Posted on 03/03/2012 8:32:15 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Rush Limbaugh has posted a statement on his website this afternoon, forwarded by his brother David (one of my friends on line), apologizing for calling Sandra Fluke an insulting name while discussing her claims. It’s impossible to retain the context of his apology by excerpting it, so I hope Rush will not mind me posting it in its entirety:
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.
I think it is absolutely absurd that during these very serious political times, we are discussing personal sexual recreational activities before members of Congress. I personally do not agree that American citizens should pay for these social activities. What happened to personal responsibility and accountability? Where do we draw the line? If this is accepted as the norm, what will follow? Will we be debating if taxpayers should pay for new sneakers for all students that are interested in running to keep fit?In my monologue, I posited that 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.
My choice of words was not the best, and in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir. I sincerely apologize to Ms. Fluke for the insulting word choices.
I think Rush did the right thing in apologizing to Fluke. However, let’s keep in mind that it was Fluke who made her sexual activity a matter of national political debate by insisting that the government pass laws and regulations forcing employers and insurers to provide her free contraception, and apparently as much as she and others demand. It’s Republicans who believe that contraception should remain a private affair, and that employers and insurers should be free to decide whether to cover contraception for their employees and customers or not. Democrats used Fluke to demand that those choices be stripped from private enterprises and instead be forced by the executive branch to entirely subsidize contraception.
That is the argument we should be making, as Republicans and conservatives. If you want your sexual choices to remain private, don’t use the government to force other people to subsidize them. Then we won’t have to turn the sex lives of Georgetown law school students into topics for political speculation.
Update: Along those same lines, does Donna Brazile also now oppose the government mandate to force employers and insurers to have a role in the decision to use contraception? She tweeted this message not too long ago (via Keder):
Agree! The government should have no role in contraception, and shouldn’t force employers or insurers to have a role in it, either. Keep it between the woman, her sexual partner, and her doctor. Well said.
Oh, wait, Brazile meant this in support of the mandate? She seems just as badly misinformed on the issue as her media colleagues … or as deliberately obtuse.
I believe I have a firm grip on the reality of this issue. Rush has been the major bulwark against Republicans caving on every single issue. Today he did everything he has condemned in others. Now that he has caved, who do you think will advance the cause?
Perhaps you should get a grip on the situation we face in this country.
I feel much like you lifepath. I never thought rush would cave like this. I felt like he was the only one truly carrying the conservative water.
I am not questioning the veracity of your post, but I am anxious to hear Rush’s explanation of WHY he felt the need to apologize.
To be honest, my wife and I were fuming on Friday while Rush spent nearly the entire program on Fluke. The airtime could have been used to broadcast all of the serious issues surrounding the current administration....issues that the MSM refuses to address.
I posted earlier that Sheila Jackson Lee has already commented that this issue is a prime reason, in her opinion, for enactment of the Fairness Doctrine.
Apology or not, I will bet that the issue will continue to be pushed by the MSM and associated with the Fairness Doctrine.
EODGUY
When someone makes what they do in bed a national issue, they will hear from me.
How's that?
Are we suppose to rollover just because of how shrill the left is shrieking?
It was not harming us in the least until his apology.
Thanks for buying into the Kool-Aid. It like the women in Texas who knew all of the TSA people because she flew often but since there wasn't a female to grope her she was willing for a male only to get to the flight. She bought into the Kool-Aid also. Drip, drip, drip. Soon you will beg forgiveness from the government for your thoughts of individuality.
Poor choice of words, yes he could have called a common old hoe.
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I don't accept Rush's apologies, one to Fluke and one to us, his listeners.
By his apology, he has taken the bait, hook, line and sinker in one bad gulp. He now twists and the end of a rope held by the politically-correct.
Sponsors who quit Rush (guess they don’t need business from conservatives):
Carbonite Corporate Headquarters
177 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
Main Office: 617-587-1100
Toll Free: 877-665-4466
LegalZoom
Corporate Headquarters
101 N. Brand Blvd., 11th Floor
Glendale, CA 91203
(323) 962-8600
Quicken Loans - Main Office
1050 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, MI 48226
Client Relations - (800) 863-4332
Sleep Number
877-310-1526
The Sleep Train
415-751-2259
Rush is a business and a business will do what it has to do to protect itself. That is why political correctness has such a strong hold in the country today. I’m still wondering what birth control will cost when it’s freeeeee!
PC and the media are our worst enemy.
I applaud the usage of “slut” where it applies—conservatives NEED to use this verbiage to get attention, because the sheeple have been brainwashed and need to be JOLTED out of their slumber.
P.J. O’Rourke authored a book titled “Parliment of Whores”, and they ARE whores in the congress.
Call things what they are and maybe the masses will pay attention.
Rush’s bean counters must have advised him that the withdrawal of these sponsors might produce a rush (no pun intended ) for the exists and further advised him to issue this apology before the cowardly herd thins to zero and cause his show to have no sponsors at all.
Just guessing....
About 50 years ago the left's idea of debating turned to screaming "Bigot!" "Nazi!" "Racist!"
No longer discussing the substantive issues the Left turned to making their opponents the issue. At this hour Rush is the "issue."
I guess that's the influence of Alinsky.
This is the issue.. it became an appalling dialectic -- with the Right attempting to escape the verbal assaults yielding 90 percent and the Left yielding at most 10 percent and the result is -- that the enemy within is close to putting an end to America the "shining city upon a hill whose beacon light guides freedom-loving people everywhere."
He is not a political figure, he exists to sell ads, nothing more. If he gets so hot that the ads stop selling, he is done.
Look at how fast Dr Laura was destroyed. Look at Glen Beck. You anger enough advertisers, you don't have a show.
I just hope Rush will survive this, but to be honest I don't know if he will.
I want to do serious firearms practice, but the cost of ammo will be expensive. Since I am paying for so much liberal trash, I just ask they pay for my ammo, as much as I want.
“He pretty much had to say something to end the discussion - it only harms the right at a very important time.”
Yes, Rush had to drop this hot potato because the drama was exposing how incredibly weak the GOP beltway leadership is.
The very instant that I read about this error in judgment, I knew it was a gift of sound-bite ammo for the lefties. Notice how quickly Mister Obama himself jumped on the issue.
One must choose wisely the place and timing of (political) battles, and any notion of making a pitched battle of this is a public relations loser (as Rush says) from the get go.
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