1/7/2012: THE SET-UP BEGINS: During the Jan. 7 New Hampshire debate, George Stephanopoulos asked the presidential contenders if states have the right to ban contraception. Romney attacked the question, noting that no state was even considering it and it was therefore a non-issue. [1]
In hindsight, this seems to be coordination between ABC and the White House to start in motion a chain of events that surprised even the White House.
On Jan. 20 [just 13 days later], the question of contraception burst onto the national scene as a major issue when the Obama administration announced that religiously-based schools, hospitals and non-profits would be required to provide insurance coverage to their employees for contraception. [1]
Here is where the White House miscalculated. The entire Catholic hierarchy in this country stood up and declared this would not happen and that this was against the constitutionally protected right to freedom of religion.
Catholic bishops said [on 2/12/2012] that they would not support the Obama administration's proposed compromise on a controversial rule that requires most employers to fully cover contraception in their workers' health plans. [3]
2/22/2012: You recall, back in the January debate we had George Stephanopoulos talking all about birth control. We wondered why in the world that contraception -- it's like, 'why's he going there?' Well, we found out when Barack Obama continued his attack on religious conscience. [2]
BACKGROUND ON FLUKE TESTIFYING: The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee convened a panel scheduled for February 16, 2012, entitled "Lines Crossed: Separation of Church and State. Has the Obama Administration Trampled on Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Conscience?”
Republican members invited 10 panelists, all heads of religions or religious institutions opposed to contraceptive mandates, and Democratic members invited Barry W. Lynn, a prominent UCC minister and leader of the American religious left. Democrats asked the committee to substitute Sandra Fluke for Lynn. Fluke graduated from Cornell University in 2003 and been an activist for 5 years before entering Georgetown Law School. See additional professional bio here [5].
Republican members invited 10 panelists, all heads of religions or religious institutions opposed to contraceptive mandates, and Democratic members invited Barry W. Lynn, a prominent UCC minister and leader of the American religious left. Democrats asked the committee to substitute Sandra Fluke for Lynn. Fluke graduated from Cornell University in 2003 and been an activist for 5 years before entering Georgetown Law School. See additional professional bio here [5].
[Ed. Note: Ms. Fluke KNEW when she entered Georgetown Law that the university’s student health plan did NOT cover contraception.]
Committee chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) refused on the grounds that "she lacked expertise in questions of religious freedoms under federal law." So the Democrats brought Fluke in to testify in the House DEMOCRATIC STEERING and POLICY COMMITTEE – which was not televised. Fluke argued in favor of requiring all private insurance plans to include contraception coverage. [5]
According to some reports, it was Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., who pushed for Fluke’s testimony. Maloney also initiated the call for Fluke to sue Rush Limbaugh for his on-air derogatory remark about Fluke, according to the Daily Beast. [4]
In addition, Rep. Maloney is tied to a progressive pollster, Celinda Lake, who recently ran extensive polling in an effort to gauge voters’ reactions to including birth control or contraception in insurance coverage. [4]
Lake heads Lake Research, which lists both Maloney and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi as recent clients. Pollster Lake said that she and other Democrats see the strong Republican opposition to contraception as a way to win women back after they swung right in 2010, even though they backed Obama in big numbers in 2008. World Net Daily has found that [Lake’s polling] is one of the driving forces behind the progressive strategy to use contraception as an election issue. [4]
[My guess is that this entire controversy can be laid at the feet of the woman who wants to be Speaker of the House again – one Nancy Pelosi]
2/23/2012: ENTER SANDRA FLUKE: Sandra Fluke, a 2003 graduate of Cornell University and a third-year law student at Georgetown University is the former president of the Students for Reproductive Justice group at Georgetown.
Fast forward six days when Rush Limbaugh picked this up and ran with it.
2/29/2012: Limbaugh says on his nationally syndicated radio show:
What does it say about the college coed Susan Fluke [sic], who goes before a congressional committee and essentially says that she must be paid to have sex? What does that make her? It makes her a slut, right? It makes her a prostitute. She wants to be paid to have sex.
Can you imagine if you're her parents how proud of Sandra Fluke you would be? Your daughter goes up to a congressional hearing conducted by the Botox-filled Nancy Pelosi and testifies she's having so much sex she can't afford her own birth control pills and she agrees that Obama should provide them, or the Pope.
On March 1, 2012, Limbaugh offered what he said was a “compromise” to contraception coverage: purchasing "all the women at Georgetown University as much aspirin to put between their knees as possible". He continued that he "[ran] some numbers" on contraception costs and arguing that contraception coverage was "flat-out thievery" that would force taxpayers to pay to "satisfy the sexual habits of female law students at Georgetown".
Later, he dismissed concerns over lack of access to contraception coverage and mocked Fluke's congressional testimony, affecting a baby's voice and pretending to cry, saying: "I'm going broke having sex. I need government to provide me condoms and contraception. It's not fair." He asked, "Ms. Fluke, have you ever heard of not having sex? Have you ever heard of not having sex so often?" After mentioning that Washington, D.C., Department of Health "will send you free condoms and lube," Limbaugh said:
Later, he dismissed concerns over lack of access to contraception coverage and mocked Fluke's congressional testimony, affecting a baby's voice and pretending to cry, saying: "I'm going broke having sex. I need government to provide me condoms and contraception. It's not fair." He asked, "Ms. Fluke, have you ever heard of not having sex? Have you ever heard of not having sex so often?" After mentioning that Washington, D.C., Department of Health "will send you free condoms and lube," Limbaugh said:
So, Ms. Fluke and the rest of you feminazis, here's the deal. If we are going to pay for your contraceptives, and thus pay for you to have sex, we want something for it, and I'll tell you what it is. We want you to post the videos online so we can all watch. [5]
As a result of Limbaugh’s attacks on Fluke, a campaign was begun to get his sponsors to withdraw. As of March 3, 2012, Sleep Train, Select Comfort, Quicken Loans, GoToMyPC, Citrix Systems, Carbonite and LegalZoom have pulled their advertisements from Rush Limbaugh's radio show. [5]
The Sleep Train’s public comment following this controversy:
“As a diverse company, Sleep Train does not condone such negative comments directed toward any person,” the company said in a statement. “We have currently pulled our ads with Rush Limbaugh.” [8]
The Sleep Train later requested to resume its advertising on the show on March 8, but Limbaugh declined the company's request. [8] In an email to Sleep Train’s President, Dale Carlson, a representative of the show says that Limbaugh personally considered the company’s request, but denied it considering its public comments following the controversy. [8]
“Thank you for your requests last week and this week to restart your voiced endorsement in local markets of The Rush Limbaugh Show,” the email begins. “Rush received your requests personally… Unfortunately, your public comments were not well received by our audience, and did not accurately portray either Rush Limbaugh’s character or the intent of his remarks. Thus, we regret to inform you that Rush will be unable to endorse Sleep Train in the future”. [8]
[Last week, the Washington Post noted how the company (a Rush sponsor for 25 years) had only suspended its ads, not fully dropped the conservative commentator as a retail spokesperson. And while that may have left the door open for a reunion, that has now been rejected by Limbaugh.]
Wonder if Rush will buy a Kingsdown matteress and denounce his sleep number bed as a P.O.S. Too funny! But I digress….
Back to the story……
Limbaugh continues in his Friday show to crank up his criticism of Fluke and her demands. He called her a slut and a whore and the firestorm began in earnest. I’m assuming everyone who reads has read his inappropriate comments.
3/2/2012: NEVER ONE TO MISS A CHANCE FOR A POSITIVE HEADLINE, OBAMA CALLS FLUKE TO OFFER SUPPORT OVER LIMBAUGH COMMENTS, stating that her parents must be proud of her. [6]
[Ed. Note: my parents would have probably left the country! LOL…. They are supportive to a point – this passes that point!]
Obama "wanted to express his disappointment that she has been the subject of inappropriate, personal attacks, and to thank her for exercising her rights as a citizen to speak out on an issue of public policy," said White House spokesman Jay Carney. [7]
[Ed. Note – I missed Obama’s call to Gov. Sarah Palin when Bill Maher called her a ‘cunt’ and a MILF on his TV show]
[Ed. Note – I missed Obama’s call to Gov. Sarah Palin when Bill Maher called her a ‘cunt’ and a MILF on his TV show]
3/3/2012: LIMBAUGH RELEASED AN APOLOGY ON HIS WEB SITE.
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. [7]
In typical liberal fashion, Ms. Fluke said his apology was not accepted. Could this have been simply to keep the flames fanned?
3/4/2012: Never one to miss a chance to pile on, Republican candidate Ron Paul said Limbaugh’s apology was ‘not sincere and was made only because it best served Limbaugh’ [9]
3/4/2012: FAIRNESS AND BALANCE: Writing for the Daily Beast, Kirsten Powers (Fox News Contributor and former girlfriend of Anthony Weiner) has authored a piece that could open another can of worms – that being the complete, total, and unashamed liberal bias in the press. ‘Rush Limbaugh Isn’t the Only Media Misogynist’, Powers writes [and I quote extensively]:
Did you know there is a war on women?
Yes, it’s true. Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann, Bill Maher, Matt Taibbi, and Ed Schultz have been waging it for years with their misogynist outbursts. There have been boycotts by people on the left who are outraged that these guys still have jobs. Oh, wait. Sorry, that never happened.
Boycotts are reserved for people on the right like Rush Limbaugh, who finally apologized Saturday for calling a 30-year-old Georgetown Law student, Sandra Fluke, a “slut” after she testified before congress about contraception. Limbaugh’s apology was likely extracted to stop the departure of any more advertisers, who were rightly under pressure from liberal groups
But if Limbaugh’s actions demand a boycott—and they do—then what about the army of swine on the left?
During the 2008 election Ed Schultz said on his radio show that Sarah Palin set off a “bimbo alert.” He called Laura Ingraham a “right-wing slut.” (He later apologized.) He once even took to his blog to call yours truly a “bimbo” for the offense of quoting him accurately in a New York Post column.
Keith Olbermann has said that conservative commentator S.E. Cupp should have been aborted by her parents, apparently because he finds her having opinions offensive. He called Michelle Malkin a “mashed-up bag of meat with lipstick.” He found it newsworthy to discuss Carrie Prejean’s breasts on his MSNBC show. His solution for dealing with Hillary Clinton, who he thought should drop out of the presidential race, was to find “somebody who can take her into a room and only he comes out.” Olbermann now works for über-leftist and former Democratic vice president Al Gore at Current TV.
Left-wing darling Matt Taibbi wrote on his blog in 2009, “When I read [Malkin’s] stuff, I imagine her narrating her text, book-on-tape style, with a big, hairy set of balls in her mouth.” In a Rolling Stone article about Secretary of State Clinton, he referred to her “flabby arms.” When feminist writer Erica Jong criticized him for it, he responded by referring to Jong as an “800-year old sex novelist.” (Jong is almost 70, which apparently makes her an irrelevant human being.) In Taibbi’s profile of Congresswoman and presidential candidate Michele Bachmann he labeled her “batshit crazy.” (Oh, those “crazy” women with their hormones and all.)
Chris Matthews’s sickening misogyny was made famous in 2008, when he obsessively tore down Hillary Clinton for standing between Barack Obama and the presidency, something that Matthews could not abide. Over the years he has referred to the former first lady, senator and presidential candidate and current secretary of state as a “she-devil,” “Nurse Ratchet,” and “Madame Defarge.” Matthews has also called Clinton “witchy,” “anti-male,” and “uppity” and once claimed she won her Senate seat only because her “husband messed around.” He asked a guest if “being surrounded by women” makes “a case for commander in chief—or does it make a case against it?” At some point Matthews was shamed into sort of half apologizing to Clinton, but then just picked up again with his sexist ramblings.
Matthews has wondered aloud whether Sarah Palin is even “capable of thinking” and has called Bachmann a “balloon head” and said she was “lucky we still don’t have literacy tests out there.” Democratic strategist Jehmu Greene, who is the former president of the Women’s Media Center, told Fox News’ Megyn Kelly in 2011 that Matthews
“is a bully, and his favorite target is women.” So why does he still have a show? What if his favorite target was Jews? Or African-Americans?
But the grand pooh-bah of media misogyny is without a doubt Bill Maher—who also happens to be a favorite of liberals—who has given $1 million to President Obama’s super PAC. Maher has called Palin a “dumb twat” and dropped the C-word [that would be CUNT] in describing the former Alaska governor. He called Palin and Congresswoman Bachmann “boobs” and “two bimbos.” He said of the former vice-presidential candidate, “She is not a mean girl. She is a crazy girl with mean ideas.” He recently made a joke about Rick Santorum’s wife using a vibrator. Imagine now the same joke during the 2008 primary with Michelle Obama’s name in it, and tell me that he would still have a job. Maher said of a woman who was harassed while breast-feeding at an Applebee’s, “Don't show me your tits!” as though a woman feeding her child is trying to flash Maher. (Here’s a way to solve his problem: don’t stare at a strangers’ breasts). Then, his coup de grâce: “And by the way, there is a place where breasts and food do go together. It’s called Hooters!” [1O]
[Ed. Note: I know I put too much of Kirsten Power’s piece here but it is sooooo good I couldn’t help it!]
3/5/2012: RUSH OPENS HIS MONDAY SHOW WITH A 30 MINUTE DISSERTATION-EXPLANATION OF WHY AND WHAT HE APOLOGIZED FOR. (See also his on-line apology posted over the weekend.)
3/8/2012: BILL O’REILLY JOINS THE FRAY: He believes this entire controversy was manufactured to divert headlines away from the disastrous decision to force religious institutions to provide contraception – which MAY be unconstitutional. Bill is wondering who is taking Sandra Fluke around the media world, because since her testimony, she has been on 8 national news outlets and oddly [hahaha] has not been challenged at all on her stance. O’Reilly continues:
Now, late today we found out that Ms. Fluke is now being repped by the progressive PR agency SKDKnickerbocker where Anita Dunn, the former Obama communications director is the managing editor... a-ha!
So, this whole deal comes back to the White House, at least indirectly. So, let's run down what we know. Sandra Fluke is a former head of the group "Georgetown University Law Students for Reproductive Justice." On February 9th, a group called "The Feminist Majority Foundation" arranged for Sandra to appear at press conference criticizing the Catholic bishops for objecting to President Obama's contraception mandate.
A man named Mike has booked her on a few programs, but we can't even get his last name. And Mike doesn't provide call-back numbers to those with whom he speaks. So Mike, who are you? And why the subterfuge?
After that, Congressman Elijah Cummings, the former Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, invited Sandra to testify in front of the House Oversight Committee. But she was turned down by the chair, Congressman Darrell Issa, because she had no expertise in the church/state subject matter.
Nevertheless, Ms. Fluke went to the hearing and afterward complained to ABC News that she had been denied. A week later, Nancy Pelosi staged a mock hearing starring Sandra. After which Rush Limbaugh made derogatory comments elevating her to left-wing martyrdom.
So it seems there is a powerful presence behind Sandra Fluke. [11]
Another close Obama associate, John Podesta, is currently the visiting professor of law Georgetown. [Another possible connection between Fluke and the White House???] [4]
The sad thing about this is…. Limbaugh, forever using absurdity to SHOW absurdity, dove headlong into an issue [the left wanting taxpayers to pay for EVERYTHING] which he and many on the right see as government encroachment into our lives. THIS was an outrageous example because this woman feels entitled to contraception at the expense of others. Rush no more thinks this woman should put videos of herself having sex with free condoms than he thinks the sun won’t come up tomorrow. This issue was contrived by Pelosi and her minions to take the growing heat off the administration’s unconstitutional demands that Catholic employers provide abortion coverage as part of the benefits package of employees. Rush’s assertion that Fluke’s demands are absurd is totally correct. Fluke was/is an activist looking for a cause and a pulpit. The two ‘met’ and there was a perfect storm – a far worse storm than the left could EVER have imagined. Rush was wrong to call Fluke a slut and a whore and he was right to apologize. The left was outted when Fluke refused to accept the apology. They want the ISSUE!
And the issue is pure demagoguery – REPUBLICANS DO NOT HATE WOMEN AND THEY ARE NOT AGAINST BIRTH CONTROL. The VAST majority of employers do offer birth control coverage in their health plans. Catholics, for one, do not because it’s against their beliefs. They are protected from having that right revoked by a two-page document called the Constitution of the United States. And THAT is the issue – a president who hates that document and ignores it when he feels like it.
[Funny thing is – the left COULD have done tremendous damage to the Republicans in the fall with this false idea that Republicans are against birth control in particular and women’s health issues in general – simply by starting the engines in early September – when the Republicans would have been helpless to stop the train with the truth in time for the elections. But Obama jumped the shark with the absurd ‘compromise’ he offered the Catholic Bishops, and Nancy had to pull the trigger on Fluke to deflect attention away from Obama. And if you think ABC / George Stephanopoulos were not complicit in this grand plan back in January then you may want to place your head where it can get some sunshine.]
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[7] http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/03/obama-vs-limbaugh-money-and-politics/1
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