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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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Boehner to Limbaugh ,his rant was inappropriate !!! That's like a cobra saying to a rattlesnake ,YOU ARE TOO DANGEROUS......GET RID OF BOTH OF THEM and McConnell too !!!
60's Vet, good post pilgrim.
Here's what really happened. Limbaugh is secretly paid by the Democrats to inflame and create chaos on behalf of the Republican. Limbaugh knows by calling this woman a slut would put off women voters en masse and turn any women voters in the middle voting ground against the Republican party. Limbaugh is secretly working for the Democratic party. I always knew a man with 4 wives, 3 divorces, and a drug problem couldn't be a true Republican, only Democrats divorce and do drugs.
The bottom line is Rush the junkie is probably convincing more people to vote for Democrats than Republicans. He may have made some converts in the early 90s but not today. Rush the junkie has his loyal band of cultist who worship him. Yet those same people would never dream of voting for anyone other than a Republican. Meanwhile -- he chasing the independents away.
The issue isn't about Sandra Fluke's sex life. It's about whether the pill and other contraceptive devices constitute "medical care." They do. There are dozens of reasons why women use the pill, including women past menopause and those who do not have regular sex.
"Fluke had attempted to testify last month at a congressional committee hearing on the Obama administration's new rule requiring employers to offer health plans that include birth control coverage, but she was excluded from the panel. She testified instead at a mock hearing organized by Democratic lawmakers, in which she advocated for the new policy and said she had a friend who lost an ovary because of lack of contraceptive care."
Rush himself seems ignorant of how the pill works. He seems to believe that the more gang bangs you have, the more pills you have to take or the more IUDs you have to use. But that doesn't matter to Rush. It's kept his name in the news for four or five days and that's good for him.
It's pure politics and the unspoken goal of Rush and his admirers is a return to the 50s when all girls remained virgins until marriage and Father Knows Best and every family is named Partridge. Still, this is 2012, and someone should point out to him that if all women who use contraceptive devices mainly to avoid unwanted pregnancies are sluts and prostitutes, that means that about 70 million women are whores.
Robert Maxwell, a very well written post.
When are people like Limbaugh going to realize the days of "Leave it to Beaver" are over?
Limbaugh did not create the definition of a slut.
Ms. Fluke testified she supported ObamaCare's zero deductible coverage of contraceptives since it could cost her up to $3,000 per year for contraceptives... which would be all of her summer earnings.
Now here is where I go out on a limb. I assume a law school student is reasonably intelligent. I assume a reasonably intelligent woman wouldn't spend all of her summer earnings on contraceptives if she wasn't engaged in sexual activity. I therefore deduced that Ms. Fluke (who is unmarried) is engaged in sexual activity.
Considering it "loose morals" for an unmarried woman to be engaged in sexual activity is not a construct of Rush Limbaugh.
Foolish beyond belief--trying to justify piggishness of a famous junkie is piggish in itself.
If calling a slut, a slut, is piggishness then I didn't "try", I "did". Perhaps you are frightened by the concept of morals... do you fear someone with "loose sexual morals" being so identified?
I think your hateful comments say much more about you than they do about anything else, Martha. Since you are obviously unacquainted with simple concepts like shame, integrity, and moral courage, rest assured that other people who are not so inclined to ignorance are reading your sad, blithering ravings and are turning away in disgust. You are a poster child for the GOP's failed political and moral ideologies.
If Ms. Fluke had any concept of shame or moral integrity she wouldn't have begged for free contraceptives so she could indulge her sexual social life.
Had Ms. Fluke any honor she would either pay for her own contraceptives or keep her legs together until she graduated, got a job and could afford to buy her own contraceptives.
Ms. Fluke is a disgusting example of the self indulgent entitlement generation. She is also a woman of loose sexual morals... the very definition of a slut.
Martha, you're comment is insane. Surly you must realize that young women have sex. Has s it been so long since you've been young that you've forgotten what it means. How dare you call this young woman a slut. You are probably a sexless old maid, bitter and angry at what you are.
"If Ms. Fluke had any concept of shame or moral integrity she wouldn't have begged for free contraceptives so she could indulge her sexual social life."
Ms. Fluke did not beg for contraceptives, she never even mentioned sex in her argument, and you obviously are not knowledgeable enough of the topic to be even voicing an opinion. You are just one of that bloated, drug-addicted, viagra-popping, cigar-huffing radio clown's disciples.
Martha, you a math major?
I wonder if "inappropriate" would be Boner's choice of words if a Democrat had called Callista Gingrich a slut.
No, I think someone who has an affair with a married man would technically be considered an Adulterous Slut.
What Scumbaugh says is neither "appropriate" nor "inappropriate" anymore than is "Oink Oink
------Pigs is Pigs.
Wasn't it Limpjaw that was supposedly going to Bahamas and banging hookers over there. Wonder if he used a rubber??
Emil
Underage hookers, yet. He should be arrested as a sexual deviant.
Actually, Boehner didn't say anything, it was his spokesperson that proffered the limp-wristed response.
Coward.
maybe jerry brown can start calling women "whores" again.
...the left had no problem with it last year.
Look everyone. It's Mr. Idontknowathing, keck. Didn't even see you playing here. Must have you on
ignornope ignornace!Republicans, you have out done yourselves. I thought last week was as far as you were willing to go in your attack on women. Nope I was wrong. Republicans are willing to bet the whole lot on this issue. Even doubling down on their attack on women. Wow. I thought we were fighting against this same type of issue in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Next Republicans will create specialized schools to teach their way of thinking (and killing the public system). I can see little Republican followers bobbing their heads back and forth...praying. Sound familiar? Too real!!!
This country is obviously full of individuals with some serious self esteem issues. Who cares what limbaugh thinks, I've heard him once, and decided his opinion has no value to me. Move on, he is JUST one person, he has a right to his opinion, why should he be expected to meet your or my expectations? Perhaps some of you would like to have random roaming moral police like they do in arab countries. All your self righteous howling and repudiation does is strengthen his resolve. Give it a rest. Besides, if he eats any more donuts, he won't be around much longer anyhow!
Rush has a right to voice his opinion. That's freedom of speech. But the Supreme Court long ago put limits on the freedom to speak. You can't threaten to kill the president. You can't advocate the violent overthrow of the government. It's illegal to shout "fire" in a crowded theater. And there are laws against slander.
The GOP are well on their way to providing American citizens with commissars and moral police. We should keep in mind Bush's practice of secretly "data mining" emails, and we should think about what J. Edgar Hoover was able to do by spying on President Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and anyone else he wanted to.
In Bush's last year, interviewers for civil service jobs (civil service, like dog catchers!) questions like: "Why do you support President Bush?" That was precisely the job of commissars in the Soviet Union.
Somebody please explain to this ignorant pig how birth control works. He apparently thinks that a woman has to take a new pill or use a new IUD each time she has sex. He keeps raging about how Ms. Fluke is "having so much sex, she can't afford her birth control". Hey moron, sex 50 times a day or once a month, it doesn't matter... it's still one pill a day, or one IUD!
I have a feeling there's a lot of people commenting here that don't know that either.
then maybe you should pay for this poor little rich girls pills.
.....i dont care how much she screws, i dont care, but i will not pay for he to have sex.
she can afford 60,000 a year in tuition.....she can afford contraception, or get mommy and daddy to cough it up.
but dont think i am going to pay for her to have sex.....ever.
Keck, she's attending college on a grant. I'm more than happy to help her with her birth control. She seems like an nice young woman. Why do I care if I subsidize her birth control. I just want her to graduate and contribute to society.
Keck -
You are misinformed. Here, I'll save you the google search: That's the transcript of her testimony. She's not a poor little rich girl, she's attending Georgetown Law school on a scholarship. Pretty impressive, right? And... she's not even talking about HER OWN CONTRACEPTIVE USE, but rather she represents an organization for reproductive rights, she was sharing information in her testimony about women in the collective organization and their HEALTH ISSUES like ovarian cysts and endometriosis where the treatment is NOT covered because the treatment is the hormones in contraceptives. And before you say... well that's different.... let's talk about Viagra. Insurance covers it, but nobody is asking if the men taking it are taking it for pulmonary hypertension (it's original purpose) or instead the boost in the bedroom. We all know which is the more common use.
Who is the ignorant one here. first I don't know what you are talking about because you have no reference. Secondly the only math I can think of was based on what Ms Fluke stated it could cost her per month. She said it could cost up to a thousand dollars per month.
Rick,
I assume that was directed at me? Maybe you should post via reply rather than a new post.
Forgive me for not referring to the ignorant pig LIMBAUGH, isn't that who everyone is talking about here?
Get YOUR facts straight. Google the transcript of Ms. Fluke's testimony and read it carefully. She said it can cost up to $3000 throughout law school for contraceptives. Typical law school is 3 year, so that comes out to about $84 a month, which is not surprising given that I was paying $65 a month 10 years ago.
She said it cost her $3,000 per year for contraceptives. But who cares if it is $3,000 a year, $1,000 a month or $10 a decade... why should this be a zero deductible health insurance benefit? The libretards argue that it is a women's health "issue". They claim that unless contraceptives are provided "free" then women are denied contraceptives... and their health will suffer.
Fine. Follow that "logic" to its logical end: Unless food is provided for "free" then I am denied food... and my health will suffer... guess I should try charging my groceries to my BC/BS card.
Martha,
See my previous post. She did NOT say it cost $3000 a year. Did you even listen to or read her testimony? Or are you just parroting what other misinformed people are saying.
It IS a women's health issue... again, Google her transcript and read about her fellow student who had an ovarian cyst the size of a tennis ball that required her ovary to be removed, which could have been avoided if she was treated with contraceptives, but insurance won't cover contraceptives and she couldn't afford the contraceptives.
Let's not forget that Viagra is covered by insurance, and nobody is questioning for what purpose it is being prescribed... for pulmonary hypertension (it's original purpose) or an assist in the bedroom. Nobody is calling these men "sluts" for using the little blue pill.
Yeah Kitchen Patrol I read your post. You are wrong. She said $3,000 per year... about all she makes during the summer.
If treatment of ovarian cysts are an on label use for a contraceptive drug then they can be prescribed for that treatment... and the patient should pay the applicable deductible. Any physician caught prescribing those drugs to anyone who doesn't have ovarian cysts should lose their licence to practice medicine and should be jailed for insurance fraud.
Regarding viagra when used to enhance a sexual social life it should be paid for out of the "patient's" pocket. When used to treat testicular cysts then the patient should pay the applicable deductible.
Martha, who gives a s**t if it's $3,000 a year? The point is that it's cheaper to provide birth control to indigent women then allowing them to give birth. What is wrong with you?
Martha -
Why am I not surprised that you ignore the facts and insist that your version is the truth. Typical right-wing nonsense. You obviously didn't listen to or read her testimony. So you make up your own version.... and you're sticking to it.
So do you really think that Limbaugh was right in what he said? Or do you just blindly agree because that's what his followers do without thinking?
Martha...$3,000 over the three years of law school. THAT is what she said. Why not admit you were wrong and quit making it worse? Additionally, she has not asked you, me, or anybody else, to pay for the contraceptives. She is asking for the insurance SHE pays for to cover it, just as it does for faculty and staff at the same university she attends.
It is readily apparent that the majority of the right-wing posters (although not all) would prefer to spout vitriol and lies instead of taking two minutes to do a little research. Dittoheads indeed.
I was unaware that Viagra is used to treat "testicular cysts" - you come up with this garbage all on your own, or did you use Limbaugh's research staff?
"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt."
I'd like to ask you MSNBC regulars something. Where were you all when Ed Schultz called Laura Ingraham a slut? Oh yea I remember you all were saying in the article, "well she is" can you say double standard much? Oh and there are is a thread on democratic underground saying how that incident was blown out of proportion so why isn't that the case now? Well?
I guess I'm an MSNBC regular, but I think Ed Schultz was dead wrong for what he said about Laura Ingraham and should have been fired. I can't watch his show. Not that it makes it right, but he did at least apologize. Limbaugh is so delusional he doesn't even begin to see how wrong he was.
I get it, Limbaugh is all about making outrageous comments. That's how he draws his audience. It saddens me that people who find him entertaining don't get that he crossed the line here.
thank you, I remember reading the article back then and most posters agreed calling her the same name and it just infuriates me that someone else is doing literally the same thing and now it's "different". Both of their actions should have the same consequences, the hypocrisy on this site is amazing.
Kp
I think Ed Shultz was dead on in his assessment of Laura Ingraham. She's exactly how Ed depicts her. The difference between her and the young woman Limbaugh defamed is that Ingrahm is a public figure, the other woman is not. BTW Ed was suspended. Limbaugh was not.
R Bell,
I agree with Ed Shultz's opinion of Laura Ingraham, but he was dead wrong for using the language he used and deserved the suspension, and should have been fired. These journalists/commentators are supposed to be professionals, some of them act like street punks with their rants. Criticism of ideas and views is one thing, personal attacks should not be tolerated.
Who votes for Boenher, such a loser. Go Rush call it as you see it. I'm tired of paying for everyone else 's fun!
Oh is the ED that bad? Sorry your not having fun. But does that mean that everyone must be as miserable as you? Are you so old that you cant remember? Remember? When healthcare is cut. Its cut for everyone. Even old people. Which actually costing americans a whole lot more than a birth control pill? or would you like to support billions of unwanted kids?
Boehner didn't even have the common decency to speak for himself, he sent in one of his lackeys.
What Rush Limbaugh said is despicable.
There is no is excuse for his comment, although there is obviously a reason, to stir and to inflame all the posters and bloggers.
One other remark for the sake of the facts. Generic prescription birth control is available at every WalMart for $9 per month (this is fact-I checked). This is not a matter of poor woman not having access to birth control nor has it ever been.
I'm sick of the bashing and the name calling by our polarized, over-politicized bloggers/posters. Everybody thinks they have something of value to put on the internet.
If we continue to spray out verbal hate, we are not much different than the Limbaughs (other than he makes a lot of money and the writers of these post do it for nothing). Learn the facts, speak the truth and leave it at that.
If, contraceptives are available for $9 per month, then you are correct that Limbaugh erred in calling Ms. Fluke merely a slut.
Ms. Fluke said her contraceptives cost $3,000 per year. Limbaugh should have called her either a lying slut or a dumbass slut.
Rick Fancher
Can you tell me what Rush said?
The fat old ugly drug addict windbag did not say anything. His sewer mouth just has flies coming out of it.
Justmy53andme
If he did not say anything then why are you all raising so much hell?
Raising hell? Well lets just say this? That fat ugly old piece of dung, screamin in the microphone should not even have his head left on his body. He is nothing but an opportunist stirring hate for all the little ignorant people to jump for joy.
I agree with Rick point that what Limbaugh said was despicable and it is wrong to call anyone a slut. I also agree with his opinions concerning many bloggers that engage in name calling and hate and probably we are not much different from Limbaugh.
Apparently all we can do is let the liberals suck the cash cow dry for their social programs. Then social equality will be achieved and we can all suffer equally.
OH? or maybe we should start another war for profit. There are no liberals, the democrats are now the decent republican party. The so called radical repub grover signers are not Repubicans, THEY ARE TERRORIST AND AMERICA's enemy.
Dear Mr. Speaker(boner) Dont stop there. Get yourself a backbone and distant yourself from the cancer in your party. You must be a leader and lead any decent republican left in that circus AND LEAD. You must tell those little freshman and those bigot redneck aholes that are obstructing business and issues in the house to get their a@@ in line and grow up or leave the building and resign.
I don't think those "aholes that are obstructing business and issues" will listen to Boehner... Democrats rarely do. Even if the House Democrat aholes got out of the way of progress it wouldn't matter until the biggest ahole of them all vacates the White House next January.
Martha-2024651
While I agree with you 100% I don't think those calling themselves liberals here are going to buy that. You have to remember that they all thing the insurance companies are going to come hippity-hopping down the bunny trail with those free contraceptives.
I assume Rush's medical plan pays for his Viagra Seeing he's had 4 wives and no children his plans paid for birth control pills or he was shooting blanks.
Bill - and I suspect Rush has enough money to pay his own premiums unlike Ms. Fluke.
When you have no answers to any real problems, no solutions and no ideas, you talk about birth control, birth certificates, religion and call college students sluts. The current crop of Republican presidential candidates and the real leader of the Republican party -- a draft dodging junkie --- are the best friends Democrats have.
You are wasting your time trying to educate these FOX NEWS graduates, the answers and solutions they have is the same policies that put our nation in debt subsidizing big oil, hell bent on giving more money and tax loop holes to the already filthy rich, all while being to dumb to realize that they themselves are in the poor camp, unlike the politicians they blindly follow ( Yeah brother..., take more of my money and give it to the filthy rich...I'm with ya!). The republican party will be paying off this debt of ignorance with the American voter for some time to come, I will be the guy driving in front of these republicans in November with the President Obama bobble head in the rear window, so let them keep on grabbing for the coat tails of the church...., even that can not pull them out of that gutter!
mxcape21
I have shown you many, many times the cause of our nations debt yet you still don't get it.
You have shown many opinions and accusations, not facts...back it up.
mxcape21
I have shown you articles written by economist at Universities, I have shown you interviews conducted by PBS, I have given you links to government sites and I have shown you videos yet you still refuse to acknowledge anything I have provided while you have yet to list one single link that backs up your claims.
Based on that it would be tough to come to any other conclusion other than you are to dumb to comprehend or you just don't care what happens to our country.
Or it could be you're a liar, Rick. I think that is the general consensus here.
If the MSNBC mod's have any ounce of respectability towards their rules they will Ban Ms Feisty for at least a day. Ive observed people banned for much less.
According to the game plan, the rushbo was supposed to attack the message. Not the messenger. But no. The guy took the easy out and called her a slut, whore & prostitute. Shocking. Did he know more about sandra selling her body. No. No. Boycott rushbo's sponsors.
Marshal,
He did not actually call her a slut or a whore or a prostitute.
Oh yes he did, what planet are you from? Go seek some mental help before it's too late!
mxcape21
Oh hell no he did not. It is time for you to get your head out of your arse.
Well why did he apologize for what he did not do on his website?.....head up arse, yes you do even after Rush Lame Brain admits to it, you still are in denial....pathetic!
Rick-312779
Here you go, this will clarify everything for you; http:// bit.ly/yaIyPF
Get well soon!
He asked the rhetorical question...something like: "blah...blah...blah, so what does that make her? A slut...a prostitute."
He basically admits it in his apology...no doubt prepared with the help of lawyers.
Stone
I ususally don't agree with you but at least you admitted that he did not directly call her those names. While I say that I also have to say that he could have made his point even had he toned down his rhetoric and chose his words much more carefully. This whole thing could come back and bite him in the arse.