change the policy.  He repeated his apology's assertion that the segments from last week were intended as satire and prompted by reports of FLUKE claiming that she could not afford birth control.  "I acted too much like the leftists that despise me," he said.  "It's wrong, and that's why I apologized.  Don't be mad at them or mad at her, everybody was being true to their nature except me."

On the departed advertisers, he said he is "sorry to see them go," but noted that they had done well through their access to the LIMBAUGH audience.  "It's a business decision and it's theirs to make.  They've decided that they don't want you, and so be it."  He said that he "knew the political inclinations" of the advertisers and that they didn't care, nor did he, as long as they were making money.  He said that he rejects "millions" of dollars a year from potential advertisers, including, he claimed, GENERAL MOTORS.  He said the show will "replace those who leave... who no longer want your business" and advised listeners to "make your own decision" on doing business with those advertisers.  And he repeated the apology as well as his assertion that the left does not apologize for its own comments (including BILL MAHER's calling SARAH PALIN names) and that the right should not descend to the left's level.

[Jacob]

Classy move there suggesting that his audience shouldn't do business with the advertisers who are leaving. It would make me think twice about advertising with him, were I a company looking to place ads - if the parting can't be amicable once it came to that, it might be too high a risk.

[grumbler]

Classy move there suggesting that his audience shouldn't do business with the advertisers who are leaving. It would make me think twice about advertising with him, were I a company looking to place ads - if the parting can't be amicable once it came to that, it might be too high a risk.

It is amusing, especially when combined with Limbaugh's assumption that it is possible for his show to "descend" to a lower standard.  He's not even funny any more, from what little I have heard.

[Rasputin]

I don't know whether fluke is a slut, but she sure is a commie and unamerican for asking uncle sam to put his hands in my pocket to pay for her sex life.

[Valmy]

I don't know whether fluke is a slut, but she sure is a commie and unamerican for asking uncle sam to put his hands in my pocket to pay for her sex life.

Yeah that is not the point.  The point is to keep birthrates at a manageable level to help keep education and social costs under control.  You know, money for good public policy.  Would you rather far more money come out of your pocket later?

[HVC]

I don't know whether fluke is a slut, but she sure is a commie and unamerican for asking uncle sam to put his hands in my pocket to pay for her sex life.

Yeah that is not the point.  The point is to keep birthrates at a manageable level to help keep education and social costs under control.  You know, money for good public policy.  Would you rather far more money come out of your pocket later?

but you're paying out to the wrong people. college educated women and ones with work medical benefits aren't the ones getting knocked up and getting uncle sam to pay for the kids.

[MadImmortalMan]

Don't we need more kids? You'd think banning contraception would be the desirable public policy if that were the idea.

[Ideologue]

Don't we need more kids? You'd think banning contraception would be the desirable public policy if that were the idea.

No, we need dieback.  And it'll come one way or the other.

[HVC]

Don't we need more kids? You'd think banning contraception would be the desirable public policy if that were the idea.

well, most people on the pill don't want kids (at that point in their life). you don't need more unwanted kids.