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Subscribe to RSSHouse Speaker John Boehner distanced himself on Friday from Rush Limbaugh, calling the conservative radio host's words toward a women's rights advocate "inappropriate."
J. Scott Applewhite / AP
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, talks about a lunch meeting with President Obama to deal with rising gasoline prices, at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 29, 2012.
Amid a growing media firestorm over comments Wednesday by Limbaugh toward Sandra Fluke, a Georgetown Law student who testified before a Democratic panel on the use of contraception, Washington's top Republicans said through a spokesman that Limbaugh was wrong.
"The speaker obviously believes the use of those words was inappropriate, as is trying to raise money off the situation," Boehner spokesman Michael Steel said in a statement.
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The comment refers to Democratic fundraising efforts related to Limbaugh's comments, in which he called Fluke a "slut." Fluke had been asked to testify about the policy of Georgetown University, a Catholic college, toward covering contraception for students. Her testimony came amid a controversy in Washington in recent weeks regarding the extent to which religious institutions should be required to cover contraceptive services as part of their insurance policies, despite moral objectives to contraception.
"What does it say about the college co-ed [Sandra] Fluke, who goes before a congressional committee and essentially says that she must be paid to have sex," Limbaugh said on his show. "What does that make her? It makes her a slut, right? It makes her a prostitute."
His comments quickly became political fodder for House Democrats, whose leader, California Rep. Nancy Pelosi, decried Limbaugh's comments as "outside the circle of civilized discussion and that unmask the strong disrespect for women held by some in this country." The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee additionally sought donations as a result of the outrage.
"I think my reaction was the reaction that a lot of women have had when, historically, they've been called these types of names and that really I think ... and that was initially, to be stunned by it, but then to quickly feel outraged and very upset by it," Fluke said about Limbaugh's remarks Friday on the TODAY show.
Sandra Fluke, the birth control activist called a "slut" and "prostitute" by conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh, talks to TODAY's Matt Lauer about Limbaugh's comments and the failure of a GOP-sponsored amendment that would have allowed employers to opt out of providing contraception in health plans.
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What did she expect? She's unmarried at a Catholic univ...
Good job to Rush for not caring what the brain-dead liberals think and saying what needs to be said and pointed out.
You people should go read his transcript on this instead of just taking the bits and pieces that other liberals feed you. At least he knows what he's talking about rather than you guys following princess pelosi and whatever other liberals and their lies.
They say women don't go republican because of stuff like this, I'm glad this stuff is voiced and would rather eat dirt than vote for the democrats and all of their ridiculous policies. There are plenty of republican women out there. Democrats need to stop saying women hate republicans and Rush. That's just ridiculous.
You are what is wrong with this country.
No it is not far fetched to say that women do not like Republicans anymore. Just wait until November . The proof will be in the voting. It is possible to eat dirt and vote Republican without being filthy. Rush was filthy and ugly in what he said and suggested. I would liketo think Republicans are or can be better than someone like Rush. I read the transcript and heard the testimony. It does not matter how you spin it, Rush was out of line and filthy in his insinuations. He always is and he does not know what he is talking about. He currently has tremendous problems separating fact from fiction. If you like that sort of thing, along with the filthy talk, that is your right but never try to justify it because people,Democrats and Republicans, conservatives and liberals,, are just not that stupid.
No it is not far fetched to say that women do not like Republicans anymore. Just wait until November. The proof will be in the voting. It is possible to eat dirt and vote Republican without being filthy. Rush was filthy and ugly in what he said and suggested. I would like to think Republicans are or can be better than someone like Rush. I read the transcript and heard the testimony. It does not matter how you spin it, Rush was out of line and filthy in his insinuations. He always is and he does not know what he is talking about. He currently has tremendous problems separating fact from fiction. If you like that sort of thing, along with the filthy talk, that is your right but never try to justify it because people, Democrats and Republicans, conservatives and liberals, are just not that stupid or that ugly.
"Inappropriate" Wow, that is super harsh! NOT! With leaders like this, no wonder we are is so much trouble.
terrified to do what's right because they are afraid they will anger their grand-poo-bah
One only has to look at Rush Limbaugh's "latest" wife....to see whom is getting paid to have sex. What hypocrisy this man is spewing. He well knows if it weren't for his money....he would be having NO sex at all. This man needs to be FIRED for his crude and classless comments toward a very intelligent and classy woman! Unbelievable...
I think Limbaugh might have really stepped in it this time. This young woman seems as wholesome as apple pie and intelligent thoughtful as you could be. She looks like what every parent would dream their daughter would grow up to be....and Rush calls her a "slut" and a "prostitute"??
He won't back down...he never does. He doesn't care. He's got his millions and a microphone. None of that is going away. BUT, for the first time, there is going to be great pressure on the GOP to finally stand up and say "not this time....you have gone to far"
"Wholesome" while demanding she not pay a nickel for her own birth control?
She's a poster child for entitlement.
We pay at the gas pumps for Limbaughs salary. This gas bag is costing me money. Stupid, stupid republicans.
William - She pays for her health insurance. She's not demanding anything for free.
I don't think you can give a more half-hearted denouncement. As for RL, he needed to feel relevant, nothing new to see here. It would be nice if he had used the students correct name, but I'm sure that was intentional as well.
That is just the same kind of garbage that got Obama elected. The
GOP is being looked as if everything this man says comes directly from the GOP and all conservatives. He's an entertainer at best and a bigot for sure. I'm sure Obama is laughing his butt off over this; it's like money in the bank. He does'nt have to worry about getting elected the GOP will do it for him.
Ever consider "why"? Because the mainstream media is crap.
Most people listen to Rush Limbaugh because they trust his personal opinion on news vs. the mainstream media coverage which is very biased.... just like this whole incident.
Rush Limbaugh doesn't represent the GOP any more than Mike Malloy or Ed Shultz represents the Democratic Party. But that won't stop the media from presenting it this way when it comes to republicans...and driving his audience up in numbers in the process.
The whole birth control debate thing has been framed by the media in the most irresponsible way because they think it is their ticket to getting Obama elected again.
Entitlements and more entitlement party vs. the bad guys who think you should have to pay for things you want.
How evil the right is!
The people who listen to Rush is educated? Give me a break. The kind of people who listen to Lush Dumbaugh are uneducated morons who hate anything that is not part of the GOP. These people show their true colors of the GOP as being racist, homophobic, xenophobic and masochistic. This is not the Party I remember of Lincoln, Teddy, Ike and Ronnie. Anyone who listens to this moron, contributes the fuel to the flames of hate in this Country.
Project much?
To all on here trashing Boehner: hypocritical much? You are doing exactly the same thing that you decry the conservatives for when they criticize Obama. Your words: "Obama just can't do anything right. You are so blinded by your hate you can't acknowledge anything good about him. And blah blah blah blah..." So now you do the same thing to Boehner. Should he have commended Limbaugh? It's the same scenario. Boehner would have been wrong no matter what he said or how he said it. Admit it.
Boehner..its also "inappropriate" to have hidden Swiss bank accounts to avoid paying US taxes.
Thank you to my fellow citizens who signed the petition to Boehner to denunciate the unacceptable behavior of boorish Rush Limbaugh.
The right wing extremists will no doubt continue their attacks on women and other decent and civil people, and they will come to understand that we will continue to call them out on it, as long and as often as it takes.
Who cares about what Gay Rush Limpdick has to say, except his low informed follies who hates everything that is not a white male person.
This boils down to one thing, if every insurance company can cover the limpdicks that need Vigara, then why can't those same insurance companies cover the birth control pill, which is used for other medical problems besides birth control only.
If both were covered, both men and women would have their co-payments, just like they do on other medical problems. But to hear the bible thumpers bitch, "we have to pay for it." To that, I say BS. You idiots have done your damnest to get rid of Planned Parenthood.
So sorry men, too many women refuse to be controlled by a bunch of fat old white men in politics. If they were real men, they would butt out of this. We have women in the Senate and House who should be deciding this, not the GOP'/tea bag lickers.
Then PAY YOUR OWN BILLS......idiot.
RUSH IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT....
Think about it. Here is a college girl, Sandra Fluke, that has actually looked a camera in the face and made the claim .....she and her friends have so much sex, they can't afford the consequences of their actions.....and MUST have someone else to pay for their behavior choices.
Liberals.....Socialists.....this is ABSURD to think that something so PERSONAL and INDIVIDUAL as your own sex life must be underwritten by taxpayers.
I thought the conservatives would be all for unlimited birth control for liberals.
So, conservatives actually want liberals to breed?
It's not the issue of subsidized birth control that has so many people upset over his comments. It's the fact that he's calling a person a "slut" and saying payment should be made in the form of pornographic images. How is that any way acceptable to say?
WRONG. It IS about irresponsible people, The Slut, who want to be PAID TO HAVE SEX or have TAXPAYERS underwrite THEIR WANTS AND DESIRES.
The woman IS A SLUT and deserves the label......she said it on national tv and at a congressional hearing, that she has ....so much sex.... she can't afford it.
TOO BAD.....LIVE WITH WITH THAT REALITY SANDRA FLUKE and your il-LIBERAL FRIENDS
Rush is an under-educated idiot. His appeal is to the same.
A loser commenting on another loser. Hm...
This is the first time that I have agreed with anything Boehner has said. Now, if more GOP members would distance themselves from Rush after this I would think more highly of them. For Pete's sake, regardless of how a person feels about the issue of birth control, calling someone a "slut" and asking for pornographic images in payment for it is waaaaaay over the line and shows us - once again - what a small minded, hateful person Rush really is.
the reason rush no kids is he stays in the closet
Mr Boehner, show some class and refute this yourself.
Someone please explain to me why it would be in a company's best interest to supply birth control to female workers rather than have to pay for lost time from work, maternity leave and the loss of a TRAINED employee, perhaps permanently? The bean counters should explain this.
Your comment is like a million others from people just like you - ignorant of the facts.
Your comment assumes that everyone who isn't getting free birth control is going to get pregnant.
How dare people actually pay for the products they use!!!!
John got the big shrivel knowing He had to call out Rush.
Good for Speaker Boehner. It took twodays for someone in the Republican Party to speak out. Better late than never in this case because Limbaugh's remarks were not just inappropriate,they were filthy in what he advocated and insulting to women everyplace. No Party,much less the Republicans,should have such a person as their leader . The Republicans do not need Limbaugh and the sooner they get behind Speaker Boehner, the better.
Suval, rush limbaugh is NOT the leader of the Republican party.
I don't care if you are a "righties" or a "leftie" or an in-betweener ................. EVERYONE with a heart and sou and a reasonaing brainl should be mad as Hell at that AH Limpbaugh for demeaning that young woman.
His sponsors SHOULD be kicking his A** off the air permanently. He has gone way too far this time to be permitted to continue being on the air. But the chickensh**s will just smile and turn their heads and say "boys will be boys", or the equivalent.
He is nothing but a disgusting. hate-filled slob with a non-functioning brain and a mouth that is perpetually in overdrive. And if you like listening to him, you are no better than he is.
While you are doing the standard lefty appeals to emotion, it must be stated that you actually lack a "reasoning brain".
Rush Limbaugh has the #1 radio show in the USA. Why the hell would advertisers kick him off the air permanently?
You don't know what a functioning brain is and your hate-filled diatribe about Rush Limbaugh being hate-filled is merely a projection of yourself. You are a hypocrite.
william @74.1 "You don't know what a functioning brain is and your hate-filled diatribe about Rush Limbaugh being hate-filled is merely a projection of yourself. You are a hypocrite"
hello pot, meet kettle
Boehner does not go far enough. Rush Limbaugh's statements were more than "inappropriate", they were totally out of line. He should be denounced for his comments.
Boehner also made sure he did not offend Rush to much by throwing in the comments about how it is also inappropriate to make money off the situation as if the Republicans would have let such comments just lie there if the shoe were on the other foot. The issue of contraception rights might be a Dem. versus Rep. issue but the issue of allowing the slandering an outstanding young woman should not be.
This will be one of the most listened to Rush radio shows today.
You idiots on the left will never make him go away, I love it.
We don't listen, so I can't quite see your angle.
Limdick is a complete and total ass and must still be on drugs based on his remarks. He never has anything of value to say and is in the same class as Howard Stern. Limdick = shock comments and never-ending stupidity!
It seems that Mr. Limbaugh and the Republicans have forgotten that every time a woman is having protected sex while using a contrceptive, there is a guy there with her!
This seems to be a return to the 17th century scarlet letter days of punishing the woman, in this case calling her names, and the guy gets off without a comment as to his responsibility.
Mr. Limbaugh and the Republicans seem to have forgotten the process of how a baby is born. A woman can not have sex alone. There has to be a man trying to stick his tab A into her slot B.
Seems the Republicans and Mr. Limbaugh need a refresher of high school health class as to why contrception is needed and how babies are born.
Every child in this country started in a man's genitalia, and he puts it in her, so put the blame where the blame belongs.
Rush has been married 4 times & has no children--wonder what birth control he uses. And don't tell me he didn't try out the machinery before he bought it!
Machinery, really. You sound like a slut yourself. I don't think I ever thought of a lady as a piece of machinery, oh wait, we are not talking about a lady.