McCain: Limbaugh’s Attacks Are ‘Totally Unacceptable,’ ‘Should Be Condemned By Everyone’

[ProSense]

McCain: Limbaugh’s Attacks Are ‘Totally Unacceptable,’ ‘Should Be Condemned By Everyone’

By Alex Seitz-Wald

In back-to-back TV appearances this morning, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) strongly condemned Rush Limabugh for his assault on Georgetown Law student Sandra Fluke. “His remarks are totally unacceptable. Totally and completely unacceptable. And there’s no place for it,” McCain said on CNN. “Those statements were unacceptable in every way and should be condemned by everyone,” he added on CBS. Watch it:

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McCain did not reference the apology Limbaugh offered this weekend, but many — including at least two advertisers — have been unsatisfied with it, as the radio host expressed little contrition and used the venue to further his false attacks on Fluke.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who has been the most outspoken religious leader against President Obama’s new contraception mandate, which sparked this whole controversy, spoke out against Limbaugh yesterday, saying the conservative entertainer should not be so “pugnacious.” “Whatever we do, and however strongly we feel, we do it charitably, we do it civilly,” Dolan said. “We don’t judge the motives of other people.”

Meanwhile, Christine Todd Whitman, the former Republican governor of New Jersey and Bush EPA administrator, said Limbaugh’s statement was “hardly an apology,” and also criticized lawmakers in her own party. “What is more to the point, and an issue for Republicans, is holding a hearing on contraceptives without a woman on the panel.”

http://thinkprogress.org/media/2012/03/05/437493/mccain-limbaugh-unacceptable/

Mitt? http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002385288

Rush On Degrading Comments About Women: ‘I’m Not Going To Apologize. People In My Position Never Apologize’

By Judd Legum

For three days, Rush Limbaugh pursed a relentless, sexist and hateful assault on law student Sandra Fluke. (You can read a catalogue of 53 separate attacks by Limbaugh on Fluke here.)

As more advertisers announced they would no longer sponsor Limbaugh’s show, he abruptly reversed course on Saturday and issued an apology on his website. Some have questioned the sincerity of the apology since the brief statement also furthered his attacks on Fluke, suggesting she and other women’s health advocates wanted to testify before Congress regarding their “personal sexual recreational activities.”

A review of Limbaugh’s rhetoric, which is littered with misogynistic language, shows that there is reason to be skeptical of his remorse. For example, here’s an exchange from November 2007, when a caller reacts to Limbaugh commenting that “I’m like a woman when you get to numbers. I don’t follow them too easily”:

RUSH: I had a Barbie doll once, Cheryl, and you’d pull the string on the back, “Math class is tough.” You know the stereotype. I was just making a stereotypical joke.

CALLER: Oh, my goodness, I can’t believe you said that. I really can’t. We laugh at you all the time, but that was not funny. That was degrading to some women. [...]

CALLER: Okay. Do you apologize to the women? (Laughing.)

RUSH: Well, you know, Cheryl, I have to tell you, Cheryl is one of my all-time top-ten female names, and I hope that I can salvage your loyalty here as an audience member. I’m not going to apologize. People in my position never apologize. But we just acknowledge that you were upset and offended by it. I’ll apologize you were offended.

CALLER: Okay.

RUSH: But I’m not going to apologize for saying it. I meant to say it. Why would I apologize for something I meant to say? It was a joke.

CALLER: Okay. I guess. Okay.

Some advertisers are also not convinced that, this time, Limbaugh is sincerely apologetic. After he announced his apology, two additional advertisers announced they were dropping their sponsorship.

http://thinkprogress.org/media/2012/03/05/437551/rush-on-degrading-comments-about-women-im-not-going-to-apologize-people-in-my-position-never-apologize/

[warrior1]

1. He couldn't have said this last week

Say like on Wed, or Thurs. or Friday. Chicken McCain.

[Bluerthanblue]

8. better late than never.

The point is he did say it. And said it clearly.

I don't fault him for saying it late, I welcome his voice against Rush's hate speech.

[Saving Hawaii]

2. Nice to hear that McCain has a stronger spine than Newton, Willard, or Santorum.

Those three are petrified of even admitting that, you know, maybe Rush Limbaugh really shouldn't be saying some of the things he's saying. Cowards.

[el_bryanto]

3. Well McCain isn't running for President and can't really run again

If he were he would never have said anything even close to this.

Bryant

[zbdent]

4. Didn't Rush basically throw McCain under the bus in 2008?

Not that it didn't help Obama or Hillary ...

[seabeyond]

5. good for mccain. it shows the repug runners exactly what they are doing wrong. nt

[Bluerthanblue]

9. agree! n/t

[ProSense]

6. American Spectator Calls On Conservatives To 'Rally Around Rush'

American Spectator Calls On Conservatives To 'Rally Around Rush'

The advertisers who pulled their spots from Rush Limbaugh's show after a barrage of criticism from groups on the left may be about to face a barrage of criticism from the right. The American Spectator has published a list of advertisers who abandoned Rush's show and called on its readers to contact the companies and express their displeasure:

No one disputes the right of any would-be sponsor to choose where they place their advertising dollars. That simply isn't the question.

The question is: do these sponsors listed above, all willing participants in this thuggish behavior, understand that they are going out of their way to self-identify with those who have quite effectively demonstrated themselves to be anti-free speech thugs?

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/american-spectator-calls-on-conservatives-to-rally-around

[niyad]

11. what is it called when the reichwing threatens advertisers, makes endless complaints, and

basically tries to stifle any voices but their own?

[Zalatix]

7. That's because McCain has to answer to a daughter of his own.

[niyad]

12. so why did he wait so long to say anything?

[Zalatix]

13. His wife & daughter(s) vs his party.

These conflicts take a while to sort out in a Republican household.

Everywhere else... not so long.

[niyad]

14. pathetic, isn't it?

[Zalatix]

15. To normal human beings, yes, among today's Republicans he is quite Progressive.

How's THAT for scary.

[niyad]

10. hey, grumpy, I might have given some credence to your statements, had you made them right

after limpball's rant, NOT over a week later.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

16. "it was a joke!"

Bullshit.

It's never "a joke". Bullies want to be able to hurt people and get away with it - to squirrel out of responsibility for what they did or said. They know it's hurtful. They just don't want to take responsibility for the fact that they do not RESPECT other people's feelings.

The problem is not that the target of such verbal attacks is "too sensitive". The problem is that the bully they're coming from is not sensitive enough. Or, at all. He simply has no RESPECT.

It's not Okay. Read what RUSH said above: "why should I apologize for something I meant to say?"

Indeed. Bullies KNOW they're saying hurtful things. They JUST. DON'T. CARE.

They have no RESPECT for anyone else's feelings. They lack sensitivity.

Rush Limbaugh is a classic example of a BULLY.

Here's some advice: If you ever hear "you're too sensitive" or "it was a joke!" from someone who's hurt you - get. rid. of. them. Seriously. They're a bully and an abuser. And they NEVER change.

[deacon]

17. Santorum, Paul and Mccain are the only ones in the GOP not afraid of Rush. Kinda pathetic. n/t

[ProSense]

18. Santorum

said Limbaugh was being "absurd," but that an "entertainer can be absurd." http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002375031

Paul called Limbaugh's statement an apology. http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002381885

McCain knew enough to not mention the apology.