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Obama’s Waiver for Bill Maher

By on 3.7.12 @ 6:07AM

We’re still waiting for the president to call to Sarah Palin.

After Rush Limbaugh referred to Georgetown University Law Student Sandra Fluke as “a slut” on his radio program last week, the Obama Administration wasted little time in coming to her defense.

On Friday, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney confirmed that President Obama had spoken with Fluke. When Carney was asked to describe their conversation, he replied:

They had a very good conversation. I think he, like a lot of people, feels that the kinds of personal attacks that she’s — that have been directed her way are inappropriate. The fact that our political discourse has become debased in many ways is bad enough. It is worse when it’s directed at a private citizen who was simply expressing her views on a matter of public policy.

Although Rush would issue an apology the following day it wasn’t enough for longtime Obama adviser David Axelrod who said, “I think what Rush Limbaugh said about that young woman was not only vile and degrading to her, but to women across the country.”

So what do Messrs. Carney, Axelrod and, for that matter, President Obama have to say for Bill Maher?

It is no secret that Maher despises conservatives especially of the female variety. Nearly a year ago, Maher delighted both himself and his left-wing audiences when he called Sarah Palin “a dumb twat” and “a c—t” — words even harsher than the ones Rush used against Fluke.

Let us remember that Carney lambasted Limbaugh for being inappropriate towards Fluke because she is a “private citizen who was simply expressing her views on a matter of public policy.” Well, the last I checked Sarah Palin is a private citizen who expresses her views on public policy. Does the Obama Administration believe Palin should be afforded the same courtesy as Fluke? Do they believe what Maher said about Palin was inappropriate? Or does the Obama Administration believe that some points of view more equal than others?

Let us also remember that Axelrod wasn’t satisfied with Rush’s apology because what he said about Fluke “was not only vile and degrading to her, but to women across the country.” So does Axelrod also believe that Maher said things about Sarah Palin that “were not only vile and degrading to her, but to women across the country?”

Or has Bill Maher been granted a waiver by the Obama Administration for saying degrading things about Sarah Palin and other conservative women who do not agree with their policies? Consider how Maher bragged that he could get away with what he said because he is on HBO while Rush is at the mercy of commercial sponsors. This surely sounds like a man who has been granted dispensation from the highest authority.

After all, it was with great fanfare last month that Maher donated $1 million to Priorities USA Action, an Obama Super PAC. As the large check was being hauled out on stage, Maher said to his audience at Yahoo headquarters in Silicon Valley, “I think Mitt Romney’s going to get the (Republican) nomination, and then I hope Obama beats him like a runaway sister-wife.” Well, it’s good to know that a joke about domestic violence (not to mention Mormonism) is such a hit with liberal audiences. Of course, had Rush joked about domestic abuse (not to mention Muslims) the very same audience would rise in unison to accuse him of hate speech.

Now I, for one, did not like what Rush said about Fluke. In one fell swoop, he shifted the issue from the heavy handedness of government in compelling religious organizations to provide insurance coverage for contraceptives to the heavy handedness of Rush Limbaugh in casting aspersions upon someone for taking a point of view which differs from his own. His intervention was not helpful and Rush was ultimately right to make amends to Fluke. Unlike Axelrod, I accept both Rush’s apology and his reasons for doing so. As Rush put it: 

I ended up descending to their level. It’s important not to be like them, ever, particularly in fighting them. The old saw, you never descend to the level of your opponent or they win. That was my error last week.

Of course, it should come as no surprise that Axelrod would not accept Rush’s apology. The Left has wanted Rush excised from the airwaves for nearly a quarter century. Now Rush has stumbled and they see blood in the water. So at this point, the Obama Administration is about as willing to accept Rush’s apology as Afghan President Hamid Karzai is willing to accept the Obama Administration’s apology last week for the accidental Koran burnings at Bagram Air Base. Karzai wants to put American soldiers on trial while liberals yearn to do the same with Rush. Both proceedings would be sure to have all the fairness found in a kangaroo court.

Unfortunately, I suspect that this double standard is not likely to be raised by the White House Press Corps (with perhaps the possible exceptions of Jake Tapper at ABC or Ed Henry at FNC). If I were a member of that scrum, I would ask Jay Carney the two following questions, “In light of Rush Limbaugh’s apology to Sandra Fluke for his inappropriate comments, why didn’t you call upon Bill Maher to apologize for his inappropriate comments against Sarah Palin a year ago? Will President Obama now publicly call for the Super PAC acting on his behalf to return the $1 million donated by Maher?”

When it comes to Sarah Palin and other conservative women being pilloried for expressing their views on public policy, I don’t think the Obama Administration will put the money where Bill Maher’s mouth is. In other words, the Obama Administration has no waivers for conservative women like Sarah Palin.

About the Author

Aaron Goldstein writes from Boston, Massachusetts.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (229) |

Mike Hawk| 3.7.12 @ 6:44AM

Maher is simply a foul-mouth lowlife. HIs four letter vocabulary points to a lack of education and a low opinion of people. Why Liberals think he is funny is a mystery. He is disgusting.

W| 3.7.12 @ 7:54AM

Agree.
Maher is a disgusting creep who is not funny or smart. He is like a little boy who can't get women so he calls them dirty names. Palin would probably knock him out with a couple hand slaps.

I don't understand why anyone would pay money to watch him after he praised the 9/11 terrorrists for being brave to fly the planes onto our buildings to kill Americans, and then said we are not brave because we send missiles instead of kamkazi pilots.
The only way he attracts attention is to say the stupid things he says. He is irrelavant.

Teaghan| 3.7.12 @ 8:00AM

Sadly W, he isn't. The one good thing about his piece of human debris is that he continues to show and remind us of the blatant hipocracy of the progressive marxist left.

glenny| 3.8.12 @ 10:37AM

"Palin would probably knock him out..."
W, absolutely true.
But I'd really like to give Todd Palin about 2 minutes with Little Bill.
I'd pay to see that.
glenny

dave| 3.7.12 @ 9:41AM

His arrogance is exceeded only by his conceit.

Conservative Not Republican| 3.7.12 @ 10:05AM

Why would anybody bother calling that Bimbo Sarah Palin? She is yesterday's news, like Geraldine Ferraro, only dumber.

TominVA| 3.7.12 @ 11:28AM

You and Maher must live inder the same slimy rock. Why would you claim to be a conservative and then insult these two wome? Schmuck!!

sirbourbon| 3.7.12 @ 12:12PM

Geraldine Farraro is (was) conservative?

Claypoole| 3.7.12 @ 1:56PM

Geraldine Ferraro may not be a conservative, but I admire her for saying during the 2008 campaign what is non-PC, but true, and something so many others were afraid to say: Barack Obama got to where he is not through any accomplishments of his own, but only because of his skin color. Yes, Ferraro was a Hillaryite, but she still showed courage in saying what she did. If more people had pointed out this obvious fact--publicly--maybe we wouldn't be cursed with this tyrant.

conservatives are racist| 3.8.12 @ 9:38AM

so let me get this straight your saying its bad to attack someone because they are a conservative female, but its ok to attack someone because they are a black liberal. the study i read about conservative views being associated with low iq was true. all you conservatives are closed minded, racist bigots, and are the reason our country is in the shithole.

ejp| 3.8.12 @ 12:11PM

Hardly. When Obama is criticized, he's criticized not by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character. Case in point though of a black liberal being attacked is how NPR smeared Juan Williams and then had him fired because he refused to toe a certain line with NPR management. If Obama were an ordinary private citizen, I'm sure he'd be a personable guy and more power to him for being a good husband and father (which can't be said of Bill Clinton or John Edwards). You see, we KNOW the difference! :)

skiga48| 3.8.12 @ 4:32PM

How dare you call me racist. Yes I am a conservative woman but you do not know me and do NOT have that right. No, our country is in the shape it is in because of ignorance and people who want to divide instead of discuss and instead of bringing people together with polite discourse, resort to vile name calling. If you can't discuss the facts, resorting to name calling is NOT the answer!

DevilDog| 3.7.12 @ 3:50PM

bimbo? project much about your mother

Douglas Fletcher | 3.7.12 @ 10:20PM

Wow you get more repulsive with every utterance. One day you're an anti-semite, today you're a misogynist.

So much bigotry, so little time.

SUBVET| 3.7.12 @ 10:29AM

HE is THEM...................

scotchieguy| 3.7.12 @ 10:57AM

I truly think Maher is one of the most miserable, hateful persons in America today. It is not what he says, but the way he says it, seething with rage, you can just see the hate in his eyes. Truly a despicable person. What is even worse is his audience of vapid lemmings, who, if anyone else said what Maher said, would accuse of engaging in hate-speech. Always room on board for one more hypocrite.

Trish| 3.7.12 @ 8:24PM

Scotch, it is very much what he says. A smooth talking ugly pig would still be an ugly pig. He most certainly is an ugly pig. My guess is that he was rebuffed all the time by all the cool girls. He is still a smarmy little pig but most likely has the idiot leftist women salivating over him.

Steve| 3.8.12 @ 9:00AM

You could just as easily replaced the name Maher with Limbaugh and you're statement would be every bit as true.

Colin | 3.7.12 @ 11:30AM

Here's a clue Aaron may have missed in his earlier decision to wag a finger of unapproval at Limbaugh. A.G. says: "I accept Rush's apology and his reasons for doing so."

Well, thankuJesus!

Here's the clue: The left already had MORE than enough minions in the media and blogosphere to launch and maintain their drawn-out blitzkrieg. What we on the right and Limbaugh DIDN'T need were posted columns of unapproving condemnations from those, supposedly, carrying our OWN damn buckets . Putting it another way: If the left's Limbaugh opportunity were an NFL game, there'd be a major penalty for piling on, unsportsmanlike conduct, and unnecessary piousness.

What the A.G.'s, et al tend to overlook in their effort to maintain an appearance of being angelic and above the great unwashed is that ... when it comes to apologizing to leftists, apologizes will NEVER be enough. And nothing less than death by media stoning, or at least loss of their chosen livelihoods, will be sufficient. Meanwhile, the angelics maintain their proper place in the cloud.

Funny how that pious thing works.

Simon Templar| 3.7.12 @ 12:23PM

He will never understand that so I would not even bother trying to point it out to him.

Probably hangs out with a lot of liberals in Boston and wants to impress them with his sanctity and "fairness." As soons as he turns his back to them, they are LOL.

He can not even get the basic concepts of narratives and misdirection. The only way to break a double standard is not to go along with it. The big political analyzer can not see behind his nose nor understands anything about how the Left operates.

He still thinks I am condoning people using such language in political discourse. That is all he thinks he hears. He can't seem to get anything but a simple minded dualistic assessment of this situation.

AG does not have a clue as to how to fight this or anything else. Notice the whining and hand wringing over the double standard but no suggestions or plan of attack or response to it.

He is more than willing to jump on the bandwagon and join the lynching and the overreaction and false indignation of the liberals.
Now, he wants to back pedal a little and help us all forget his dimwit participation in this fiasco.

Aaron Goldstein| 3.7.12 @ 4:10PM

Simon (or whatever his real name is) has shown himself to be even less rational than the most ardent of Ron Paul supporters.

He cannot get past the fact that I dared to criticize Rush Limbaugh nor can he get past the fact that Rush actually apologized. Because of this I am now apparently single handedly response for guaranteeing Obama's re-election despite the fact the vote is eight months away.

I have consistently criticized liberals for their misbehavior and will continue to do so. But I don't look the other way when conservatives do it. Misbehavior is misbehavior and if we do it we are no better than the people we claim to oppose. I realize that won't endear me to some but I'm not here to win a popularity contest.

Nor am I trying to win a popularity contest with liberals here in Boston. In fact, I've been banned from reciting my poetry at a certain club in Cambridge because of my conservatism. They cannot handle an opposing view and, clearly, neither can Simon.

I also suspect Simon is resentful because no online journal with a modicum of self-respect would publish anything he might submit. His writing just isn't very good.

Controse| 3.7.12 @ 12:43PM

Face it. Liberals think he is funny because they are disgusting. Every last one of them. A liberal would gladly wave bye bye as conservative-you are carted away dead or alive before they would lose power over your life because they will do anything not to lose power over your life.

Johnny Rotten| 3.7.12 @ 3:26PM

True liberalism died with Hubert Humphrey in 1978. He was the last of the breed. The Tyrant in Chief and disgusting little maggots like Maher are blatant reactionary socialists. And you're absolutely correct about socialists' power trips: They would dig up their mothers' remains and trample them if it meant an opportunity to gain more of it over others.

One if by land...| 3.7.12 @ 6:41PM

I wonder if I am the only one whom has made it through several viewings of Mr Maher and never once laughed? I mean he has never once said anything funny or even intelligent. He blasted religion(Christianity) by interviewing some of the least educated and still having to edit his work. How does a coward of his magnituted get to stay in the public eye? Oh yeah, idiots!

Nancy in NC| 3.7.12 @ 6:49AM

I'm sure Palin isn't holding her breath. What a joke the left is. I suggest that we need to start ridiculing them instead of taking them seriously. Nothing says derision better than derision.

Chuck in KC| 3.7.12 @ 7:01AM

Wow, conservatives are desperate. You guys are going to love four more years of Obama.

Darin| 3.7.12 @ 7:30AM

Chuck in KC,
No, conservatives recognize a double-standard and blatant hyprocrisy when they see it.
Sadly, I fear we may have 4 more years of Obama, primarily because the American public in general is as clueless as you.

scotchieguy| 3.7.12 @ 10:59AM

Nice retort. You took the high road, and you set him straight. A liberal wouldn't know hypocrisy if it hit him in the face.

scotchieguy| 3.7.12 @ 11:02AM

No, you dems are desperate, Chuck. This is a classic bait and switch engineered by dem hacks to get people focused not on real issues like the terrible economy, rising gas prices, and Obamacare, and instead focused on made-up non-issues, lies, and smears. More trash for the clueless masses from the left and their mindless lemmings in the media.

CrackerHound| 3.7.12 @ 3:40PM

I believe straw man arguments are right out of the Alinsky play book...misdirection

Johnny Rotten| 3.7.12 @ 3:32PM

Five-dollar-a-gallon gas is all the Republican Party needs to pound the Responsibility-Dodging Tyrant in Chief like a bass drum. They won't even need to mention the miserable failure's "jobs" record, or the fact that the economy will be shrinking in anticipation of The Wonderful Wizard of Uuhhh's constellation of imminent tax increases... or, for that matter, That One's callous and repeated disregard for the First, Fourth, Fifth, Ninth and Tenth amendments.

Teaghan| 3.7.12 @ 7:58AM

And barry takes a million from the filth from HBO. I say let him keep it so we can be reminded and remind the stupid people that obama is tied to this POS. Him and the Occupoopers, Ed Schultz and the rest of the degenerates on teevee.

commentary42| 3.7.12 @ 11:08AM

And Romney still makes millions from Bain Capital which owns Clear Channel Communications which puts on Limbaugh and Hannity. Where is the backwash from that?

Boar Hunter| 3.7.12 @ 1:56PM

You are a "cunt." A "twat," a "whore", an ignorant "slut" and a "boob."

Where is the backlash for the women called those names by the left? Where is your outrage on their behalf? You have none. You have no class. You accept this vile reprehensible language when it is directed to mothers and their children, but suddenly develop righteous indignation when a radical liberal operative demands MY MONEY to fund her claimed promiscuity.

I wonder, does the irony of your hypocrisy ever cross your mind? I suppose not.

You, like so many of the other reprobates on the left believe free speech means you can vomit out any vile and profane idea that enters your mind because you are never requited to stand up for your comments in the company of men.

Like most liberals, you can read and write, but you have lost all ability to reason. You and your friends on the left have lost all sense of dignity or social etiquette. Obama and his wife illustrate so perfectly that no matter how much money you have or how grammatically correct your speech, you still lack manners or class and behave like a pack of uncouth Hillbilly's. Your willful ignorance simply will not allow you to conceptualize the depth of your depravity.

Limbaugh apologized. Is it enough? Of course not.

Who Sir, has apologized on the left?

You have only blind support for your vile liberal ideals. Like the Red Queen, you just continue to irrationally scream, "Off with his head!"

You and the other fleas and locusts on the left accept anything the left does as acceptable and justified as long as it is an attack on those you hate.

Indy| 3.7.12 @ 8:04AM

Bill Maher is the reason, I won't subscribe to HBO.

Anthony| 3.7.12 @ 9:40AM

I take my hat off to you Indy, HBO has some real leftist political crap on it. First and foremost, that ugly, vile, unfunny scumbag, Maher.
If the HBO special "Game Changer" is as distorted and deliberately false as it appears to be, I might join you.

Bobloblaw| 3.7.12 @ 8:04AM

The problem is that over the past 15-20 years the American electorate has changed so dramatically. More minorities, more "takers" of all races and brainwashed young people have created a majority voting coalition that is unmoved by Obama's blatant cynical moves such as mentioned in this piece. Can anyone imagine Carter, Mondale or Dukakis acting as this President does?

mredder4| 3.7.12 @ 8:50AM

Nostalgic for Jim Crow much? "More minorities". These are American citizens you're talking about, and nothing about any "minority" status makes their rights or votes count any less than yours, Grand Wizard. Take the white robe off; it's not 1950 any more.

Marcturus| 3.7.12 @ 2:20PM

Apparently you did not comprehend very well what Bobloblaw posted, then proceeded to smear him as some kind of triple K kookhead bent on curtailing voting rights of certain groups of citizens. There is nothing in his post about making votes of any group count for less (although your left-lobe hyper-imagination may have lead you to hallucinate that conclusion).

Anna Keppa| 3.7.12 @ 10:37PM

Did you even bother to read the last sentence of Boblobaw's post?

Cretin!!!

Marcturus| 3.8.12 @ 1:15PM

AK:
I most certainly did. It reads -- "Can anyone imagine Carter, Mondale or Dukakis acting as this President does?"

So what is your point? Oh, and thanks for signing your (real?) name/identity to your post (i.e., "Cretin!!!").

qrstuv| 3.8.12 @ 8:23AM

I hope you realize that every reference to Jim Crow is a reference to the Democrats who crafted those laws.

Why would conservatives be nostalgic for legislation written and passed by Democrats?

Republicans overcame a Democratic filibuster on the Civil Rights act.

YOu do know all this, right? It's pure history.

mredder4| 3.17.12 @ 7:58AM

Please, dude, don't be simple. Everyone knows that the conservative party was the Democrats in the 50s-60s and the Republicans were the liberal party. LIBERALS overcame a CONSERVATIVE filibuster to pass Civil Rights. The party names matter less than the character of the party itself, and everyone, literally everyone, who actually uses there brain knows that conservatives, under the Democratic party name, opposed the Civil Rights Act, and then all switched parties in protest for the few moderate Democrats at the time who voted for it. Conservatives took over the GOP and it's been the racist party ever since, no matter what Lincoln did.

vtwin| 3.7.12 @ 9:02AM

Yes, I could imagine all three, Carter, Mondale and Dukakis standing up for American women against this relentless assault on women, an assault by a small group of religious fanatics determined to impose their beliefs on the rest of us. But that is what Democrats do.

Gulfvet| 3.7.12 @ 9:31AM

Thanks for my morning laugh, vtwin. Luckily I didn't have a mouthful of coffee when I read your comment. Really? Democrats stop a small group of fanatics from imposing their views? Democrats ARE a small group of fanatics, using the machinery of government to impose their views and defying anyone or anything, from 'Rush to the US Constitution, to stop them.

vtwin| 3.7.12 @ 10:07AM

Now that is funny. If you your beliefs preclude you from using contraceptives then don't use them. But when women are deny access to contraceptive through exclusions in their healthcare insurance, insurance the women pay for themselves that is imposing your beliefs on other.

jothepro| 3.7.12 @ 10:40AM

Take a writing class vtwin. Then we might be able to comprehend what the hell you mean...But, I doubt it..

mnemos| 3.7.12 @ 11:19AM

"Pay for themselves" is factually wrong. If they are paying for it themselves, they can determine what their insurance covers. It is being provided as part of a compensation package. You can't have a good discussion when you are starting off with wrong assumptions.

vtwin| 3.7.12 @ 12:07PM

I think Sandra Fluke is a student not employee of Georgetown University and as such is not provided with a compensation package. But the students of Georgetown, like at many universities, are given the option of buying healthcare insurance through the university.

Bereal| 3.7.12 @ 2:58PM

"If they are paying for it themselves, they can determine what their insurance covers. It is being provided as part of a compensation package. "
Precious!!! They should not decide what is in their paycheck either, because it is just given to them as part of a compensation package. Too funny...

qrstuv| 3.8.12 @ 8:26AM

The pill costs $9 a month.

You can't have a good discussion when you ignore that fact.

DevilDog| 3.7.12 @ 3:53PM

HMMMMM

so who is denying them contrceptives?

and if they dont like their healthcare insurer, what is stopping them from going to another?

One if by land...| 3.7.12 @ 6:44PM

Please stop breathing tonight when you go to bed.

NJ Mike| 3.7.12 @ 8:18AM

Chuck, after being called "Tea-bagger" by everyone on the left from the VP to the LSM, I am unable to gin up much sympathy for a plated activist called out for being what she is.
Frankly, with her pablum about "seeng the faces of womyn impacted by the financial burden of BC" she reminds me of yet another democrat whore, John Edwards and his absolute shameless antics before a jury claiming he could hear the dead child calling out for justice.
In regards to your 4 more years comment, I have a 6 year old child. I cannot tell you how similar it is to watch her destroy something and then miss it.......just like you fools on the left will miss the America that WAS when you get what you claim you want.

NJ Mike| 3.7.12 @ 8:19AM

Forgive my fat fingers, the word above is "planted"....

vtwin| 3.7.12 @ 8:34AM

Does Sandra Fluke having given her opinions on contraception to a group politicians in public make her a public figure? I think not. But, Sarah Palin as a former governor of Alaska and failed vice presidential candidate certainly would not meet the legal definition of a private citizen. Limbaugh didn't just call Sandra Fluke a couple of nasty names he lied about her testimony and made slanderous remarks about her character. I suspect Ms. Fluke will sue Rush.

Aaron Goldstein| 3.7.12 @ 8:55AM

A priviate citizen is by definition one who does not hold public office. Therefore Sarah Palin is a private citizen.

vtwin| 3.7.12 @ 9:15AM

I stand corrected. But Palin is a pubic figure so the bar is much higher.

ejp| 3.7.12 @ 9:50AM

And so is someone who feels a need to appear before Congress and presume to lecture the public on how the taxpayers money should be spent. This pathetic attempt to make Fluke look like some poor defenseless person is really amusing in light of how it was the OBAMA campaign who felt no aversions to smearing the private life of Joe The Plumber in the last campaign (remember him???)

Boar Hunter| 3.7.12 @ 2:05PM

Although many have come up with derogatory names for Fluke, I remain convinced that since Fluke is a type of parasitic worm, her given name is most accurate.

By the way, look up the definition of slut. How is the slut is going to sue someone for accurately depicting her character in the common vernacular?

Anna Keppa| 3.7.12 @ 10:45PM

No, that's wrong. A private citizen can be a public figure. Such a person might be a celebrity, or a media person, or a person thrust into public life, either intentionally or otherwise.

cf Joe the Plumber.

wodiej| 3.7.12 @ 8:55AM

liberals have been lying about Palin for 3 years. Pot calling the kettle black otherwise known as hypocrisy.

JKS| 3.7.12 @ 8:57AM

And she will lose. In order to win a slander law suit you have to prove malice and there was none.

vtwin| 3.7.12 @ 9:35AM

Malice: desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another, either because of a hostile impulse or out of deep-seated meanness.

Rush didn't like what she said and he was going to teach her a lesson.

ejp| 3.7.12 @ 9:53AM

Oh really? Well in that case, if she's dumb enough to make an assault on the First Amendment, then she has to go on the stand and answer questions about her bedroom habits, so that way we'll find out for certain if she really isn't a slut! And then we can put her under oath and discover the lies she uttered about access to birth control, which can be obtained for $7 a month from the nearest Walmart. I'd sure welcome a suit if only because it means that disgraceful person would then be facing a perjury charge by the time it was all over.

ejp| 3.7.12 @ 9:53AM

Oh really? Well in that case, if she's dumb enough to make an assault on the First Amendment, then she has to go on the stand and answer questions about her bedroom habits, so that way we'll find out for certain if she really isn't a slut! And then we can put her under oath and discover the lies she uttered about access to birth control, which can be obtained for $7 a month from the nearest Walmart. I'd sure welcome a suit if only because it means that disgraceful person would then be facing a perjury charge by the time it was all over.

Bruce| 3.7.12 @ 8:59AM

In case you missed the comments above, what Sandra Fluke was a "statement" and not "testimony".

vtwin| 3.7.12 @ 9:15AM

Ok, but Rush still lied.

wally| 3.7.12 @ 9:59AM

About what ?

vtwin| 3.7.12 @ 10:23AM

See comment below.

scotchieguy| 3.7.12 @ 11:09AM

He didn't lie. His problem is he couldn't possibly have known if she slept around, and so he took liberty with the word "slut." It was his OPINION she was a slut. Are you saying he could be sued for calling someone a "socialist?" Could Obama be sued for saying "the police acted stupidly" even though he admitted "he didn't have all the facts?"

vtwin| 3.7.12 @ 12:19PM

Rush took more than liberty with the word "slut" when he made it perfectly clear what he meant by "slut" saying "she [Sandra Fluke] is having so much sex she can’t afford her own birth control pills."

conservatives are racist| 3.8.12 @ 9:59AM

also it should be noted that calling someone these names could be considered sexual harrasment. and i think fluke would have a good shot against this Oxy Conton addict waste of life

Anthony| 3.7.12 @ 9:06AM

What you know about the law vtwin, you can fill your thimble sized head with, and still be half empty.
She's fair game, and what Rush called her, and the context in which he put it in, was no way defamatory. It's called fair comment.When Fluke entered the political frey with her nationally televised phony presser, she became subject to criticism, unlike what you lefty scum did to Sarah Palin's daughter, remember?
I hope she does sue Rush, his lawyers will tear her to pieces in depositions and expose her for the leftist, activist fraud that she is. She'll get a taste of how real lawyers do their job, not like the phony Georgtown Law D.C. lobbyist lawyers prance about Washington.
Besides, she would have to establish damages from Rush's comments. She has not suffered one iota. In fact, she has been catapulted into the lefty hall of fame, like Anita Hill. She's a hero!!
But lawyers do suggest to their clients to settle costly litigation. If I represented Rush, I'd tell him to throw in a year's supply of oral contraceptives, for her pain and suffering. That, or a box of condoms with the words written on them "what, me worry"?
Better yet, one year's free advertising on the Rush Limbaugh show, for her store front law firm that she'll open up upon graduation to help the poor and disenfranchised.

albert constantine jr.| 3.7.12 @ 1:18PM

and please correct me if I'm wrong, but the truth is a strong defense in matters of libel, slander and defamation, is it not?

W| 3.7.12 @ 4:10PM

Truth is an absolute defense to defamation because the charge of defamation is that it is not true and defamatory. But, one can also argue in the alternative that even if true, it is intentional infliction of mental distress, or in some states it is the tort of outrageous conduct. You are correct it is an defense.

Geezer117| 3.7.12 @ 9:13AM

I take it you defend the trashing of conservative women on the technicality that they are public figures?

Geezer117| 3.7.12 @ 9:15AM

Sorry, this defective website put this comment in the wrong place.

vtwin| 3.7.12 @ 9:24AM

No, but conservative or liberal they are ALL fair game for political humorists.

jothepro| 3.7.12 @ 9:33AM

She is a committed political operative and activist vtwit. What did Rush lie about? Slanderous you say. When you jump in the political process, you leave yourself open to criticism.

vtwin| 3.7.12 @ 9:45AM

"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" -- Rush

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlRC0nsjtKQ

She never talked about her own sexual practices, Rush lied.

tonypal| 3.7.12 @ 10:01AM

Obama lies on a daily basis. Show some concern over that and you'll have a shot at being taken seriously. Incidentally, what did he lie about? That she's a slut? I don't think so.

vtwin| 3.7.12 @ 10:35AM

See comment above.

jothepro| 3.7.12 @ 10:46AM

Hey vtwit, Go to Rush's page and get the unedited version. What a slut you are.

DaPicayune| 3.7.12 @ 1:57PM

Suspect all you like, but the fact that Fluke submitted false testimony before Pelosi's "theater" hearing in Congress now allows Rep Issa to subpoena and investigate her for her statements (i.e. 40% of GT female students suffer from a lack of BC, $ 3,000 costs, etc.).

If convicted for perjury before Congress she could face jail time (see Roger 'The Rocket"), but would then lose any chance of winning a defamation suit against anyone over a commotion she/Pelosi/Obama ginned up to begin with.

Issa will unravel the whole attempted scam to benefit Obama's reelection chances by trying to create the false meme that the Rs hate women.

This deal will then backfire big time,and blowup in their conniving, lying faces, so, please push this faux outrage even further, please.

We now need to open Issa's investigation and get to the facts of this matter before the Left/Media Matters hurts even more advertisers with their relentless demands and assault on Conservative Free Speech.

Your hand is called, let's "play ball", cuz as Breitbart said at CPAC: "We're not going to take it any more!"

DevilDog| 3.7.12 @ 3:54PM

Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/conser.....z1oHrE2Svf

http://www.lifenews.com/2012/0.....-activist/

ruh roh. it appears sandra fluke isnt so "private" after all

Gr0w1er601| 3.7.12 @ 8:44AM

Maher should be an Al-Qaida bullet-stopper. No wait- he's too chicken-shit for that.

mredder4| 3.7.12 @ 8:48AM

Boy, the right wing is really trying to push this Bill Maher-Rush Limbaugh equivalency thing, aren't they? Rush Limbaugh attacked and slandered a private citizen for her attempted testimony before a Congressional panel. Bill Maher criticized a public politician. Does Sandra Fluke have access to unlimited airtime on the Fox News network? Was Sandra Fluke a former governor, former vice presidential candidate? No, she wasn't, but Sarah Palin was. Sarah Palin IS a public figure, and IS subject to criticism for her idiotic "ideas". Rush Limbaugh attacked Fluke solely because she is a woman. Maher attacked Palin because she is an empty-headed backward-thinking politician. You can only not see the difference unless you're deliberately not looking for it.

Aaron Goldstein| 3.7.12 @ 8:56AM

Sarah Palin is not an elected official and is therefore a private citizen. The comments I cited by Maher were made long after she resigned as Governor of Alaska.

tonypal| 3.7.12 @ 10:14AM

Aaron, this whole public-private question is another convenient distraction. It's about the President's hypocrisy. So let's not allow ourselves to be pulled off into the wrong direction on this issue.

Aaron Goldstein| 3.7.12 @ 11:40AM

But it isn't a distraction. If you read my article, you will see that Jay Carney tells the press that Obama disliked what Limbaugh did to Fluke because his remarks were "directed at a private citizen who was simply expressing her views on a matter of public policy."

This amplifies President Obama's hypocrisy on this matter.

Anthony| 3.7.12 @ 10:50AM

With cowardly and timid friends like you Goldstein, Limbaugh doesn't need enemies.
Rush's comments, as I wrote in my post to vtwin, were nothing more than ribald, when put in their complete context. You need to grow a pair and stop falling for the phony paradigm created by the left.
Secondly, while Gov. Palin in now a "private citizen", in the context of tort law as it relates to defamation and damages to reputation, Gov. Palin is a "public figure", hence, is not afforded the legal protections given to private citizens.
The legal threshold for people like Gov. Palin is very high, which is why the left get away with their vile comments.
Her burden of proof is the higher standard, "clear and convincing evidence", as opposed to the lower standard of "perponderance of the evidence".
Regardless of legal standards, it's clear that Bill Maher has ZERO standards, and is the vile, ugly scumbag he proudly parades himself to be.

Aaron Goldstein| 3.7.12 @ 11:49AM

We are in agreement where it concerns Bill Maher.
But it doesn't change the fact that Rush apologized for what he said. Rationalizing the behavior he now regrets does us no favors.

I get the sense from some people that it's acceptable to use derogatory language against people because they don't share your point of view. I would like to think we can advance conservative arguments and take apart liberal arguments without mindless name calling.

Anthony| 3.7.12 @ 12:11PM

I suspect Rush decided to apologize because it was a function of good business. With the left in their usual hypocritical attack mode, and sponsors running away like the corporate cowards that they are, Limbaugh did the prudent business thing.
I have no doubt Rush knows his comments don't need to be apologized for, but he is in the business of making money, so he did what he thought was prudent.

vtwin| 3.7.12 @ 12:24PM

I think the word is whore: A person considered as having compromised principles for personal gain.

Simon Templar| 3.7.12 @ 12:34PM

Anthony, you are wasting your time on AG, he has no ears to hear what you are saying and can not comprehend it. I suspect like most people his ego is smack dab in the center of this and he can not get past it.

He claims you are rationalizing his behavior. That is his response. No ears.
He will never get it.

Perhaps, we should all chip in and send him a copy of Breitbarts book?

Aaron Goldstein| 3.7.12 @ 12:59PM

So are you telling me that Rush was lying when he said his apology was "sincere"?

Simon Templar| 3.7.12 @ 1:16PM

Case in point....

wko| 3.7.12 @ 9:09AM

What disingenuous garbage. Fluke enrolled in a Catholic institution's law school to pursue her activist agenda. She put herself in a public forum to express her views. She gets what she gets. Laura Ingraham was called a slut by Ed Schultz on the air. She didn't whine about it, Obama didn't call her. Schultz apologized, but there wasn't much outrage or any sponsors running away from MSNBC. Hypocrites, pure and simple, Maher the biggest of all.

killerman| 3.7.12 @ 9:23AM

So Fluke's idiotic ideas are beyond criticism based on what? How is she somehow exempt? Rush criticized her ideas, and not merely because she is a woman... if she is.

tonypal| 3.7.12 @ 10:12AM

The so-called "Bill Maher-Rush Limbaugh equivalency thing" has absolutely nothing to do with the status of Sarah Palin and Sandra Fluke as private or public citizens. It has to do with the utter hypocrisy of the left getting their collective panties in a knot over the use of the word slut versus some of the filth coming out of the mouths of liberals.

I'll try to break this down for you so even you can understand. Recently, President Obama accepted a $1,000,000.00 check from a man who, among other things, called Sarah Palin a cunt. Within the past week, President Obama took time away from his busy golf schedule to call Sandra Fluke and offer his personal support. He then held a press conference where he once again decried the uncivil nature of public discourse. He also defended all mothers and daughters against oh so terrible language used by Rush.

So here's the question genius? Do you not see where the President might be slightly inconsistent in his application of sympathy? It has nothing to do with who is a public or private figure. It's not a legal issue. The President is more than happy to accept $1,000,000.00 from a man who calls a woman/mother a cunt. Where's the defense of womanhood and motherhood against that sort of language?

One last thing. The President himself has referred to patriotic American citizens who simply disagree with his policies as "teabaggers." If you aren't familiar with what that term means by now, look it up and then explain how that fits into the President's call for civil public discourse. Do you think it's proper for the President of the United States to use such a vulgar term when referring to millions of fellow Americans?

DaPicayune| 3.7.12 @ 2:20PM

He was referring to his fellow Americans that he has called his "enemies!"

No POTUS has ever committed such a blatant offense to and disregard for the American public, and certainly has no credibility now in attempting to lecture anyone on "civil discourse!"

Rules for Radicals don't apply when you are a POTUS, but Barry can't grasp this concept, hence his never-ending errors. Therefore, Maher won't get his donation returned. Evah!

qrstuv| 3.8.12 @ 8:32AM

Obama attacked and slandered cops and then "apologized" with a beer summit.

Rush didn't attack Fluke "solely because she is a woman"--that's slander right there. How do you know what his inner motives are? You don't. I suspect he attacked her because she 1) lied about the cost of birth control, 2) whined that this high cost was interfering with what is purely recreational activity, and 3) acted like a rent-seeking activists. None of that is gender-specific, BTW (unless you think only woman should bear the cost of birth control).

wodiej| 3.7.12 @ 8:52AM

thank you....finally. This is the only article I've read that actually acknowledges what Limbaugh did was wrong and why. Now, will his loyal supporters stop defending the vulgar remarks and lets get back to more important issues like the economy and jobs.

qrstuv| 3.8.12 @ 8:33AM

And the First Amendment!

Rick| 3.7.12 @ 9:04AM

vtwin, what does being a private or public citizen have to do with it. According to your "spin" it is OK to call The First Lady (public figure) all those disgusting names. Let's be clear, it is not acceptable for anyone to talk about other people in those terms. If the President and Axlerod agreed with me, they would admonish Maher and give the money back. The problem is that this, like everything else is just used as a political advantage. No decency is ever shown if a conservative woman is attacked.

Susan| 3.7.12 @ 9:12AM

As a woman I was embarrased to think someone could get into Georgetown and not be smart enough to find the local branch of Planned Parenthood!

killerman| 3.7.12 @ 9:27AM

Maybe she should have used her GPMS..... badda boom, I'll be here all week!!

Reallyfolks| 3.7.12 @ 9:26AM

We hate who we want to hate, we love who we want to love, and we are all complicit in the game of hypocrisy. That said, Firstly, to say that Bill Maher holds the same acclaim within the Democratic party that Rush Limbaugh holds in the GOP is an insult to Rush Limbaugh. In fact, Bill Maher has been an ardent Ron Paul supporter for a long time. It's not even close. Second, Mr. Obama did not demand an apology from Limbaugh. Mr. Obama made a personal phone call to a young woman who, in presenting a viewpoint to Congress, was called horrible names by an influential figure of the opposition party. Whether political or not, it's understandable that a father would take it upon himself to show compassion and support to a woman who had been verbally assaulted for 3 days in front of millions of listeners. Ms. Palin was a former United State Governor with a tri-generation family who was trying to take the role of being 1 step away from leader of the free world. They aren't the same. Lastly, Limbaugh did not owe anyone an apology if he didn't want to make it. That's his right and prerogative. Just as it is the right of advertisers to walk away and take their business else where. "I know I like to fire people who don't provide me good service". That's capitalism at its best. He should applaud those companies for speaking with their dollars, not demands for false apologies.

jothepro| 3.7.12 @ 9:39AM

Hey RF, WTF are you. Why don't you go to a web site that would understand what you wrote. It is people like you who give people like me aneurysms.

Rick| 3.7.12 @ 10:38AM

Reallyfolks, if Maher is such an ardent Ron Paul supporter, why did he give $1 million to President Obama? Really folks, let's at least be intellectually honest.

Reallyfolks| 3.7.12 @ 1:57PM

Rick, have you watched Bill Maher over his career? have you watched since he's been doing his HBO show?If you did, you would've seen the multiple times that he has shown heavy support to Ron Paul and his positions. In this election, he has chosen to support Obama heavily. Prior to that, he was a vocal Ron Paul supporter. My point, he has not been the powerful longstanding voice of the left that Rush is to the right. That's not dishonest. Its fact.

JothePro, I guess Im on the side of the facts. I'm defending both Obama and Limbaugh. You hate Obama so everything he does is wrong. Liberals hate Limbaugh so everything he does is wrong. It is possible they are both in the right but we can't see it because we are tainted by our own hypocrisy? I realize it's confusing when someone's post don't include "Bad radical liberals"? But that's the problem with intelligence. It requires thought.

Gary Rosen| 3.8.12 @ 3:40AM

So I guess what you're saying is that it's A-OK for Rush to call Michelle Obama, Nancy Pelosi, or Debbie Wasserman-Schultz a "cunt". Okey-dokey.

Gary Rosen| 3.8.12 @ 3:45AM

Sorry, I left out Hillary, no offense intended.

Stormy| 3.7.12 @ 9:29AM

Tapper and Henry had the chance yesterday to ask The Won himself, and they did not.

DaPicayune| 3.7.12 @ 2:29PM

The Won (termer) ignored the follow-up questions and moved quickly to another question, but the video reveals that the questions about his need to return Maher's donation can be heard in the room from several raised insistent voices.

Barry ducked it again, as usual.

Fredx| 3.7.12 @ 9:38AM

You said "scrum." I'm sure it was a typo and you meant "scum." Look, this apology crap has got to stop. An apology does not mean anybody's sorry. It means that somebody else is pretending to be outraged and demanding an apology in order to score points for themelves by insisting that you should be sorry. Ho-hum. And an "apology" doesn't satisfy anyone. Whatever you said is played ad infinitum in the media until somebody else says something stupid. Then the lemmings all rush to the new guy with their microphones to "demand" an apology. It's all so childish and foolish. "Demanding" an insincere apology from someone who doesn't really mean it, and the jerk "demanding" the apology KNOWS he doesn' mean it, is just about the biggest waste of time I can think of. Man up, and that includes you gals (oops, I'm not sorry).

Nemo| 3.7.12 @ 10:17AM

That the President of the United States feels it right that he should intervene in this is a comment not on his judgement and dignity but his sanity.

Vic| 3.7.12 @ 10:19AM

This is a question of free speech. The constitution guarantees it. If Bill Maher can practice it and so can Rush Limbaugh. Actually, Limbaugh was terribly pissed at the gall of this Fluke girl asking for contraception at the tax payers expense. He used exactly the right words for her and should continue to practice his free speech and not be cowed down by the Obama mania media and Chicago big city Thuggocracy. I don't expect the weasel Romney to support him but I am pleased that Gingrich and Santorum have provided a contrast to left wing media hypocrisy vis a vis Bill Maher, John Stewart and Steven Colbert

megapotamus| 3.7.12 @ 10:24AM

Did we turn in early last night? Maher tweeted a call for truce, at least.

Aaron Goldstein| 3.7.12 @ 11:28AM

Here is what Maher wrote, "Hate to defend #RushLimbaugh but he apologized, liberals look bad not accepting. Also hate intimidation by sponsor pullout."

http://twitter.com/#!/billmaher

There are two problems with this so-called truce.

First, it was not accompanied by an apology for his own demeaning words.

Second, as I point out in the article, Maher bragged he could get away with what he said about Palin because he was on HBO while Rush was at the mercy of sponsors.

tadcf| 3.7.12 @ 10:27AM

The problem is that Rush-bo did not just leave it alone with calling her a name just once---he had to go on for days, ever increasing his inflammatory comments, and ultimately leading to what many consider a perverted wish to see videos of her and others who received 'free' contraceptives having sex.

jothepro| 3.7.12 @ 10:50AM

Hey tadcf, It's el rush bo you idiot..

qrstuv| 3.8.12 @ 8:40AM

He did? Really?

Point us to the transcripts.

You're not the first person to embellish this story this way.

William| 3.8.12 @ 7:11PM

Hey genius, Rush didn't carry on for days about what he said nor did he add more to it. He apologized the very next day, even before the Liberals demanded an apology. If anyone has drawn this out, it is the Liberals that keep fanning the flames. Until they denounce that coward Bill Maher they have no leg to stand on in this case. I do agree that Rush spoke before he thought and that he is at fault for but where do we draw the line? Only when a Conservative speaks? Message to Pres. Obama and his little buddies........time to grow up.

vtwin| 3.7.12 @ 10:33AM

Note to R. Emmett Tyrrell:

The computers systems are having difficulties processing comments. Maybe you could spend a little more of you daddy's money and get this fixed.

Anthony| 3.7.12 @ 11:55AM

While I actually agree with you for once about the faulty server at TAS, vtwin, you should be grateful.
The other day, a comment was posted under your name that actually made sense. I obviously knew it wasn't you, but still, for one brief moment, you emerged from the intellectual swamp known as leftism.

Hannah Katz| 3.7.12 @ 10:41AM

It seems that Ms. Fluke is unwilling to withdraw her fatwa against Limbaugh, no matter how many apologies he delivers. Nothing short of death will get her and her Democrat bosses to back off Rush. Maybe the "b" word would have been more appropriate.

qrstuv| 3.8.12 @ 8:40AM

That's why it's pointless to apologize to these thugs.

SDTom| 3.7.12 @ 10:44AM

Whether you think he is funny or not (I have to admit, the runaway sister wife comment made me laugh), Bill Maher is a COMEDIAN. Comedians say outrageous things to get a laugh.

Aaron Goldstein| 3.7.12 @ 11:03AM

Rush has often said he is an entertainer who says outrageous things to get a laugh.

Nevertheless, I appreciate your clarification. When I listen to Maher, he sounds more like he's reciting copy for an Obama campaign commercial than actually saying anything funny.

Richard Cranium| 3.7.12 @ 1:19PM

Oh Aaron,

You are now trying to moderate the comments to your article. First sign of writers remorse. Good luck.

Todd S| 3.7.12 @ 3:06PM

Not sure what you mean with that Richard, it is common at the Spectator for the writers to interact on comments, do you have some kind of problem with that? And how exactly is he trying to moderate the comments? It is an exchange of dialogue and clarifying his position. SDTom is wrong, there should be no different standard between Maher and Limbuagh because he is a "comedian". Sure HBO lets him swear all he wants which you can't do over the radio but does that mean he can say any vile thing he wants with no backlash or criticism? And that it is just fine for Obama to take a fat wad of cash from him and act like he is on the high road in all this? The hypocrisy of the left knows no bounds.

AlHubb| 3.7.12 @ 10:44AM

The sooner we all accept the fact that Rush says inflammatory (1 m or 2?) things for his ratings, as does Maher et al, the better off we will all be. I rate myself conservative and I have listened to Rush a total of about 45 seconds..... The excessive length of time is due to being in heavy traffic and having to pay attention to activity outside the car so I was unable to change the station.

jothepro| 3.7.12 @ 10:55AM

You listened to Rush for 45 seconds and then can comment on what he says. You lefties sure are intellectually lazy.

century0kfakers@yahoo.com| 3.7.12 @ 11:46AM

yes, bill maher used harsh name calling toward sarah palin. that is unfortunate because the woman is a wealth of comedy material. the difference is he is a comedian who called her name and rush is a pundit (may I call him that?) whose logic is flawed and twisted. he called a woman on birth control a slut and said she is being paid to have sex. birth control is healthcare, not unlike the boner bills he was detained with in the dominican republic. did anyone watch his entire tirade? he thinks women on birthcontrol should put sex videos on youtube? fair is fair rush, let's see the viagra video from central america.

qrstuv| 3.8.12 @ 8:42AM

If you think Palin is comedy material, you reveal your contemptuous attitude towards millions of people in this country.

The left is always on about respect, but they don't mean it.

Gary| 3.7.12 @ 12:03PM

Don't expect Dems to care about Palin and the height of their hypocrisy is their blase acceptance of a democratic President using a naive intern as a masturbation agent IN the White House. For this he is a cool dude so can the outrage, especially the harlots on the "View."

Vicky BEnnett | 3.7.12 @ 12:09PM

This tells us all we need to know about our Leader. Obama will not condem his own for the things they say, yet, he bashes RUSH LIMBAUGH (a true patriot)....
And no, Barack Hussein Obama didn't do it for his girls, HE DID IT FOR POLITICAL REASONS...
Obama must lose Nov 2012.

N. W. "Dub" Holston| 3.7.12 @ 12:22PM

Bill Maher is a sexist jerk. I don't watch his HBO show even though it often features a great mix of guests and lively discourse. I don't watch because Maher offends me, a moderate, with his smugness as well as his misogyny. But he does not remotely have the influence with his audience that Rush Limbaugh has with his, much less with the party he supports. And while I think the names he has called Mrs. Palin are vile and way out of bounds, she is a national political and media personality -- and something of a smear-merchant herself -- not a student who on a single occasion testified before Congress. It's not the same, and you know full well it isn't.

Simon Templar| 3.7.12 @ 12:51PM

Now, that single comment was actually amazing and could be used to launch a whole book on how the so-called moderate thinks or better said, does not think and is incapable of actual logical thought. Have you ever formed an original thought? Wow.

Thank you in a way for helping me see just why this nation is headed for disaster and why there is a double standard of politics and political discourse in this country.

Your thought and opinions are like a big cauldron of contradictory, incongruent soup of ideas, media sound bites, misinformation, and shallow understandings.

Normally, I write a lengthy response and explain exactly what my points of criticism are but in this case, I can not as it would most likely be a waste of time. Your comment stands on itself.

Scary actually... just how illogical it is. Please tell me you will stay home and not vote in November.

playrighter| 3.7.12 @ 12:29PM

From Dictionary.com: Prostitute: a person who willingly uses his or her talent or ability in a base and unworthy way, usually for money.

If a woman allows herself to be used by a political party for a fake "hearing" designed to embarrass the opposition, during which she dishonestly claims to have been scheduled for the real hearing for which she was unqualified, and swapped in at the last minute for a qualified man...

What does that make her?

And what does it make those who used her?

Simon Templar| 3.7.12 @ 1:08PM

Yes, and in that hearing demand, demand that you pay for her contraception so she can have as much extra marital sex as she can with state sponsored and catholic institution sponsored free contraception, you might in a political entertainment venue make the absurd analogy that she is like a slut or prostitute, and of course, not an actual one but appearing like one to make the point that this demand and testimony was not only outrageous but absurd.
Do not forget this was to the tune of a thousand dollars a year.

Is she a slut because she uses contraception and has sex? Absolutley, not. Are we interested in her sex life? Hell no. Do we want to hear about it? Hell no.

Are all of us against the idea of helping those that can not pay for medical and therapeutic use of contraceptives for cysts and other ailments. No.
I would be glad to help.

Maybe a new term should be created to more accurately define these types on both sides of the political spectrum. 'Political prostitution', 'political prostitutes', hmmm?

Swearengen| 3.7.12 @ 12:51PM

The author fails to note a key difference: one was a truthful and very directed comment about a single person, and the other, a factually untrue comment about females in general:

Rush said that Fluke was a slut and a prostitute because she wanted free contraception, namely because she had "so much sex, she couldn't afford it."

The cretin was patently unaware that you don't take more pills if you have more sex. Furthermore, Rush was employing logic that attacked an action; one shared by a very broad class of people, women. Hence the invisible hand of the market gave Rush et al a really good slapping. Ms. Fluke is also a private citizen, and subject to different rules vis a vis slander.

Maher on the other hand, used a statement of fact; that Sarah Palin specifically is a cunt, which is patently true. There was no outrage since it wasn't a broad statement, and women aren't suddenly going to become Palin. Palin is a public political person and Bill is free to use her as a target of political free speech.

Completely different situations and no reason to apologize to Palin.

Simon Templar| 3.7.12 @ 1:13PM

You liberals really are mentally disordered. Keep talking like this, even the idiot moderate above in the thread should be able to see the revolting hypocricy, illogic, and strange disordered thinking that you just spewed. An excellent example of what we are up against and what most liberals think.

Keep it coming, post another.

Richard Cranium| 3.7.12 @ 1:16PM

Simon,

NO Sir you keep talkking about it. This is a complete winner for Mr Obama and the rest of the Democrats. keep telling us what a graet man Ruch L is, how unfair it is when he is "victimized" for calling a young woman a slut and a prostitute. keep telkling us it is totally fine that Rush wants to yank off while he watches porno movies of young women who use publically funded contraception. Please keep talking.

Todd S| 3.7.12 @ 3:22PM

I am not one to point out bad spelling in comments as I do it myself occasionally but you might want to look over your typing before submitting next time. Ms Fluke is a professional liar to push her extremist agenda. I dare you to justify her claim that 40% of Georgetown coed law students are suffering financial hardship due to contraception and her claim of $3,000, it is pathetic propaganda. I consider liars of this sort worse than sluts that sleep around which frankly by the looks of her, I doubt it at least with men. Seems more of a Rachel Maddow type if you know what I mean.

Swearengen| 3.7.12 @ 1:19PM

And you teabaggers have the mental acuity of Sarah/Bristol's trisomy G downs kid.

You don't address the issues at hand and just claim you're right. Luckily pretty much every piece of polling shows that the country as a whole can see that the liberals are handily winning the argument.

http://www.realclearpolitics.c.....dates.html

lazer| 3.7.12 @ 4:33PM

Oh dear. Such vapid pseudo-intellectualism. Yet a supercilious disposition toward those in the out-group. Must be a product of public education.

Swearengen| 3.7.12 @ 5:53PM

People like Palin or yourself deserve no such deference or respect. You ignore evidence and make constant false equivalences.

To paraphrase, if it quacks like a cunt, its a cunt. QED... Palin is a cunt.

lazer| 3.7.12 @ 7:47PM

Do you even know what QED means?

You write like I care what you think. Emotional extortion only works when the other person is beholden to your good opinion. Try your playground tactics on someone else.

Gary Rosen| 3.8.12 @ 3:49AM

"And you teabaggers have the mental acuity of Sarah/Bristol's trisomy G downs kid"

This is truly a brilliant explanation of why Rush's comment was so offensive. And to think some of those "teabaggers" call leftists hypocritical nitwits!

Mike Hawk| 3.7.12 @ 1:44PM

I presume you clowns are writers for Maher and Liebowitz aka Stewart. It shows in your cell pool of profane verbage and lack of decorum. Slime on.

Swearengen| 3.7.12 @ 1:58PM

I think your time would be better spent repeating whichever grade you should have attended to type "cess pool" correctly, assuming those were the words that you were feeble-mindedly trying for.

Perhaps subsequently, you might continue on to discover critical thinking. Only then would you be able to actually address arguments correctly.

Of course, you'd learn at that point that, yes... Sarah Palin was, in fact, a cunt, and that there was nothing to respond to.

lazer| 3.7.12 @ 4:40PM

Let's stop pretending you have any serious aspirations toward "arguments" and "critical thinking." You haven't made any arguments--just bald assertions supported by the typical hubris of the ignorant left, which substitutes emoting for reason. I'd normally ask whether someone who claims to aspire to reasonable discourse has read the relevant scholarly texts on logical and rhetoric, but there's no need in your case; it's patently clear your intellectual ability is as impaired as your moral judgment, demonstrating a serious lack of engagement with critical thought.

Swearengen| 3.7.12 @ 6:11PM

This is rich. I'm not the one ignoring the argument.

I'll lay it out point by point and use small words since you're clearly a little retarded:

1) Rush's premise was factually incorrect: Birth control amounts are proportional to the amount of sex one might have. Thus the basis of his argument was lacking from the beginning

2) That Fluke wanted government to pay for her BC as part of health care. She did not; she pays for her own health care in full, by tuition.

3) Rush argued that because a group received subsidized BC (from a private entity,) they should provide in return sexually explicit records of the result... which offended a large constituency- women in general

4) The author states that since Obama called Fluke, regarding the general insult to a class of people, that he should have called Palin regarding Maher.

5) Palin is a public figure. Has a PAC, appears regularly on TV and ran as a (failed) politician. She's a legitimate target for political speech... and also a cunt as discussed at length elsewhere.

6) Sandra Fluke is NOT a public figure; has no PAC, no syndicated column or show and has run for no office.

The two situations have essentially no similarity, yet the author and dullards such as yourself insist on creating a false equivalence.

You, and others with your inutile regressive worldview, are deserving of a grand total of zero respect or deference. Take your strawmen elsewhere.

lazer| 3.7.12 @ 8:28PM

LOL

Well, let's just see how that "critical reasoning" of your stacks up.

"1) Rush's premise was factually incorrect: Birth control amounts are proportional to the amount of sex one might have. Thus the basis of his argument was lacking from the beginning"

Hey, look, just like debate team, I get to defend someone I don't like. You should try it sometime; maybe you'd learn the basics of how to move from premises to a valid conclusion.

Actually, no Rush's point could or could not be valid depending on the type of birth control used and the frequency of sexual encounters within the effective range of the employed contraceptive.

It depends on what contraceptives are used and when they are used in relation to the sexual encounters. Not all contraceptives are a like, even if we reduce it to the pill.

But far be it from you to know the basics of contraception. You must be another ignorant male commenting on feminine subjects he doesn't understand. Thanks again for demonstrating that there's no correlation between being a liberal and being informed.

"2) That Fluke wanted government to pay for her BC as part of health care. She did not; she pays for her own health care in full, by tuition.

3) Rush argued that because a group received subsidized BC (from a private entity,) they should provide in return sexually explicit records of the result... which offended a large constituency- women in general"

These two are at odds with each other. You cannot consistently raise both objections.

Democrats also put Fluke on the board to represent women in general. You seem to tacitly admit this.

Either she is a representative of women who need contraception, and thus she can be critiqued *as if* she needs it, or she isn't a representative of women who need contraception, and so she can't be used to invoke anger on behalf of all women.

So your objections here aren't principled. They are emotionally driven by your foaming-at-the-mouth hatred of Rush and conservative principles.

"4) The author states that since Obama called Fluke, regarding the general insult to a class of people, that he should have called Palin regarding Maher.

5) Palin is a public figure. Has a PAC, appears regularly on TV and ran as a (failed) politician. She's a legitimate target for political speech... and also a cunt as discussed at length elsewhere."

So is this ad hominem part of your argument or just gratuitous slander? If the former, that's generally a fallacy, by the way, including in this case. If the latter, then you reduce the force of your argument, for a failed politician is of no serious consequence to public discourse.

You should try a logic textbook sometime. Copi and Cohen make a decent one. At least then your haughty disposition would be backed with logical reasoning. Of course, people will still ignore you--no one likes talking to a jerk who thinks he's better than everyone else because he has the superior political position.

You should also try reading some ancient Roman rhetoric. Not only were they excellent at reasoning, they were superb debaters, two areas in which you have serious deficiencies.

"6) Sandra Fluke is NOT a public figure; has no PAC, no syndicated column or show and has run for no office."

I reject the false assumption that a public figure deserves more scrutiny than a private one.

Of course, Fluke injected herself into the center of a controversial public debate. She made herself into a public figure.

She also has had no qualms about being a public abortion activist.

Since the public testimony, she has shown every willingness and desire to be a public figure and to engage in public controversy. Trying to frame this in terms of the willing public politician and the reluctant private citizen is absurd, kind of like the alpha-male chest-beating you keep treating us to, as if all of us will just cower into submission after your angry outbursts.

Of course, Goldstein already argued his position on this point. You don't seem to have offered anything significant by way of rebuttal. That's also poor argumentation.

"The two situations have essentially no similarity, yet the author and dullards such as yourself insist on creating a false equivalence."

They have strong similarity. I don't know what you mean by"essential," and I doubt you do either, so I actually don't think your conclusion can be established without serious equivocation.

In any case, it's clear you aren't making a principled objection. In your book, Palin is a "c---" and deserves to be called such. That's really what it comes down to. It wouldn't matter if Palin's identical twin, who happened to be a liberal arguing for contraception, had been subject to the same comments. You'd still think anyone who isn't part of your political persuasion was beneath you and deserving of disrespect.

"You, and others with your inutile"

Oh, look, our budding adolescent demagogue knows how to use a thesaurus!

Thanks again for demonstrating that the liberal penchant for superficial learning, as if reasonable discourse can be faked by pretentious word choice.

"regressive worldview, are deserving of a grand total of zero respect or deference. Take your strawmen elsewhere."

You can only appeal to a progress narrative if you are willing to justify whatever it is you think we are moving away from and traveling toward. Yet you don't. Either your "argument" here reduces the term "regressive" to just an emotional preference, in which case it is the fallacious appeal to emotion, or you are just begging the question in your favor by assuming your position is "progress" and your opponent's is "regress."

Well, I give you a C- or D for reasoning. Keep trying! Even liberals like you can learn to argue!

Swearengen| 3.7.12 @ 10:10PM

Unsurprisingly, you're not just wrong, you're wrong all day.

1) Birth control method? We KNOW which birth control method Rush was talking about. The Pill. The hormonal pill works in the same way. 1 dose for 1 period of time. Never "per sexual event."

2+3) Rush's point was that if the tax payers subsidize people then they should get some kind of quid pro quo.

This is a strawman since there is no taxpayer subsidy unless we're talking medicaid or medicare... then again, even if so, its a fatuous argument, since it would assume that we should theoretically see public colonoscopies of Medicare/caid recipients.

As for Fluke becoming a public figure because she appeared once, I'd disagree. She did appear subsequently, but only after Limbaugh had slandered her, and women who use BC in general.

The author did say that Fluke was a private citizen, but that Palin was also, which is, of course, a laughable idea, considering the TV shows, books, PAC so on and so forth.

Complete false equivalence. As long as you maintain that X=Y if Y has any infinitesimal amount of X's properties. It doesn't work that way.

As for Fluke being a representative of women, or an individual, she's both. I suggest you try drawing a venn diagram so you can figure this out. Women have, as demonstrated by the advertiser boycott.

4+5) Its not an ad hominem; simply a descriptor. "an unpleasant or stupid person" per the Oxford English dictionary. A simple cursory examination of numerous video sources shows this is the perfect word for her.

You clearly don't like that I disparage her, but I just don't care. I simply don't have to play by your rules... and facts are facts. Palin is a cunt.

6) Fluke IS a private and not a public citizen. The standard for a public citizen is "one pervasively involved in public affairs." Palin is a public figure.

Fluke would at most be either an involuntary (and this can be established even if they did ultimately seek publicity after an event) or limited public figure, who would be afforded much broader protections under defamation or invasion of privacy suits.

You are once again guilty of false equivalency. Its all teatards such as yourself ever do.

As for "Thanks again for demonstrating that the liberal penchant for superficial learning, as if reasonable discourse can be faked by pretentious word choice." I'd just point out your earlier "Oh dear. Such vapid pseudo-intellectualism. Yet a supercilious disposition toward those in the out-group. Must be a product of public education." but its more succinct just to call you a hypocritical cunt instead, and much more germane.

Conservatives are by their very nature regressive. "Holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation, typically in politics or religion."

Its an inferior and destructive worldview. I simply don't care if you protest that I consider it a pejorative. It is what it is... and take your grades and your 18th century brain and perform a privatized colonoscopy with it.

qrstuv| 3.8.12 @ 8:57AM

Looking up the word "conservative" in the dictionary is not going to give you any idea what conservatives actually believe.

Ditto for the word "liberal." Today's liberals are not liberal in any sense of the word. They seek rule by elites because they think common people are too dumb to make the right decisions. You can deny this, but I work in Cambridge, MA, and I know what I am talking about.

qrstuv| 3.8.12 @ 9:08AM

As for "regressive," I'll point out that throughout most of history, rule by the elites was the norm. This is what so-called liberals want to pull us toward.

Swearengen| 3.8.12 @ 11:23AM

I agree that its difficult to define the political movements.

While you might disagree that Conservatism is based on regression: William F Buckley (who I understand you may wish to throw under the bus) said Conservatism "stands athwart history, yelling Stop". If society progresses, but conservatism doesn't: that's regressive.

As for taxation there are specific terms for tax policy. Conservatives wish for regressive tax policy, with lower marginal rates on the higher wage earners, and proportionally more on the less wealthy. Liberals wish for progressive tax policy, with higher marginal rates on the higher wage earners, and portionally less taxation on the less wealthy.

There has been a 60 year experiment of these ideas, and the conservative idea failed, and failed hard:

From 1947 to 1980 we had a period of very progressive taxation. Wages and overall compensation for workers for the:

Progressive tax policy 1947-1980
1st quintile (lowest wage earners) +122%
2nd quintile +101%
3rd quintile +113%
4th quintile +115%
5th quintile +99%.

Under Reagan's regressive trickle-down economics (as he dropped the marginal tax rate in 81) there was an instant reaction in the economy depressing the wage gains of everyone but the richest American's and even the richest increased LESS:

Regressive tax policy 1981-2009
1st quintile -4%
2nd quintile +7%
3rd quintile +15%
4th quintile +25%
5th quintile +55%

So under liberal tax policy, EVERYONE GAINS. Under conservative tax policy, only the top gains and gains LESS.

source 2009- http://www.nytimes.com/imagepa.....aphic.html

As for Liberals wanting Elites to run the country, I think the difference is that Liberals believe that government can work (and the people agree- see Social Security and Medicare- although teabaggers carry signs saying "Keep govmint hands of my Medicare and SS"- LOL,) and Conservatives believe that it can't (and introduce laws suggesting the privatization of SS- think of what would have happened when Wall Street lost Trillions in 2007 under Conservative deregulation.) The privatization never happened, because people LIKE their big government, actually.

Oh, and conservatives want government small enough to fit inside a women's vagina (see transvaginal ultrasound bills from legislatures in Virginia, Alabama.)

Finally, its a bit hypocritical to say that Liberals are for elitists then call the Liberals out for "class warfare" and "populism"... and run Mr 1% for president. Surely you can see the irony in this.

qrstuv| 3.9.12 @ 8:31AM

Under "liberal" -- progressive -- tax policy, incentive to work is destroyed and the economy suffers.

The liberals are absolutely for elitism and they do stoke class warfare at every opportunity. They are in fact a contradiction in terms. The Soviet Union was the same way. The ruling class had daschas, the poor had vodka, and "capitalism" was the enemy.

As for a 1% for president, I think you've forgotten the long line of wealthy, well-connected Democrats who have run for office. Kerry, for example.

I can't even bother with the rest of your well-memorized agitprop.

lazer| 3.8.12 @ 2:05PM

Forgive me, but I don't have time for your intellectual onanism. You blow past my rebuttals with little evidence of comprehending them and just repeat your position. I don't even think you understand the terms of the debate any more (if you ever did to begin with). It's typical anti-intellectual behavior, the kind of nonsense we expect from ill-disciplined high school students who are too angry to formulate a basic logical argument, and so in the face of someone who actually knows how to argue, rather than simply admit they are wrong or they could do a better job formulating their objections, resort to the playground tactics of name-calling and begging the question.

So, as I suspected, you haven't studied any serious form of argumentation, and the results are quite clear. You trade in fallacies and insults, and your motivations are highly suspect; it's clear you have no reasoned, principled objections to the article.

Feel free to have the last word; I won't be reading whatever it is you think you have to offer anyway, and it's unlikely anyone at this site has found your comments particularly compelling or meaningful, let alone persuasive or cogent. You had your chance to demonstrate your position, and you failed. (It wasn't a complete wipe-out, but it was still pretty embarrassing.) As it stands, I'm content to let the reader judge whether you really have anything serious to offer by way of "critical reasoning" here.

Swearengen| 3.8.12 @ 4:43PM

Ah.. the didactic twat returns. Quelle surprise! I notice you're whining yet again about the argument rather arguing the points that have been addressed above, which is indicative of the typical cowardice and rhetorical double standards of your kind.

And then you declare victory! You remind me of George W on the aircraft carrier, declaring "Mission Accomplished"; In other words, a feckless joke... all sound and fury, signifying nothing.

The point remains: under the only mutually agreeable standard; that of the legal definition, that Palin is a public figure and Fluke is not. Thus there is no equivalence. The author and yourselves rely on false equivilences. They are seriously your basis for reasoning, it seems.

I'm glad you're taking a break for the commenting. It will give you time to take that private colonoscopy, with your grades, opinions and dull mind. Your quality of argument will find itself at home during the procedure.

DebateRight| 3.21.12 @ 5:36PM

I shouldn't even waste my time replying, but I must say that Swearegen has combined more arrogance and ignorance than I thought possible-and I teach debate, so I've seen some mighty efforts in that regard!

qrstuv| 3.8.12 @ 8:44AM

Define the word cunt and show us how it applies to Sarah Palin.

I'd bet your definition could equally apply to Obama.

Vox populi| 3.8.12 @ 10:57AM

Why doesn't Miss fluke save on her contraceptive bill by doing it anally?

lazer| 3.8.12 @ 2:19PM

qrstuv, that would require hacks like Swearengen to forward a principled objection. Don't hold your breath.

junkyard infidel| 3.7.12 @ 12:54PM

Rush was almost correct in calling mizz Fluke a slut. I think the more appropriate word to describe her is "whore" ! She has whored her self out as a shill and a pawn to the liberal/progressive/democrat party of fisting in more ways than one. And Bill Maher is a no-talent, weasel faced, pseudo-intellectual assdouche (thanks adam carolla) !

Richard Cranium| 3.7.12 @ 1:13PM

OMG as my 14 y.o. daughter would say. Way to Go - Republican party of the USA! Rush for President!!

sirbourbon| 3.7.12 @ 12:54PM

Maher is a jerk, a loathsome anti-Christ fool who love to pick fight s with anything or anyone remotely conservative. He entertains just like his couterparts on TV-Bill O and Hannity and on the radion "el rushbowe."

They all are basically entertainers that offer no worthwhile agenda to follow.

bolando| 3.7.12 @ 1:04PM

Rush says despicable things. Bill says despicable things. The down side to freedom of speech is that they each have the right to do that. Our politicians should concern themselves more with relevant issues. Let the market decide who gets the air time.

Geechee| 3.7.12 @ 1:09PM

Maher would never have been able to get away with his comments were it not for his keen intellect and striking good looks.

Richard Cranium| 3.7.12 @ 1:12PM

Aaron Goldstein ... I was pleased to see you acknowledged in the above article "Now I, for one, did not like what Rush said about Fluke". I was looking through your past articles over the past week and cannot find that you wrote on this subject. Did I miss an article? Or are you only now admitting that Rush was wrong after you try to justify his bahavior against that of another person. Two wrongs make a right. Your attempt at bending over backwards to justify the ongoing mysoginist behavior of Mr Limbaugh reeks of poor judgement and moral standards of decency.

Aaron Goldstein| 3.7.12 @ 3:31PM

You didn't check carefully enough. Allow me draw your attention to these two blog posts:

http://spectator.org/blog/2012.....ed-schultz

http://spectator.org/blog/2012.....s-to-fluke

I am clearly not justifying Mr. Limbaugh's behavior but neither am I whitewashing Mr. Maher's. The key difference is that Rush apologized and Maher has not. Yet Team Obama is more than happy to keep Maher as a fundraiser.

David| 3.7.12 @ 1:19PM

Comparing Bill Maher and Rush Limbaugh is a phony comparison. Bill Maher is a fringe liberal figure who is on 1 hour each week with a million viewers. Rush Limbaguh is a mainstream conservative figure on the air 3 hours a day 5 days a week with over 15 million listeners ( the most listeners of any talk show). The most popular media figure of a mainstream political party deserves more scrutiny, and more condemnation for insensitive comments, than a fringe figure with a small following. It's just common sense.

Bryan| 3.7.12 @ 2:02PM

Hate speech is hate speech, David. Both should be called out for it. This is about the double standard that exists when it comes to who says what. I don't like or agree with what Limbaugh said at all, but the fact remains that the silence is deafening when it comes to calling out Bill Maher and others the left when they go overboard. And as much as the left would like it to be, Limbaugh does not speak for the Republican party any more than the talking heads on the left do. Trying to use that to justify what Maher said is ridiculous.

Gary Rosen| 3.8.12 @ 3:54AM

" Bill Maher is a fringe liberal figure"

... who gave a cool million bucks to BO's campaign. And I hear Axelrod is going on his show.

Vox populi| 3.8.12 @ 11:00AM

Is everyone you know as stupid as you?

Vox populi| 3.8.12 @ 11:02AM

I address the above to "David."

Jane Austin| 3.7.12 @ 1:37PM

I am so disgusted with the media, all of you, even reporting on irreverent entertainers, such as Rush Limbaugh and Bill Maher. WHO CARES? I can't for the life of me figure out why Obama felt it necessary to call that young woman and apologize for that fat slob of a man and similarly, I wouldn't expect him to call anyone out about their right to exercise freedom of speech. We still have the choice not to listen to either Rush or Bill and we certainly don't have to waste time giving either of them publicity, just as an excuse to bash Obama. Obama has done far more relevant things than this dumb gesture, that deserve critical attention and reporting.

Ray| 3.7.12 @ 2:26PM

Although Maher and Limbaugh are at fault for using this kind of language, Maher is less at fault because he used this language against a public figure. Being a public figure entails being subject to all kinds of criticism and name calling, if Palin doesnt like it she should get out of the kitchen. On the other hand, Limbaugh used this language against a student. Big difference.

Gary Rosen| 3.8.12 @ 3:55AM

Glad you see it that way. We are all looking forward to prominent females being called "cunts" in pubic, I mean public discourse.

James| 3.7.12 @ 2:33PM

I think both Maher and Limbaugh are idiots. Unfortunately, most people just choose one side or the other, then defend their side and attack the other. The actual circustances really don't seem to matter anymore.

lazer| 3.7.12 @ 4:43PM

Great observation.

Ryan| 3.7.12 @ 3:10PM

Haha Sarah Palin is a private citizen? The whole premise of this article is completely flawed. Asinine even. In what universe is Sarah Palin a "private citizen?" This is apples to oranges. Utter nonsense.

Paul 52| 3.7.12 @ 3:32PM

Finally, someone gets it. Palin is a politician who QUIT her job with 2 years to go to make 12 million. She's PAID to state her views, and, like Rush, she's paid to state them in the most provocative way possible.

But the essential dishonesty of this column is worse. Limbaugh went on and on about this kid for three days. Slut, prostitute, having so much sex she can't walk, and totally lying about what she said (her testimony is available on line, anyone who reads it knows Rush lied about her for three days straight).

Merely apologizing for slut & prostitute leaves about 25 slurs left for him to cover.

But the equally dishonest Mr. Goldberg goes further by burying all but the lead and pretending that Rush actually apologized.

And, should Obama have called Palin to soothe her feelings after that nasty Mr. Maher spoke? Really?

Do any of you Bozos believe that?

qrstuv| 3.8.12 @ 8:47AM

"having so much sex she can't walk"

Link please.

I read her testimony. She lied about the cost of birth control, whined that it is so high that she is having a hard time with that (for a recreational activity), and lobbied for someone else to pay for it. She's a rent-seeker.

DevilDog| 3.7.12 @ 3:57PM

sandra fluke a "private" entity?

http://www.lifenews.com/2012/0.....-activist/

David| 3.7.12 @ 4:09PM

To all you morons who claim she is a private citizen, she is actually a radical feminist leftist who publicly supports leftist causes, and then publicly tesitifies as an expert on contraception and its cost before a congressional committee.

Private citizen? Yea right!!!

David| 3.7.12 @ 4:09PM

To all you morons who claim she is a private citizen, she is actually a radical feminist leftist who publicly supports leftist causes, and then publicly tesitifies as an expert on contraception and its cost before a congressional committee.

Private citizen? Yea right!!!

Paul 52| 3.7.12 @ 4:40PM

Fine. Call her a phony. Call her biased. Call her a liar.

Don't lie about what she said, however, and use that for three days of "she has so much sex she can't walk straight."

It makes you look like a limbaugh.

qrstuv| 3.8.12 @ 8:48AM

"having so much sex she can't walk"

Link please.

Beppo| 3.7.12 @ 5:16PM

Keep it up guys. What is this overwhelming urge we have to shoot ourselves in the foot. Palin was a public figure and this girl was a private citizen activist. Maher is a comedian with a small audience. I don't care about the rights and wrongs of this but what I do know is the more we try to justify the conduct of Rush the more completely idiotic and misogynist we make ourselves look. This was an own goal. How much intelligence does it require to understand this?

qrstuv| 3.8.12 @ 8:50AM

This is misogynist only if you accept the false premise that a slur on one woman is a slur on all.

Tony| 3.7.12 @ 5:51PM

The answer is simple. These people are complete hypocrites. They worship at the altar of politics -- they don't have faith apart from that -- and that makes them particularly nasty. Um, anybody calling for the head of that fellow who has vilified Rick Santorum's name?

Jones | 3.7.12 @ 6:04PM

You know, someday Bill Maher will die.

Swearengen| 3.7.12 @ 6:17PM

Considering Limbaugh's pill addiction antics, smoking and obesity, I wouldn't be surprised if he does first.

As Clarance Darrow said "I never wanted to see anybody die, but there are a few obituary notices I have read with pleasure."

Sharon| 3.7.12 @ 6:20PM

This article has been a long time coming...well said. I used to watch Bill Mayer but his remarks about Sarah Palin were mean spirited and unrelenting. As for Obama...his time will come...he will eventually discover that he is not God.

Trish| 3.7.12 @ 8:37PM

Its all politics and the left goes for the kill every time. They could care less about fairness, rhetorical double standards, etc. They play everything to their advantage and we should expect nothing less. They know that this is politcal war and they play to destroy their adversary. We have to do the same.

liladd| 3.7.12 @ 10:41PM

The feminists have turned into a bunch of little whiners. Hey, I've been called names too, by libs, deal w/it you little babies. The drama queens can dish it out, but can't take it and that goes for the men too.Where are the real men? at least Rush apologized, Maher just has that s..t grin on his face. We are so used to bad behavior that we accept it now. Obama has no class, he claims he wants civil discourse for the sake of his daughters, sure you do BO, but takes a million from the filthiest woman hating man alive...good job mr. hypocrite. liberals have no problem whatsoever insulting conservative women, black conservatives (uncle tom, aunt jemima) and think people will just accept it. I know, I used to be a Lib. that is the way the game is played. Maybe I should sue Obama, he lied about me, a private citizen, and called me a teabagger, we all know what he meant by that, don't we, Rachel Madow and Anderson Cooper, the left has called me a racist, bigot, mobster, Nazi, etc. Wake up fools, it has nothing to do with public or private citizen. it has to do w/decency. When my dad was alive, he would have decked any man that called a woman those names, as it should be. The View ladies said they call each other slut all the time...isn't that special? classy too. no wonder we have gone to hell in a handbasket..i am ashamed of how men and women speak to each other in such a vulgar way. I don't want my grandchildren thinking this is normal behavior. i guess i'll just start hitting people w/my granny bag.

Rich K| 3.7.12 @ 11:00PM

Your moral outrage and 50 cents won't even buy a cup of coffeee in this day and age Aaron. Welcome to the new age and learn to use it or be buried by it.Your Choice, Sorry.

Frank| 3.7.12 @ 11:31PM

You're smart enough to use a computer, but not smart enough to realize the world is treating Rush Limbaugh different than Bill Maher because there is a difference. Next time your calculations don't figure up to how the world works, recheck your calculations.

spike59| 3.8.12 @ 7:05AM

i'm the last one to defend what rush said, but it seems his insult relates to Fluke's demands to have be subsidized by the Church for practicing what the Church defines as 'fornication'....Maher's insults seem relate to Palin's having female genitalia-which is more egregious? targeting someone for what they demand, or for how they were born? either way, there's NO excuse for either "gentleman's" choice of language

Don Gato| 3.7.12 @ 11:47PM

Aaron, I think your comparison between Rush Limbaugh's attack on Sandra Fluke and Bill Maher's insults on Sarah palin are flawed. First Sarah Palin has viciously attacked the Democrats and Obama with her rhetoric. Remember Sarah's "pal around with terrorists" rant and other snide, mean spirtited remarks at the 2008 convention? On the other hand Fluke has not engaged in insulting and vicious attacks to people who are conservative unlike Sarah who has attacked progressives. Sarah dishes out her insults on her opponents and she deserves the response and ridicule that comes from the left. Also the BS about Sarah being a private citizen. First she was a governor and than a Vice Presidential candidate. I don't remember Sandra Fluke being either one of those. Actually Sandra's was only testifying to the Democratic House Committee about her friend's need for contraception other than pregnancy prevention. Sandra is a true private citizen. Sarah is a media hound, political celibrity. Sarah is a Fox News contributor and is frequently grabbing attention in the public eye. She even had her own reality show! So you're not comparing apples to apples. Nice try though.

qrstuv| 3.8.12 @ 8:53AM

But it is a matter of fact that Obama *has* been friendly with terrorists -- both domestic and Palestinian, at least.

One of Palin's comments I like best (and you probably think it's mean) is that in small towns we don't say one thing to people's faces and then call them "bitter-clingers" when talking about them in San Franciso.

Was that mean of her? You would rather she let that one go? You'd rather have no political opposition at all, right?

dave72| 3.7.12 @ 11:48PM

Why does Bill Maher hate women so much?
If you were that butt ugly, you would hate women too!

Oldefarte| 3.7.12 @ 11:54PM

Bill Maher is Hollywood's [ie HBO] example of a radical-progressive piece of EXCREMENT disguised as a comedien. He put the term WHITE TRASH to shame, and anyone who would even consider to stoop so low as to find him humorous is even worse than he is [or is not]!!!!!!!!!

POST American| 3.8.12 @ 2:42AM

---Meanwhile,

Maher remains sober and silent on
the matter of the Breitbart 'unpleasantness'
and, of course, the now, no doubt, heavily
edited, and soon to be 'disappeared'
'Obama Videos'.

Maher has yet to speak truth to ANY
REAL figure of REAL power.

spike59| 3.8.12 @ 6:58AM

I'm not going to going to give Rush a pass because the Left gives their mouthpieces pass after pass after pass after pass...this, i believe, is a difference between conservatives and liberals

should Rush have criticized Fluke with both barrels? absolutely! should he have called her a 'slut' and a 'prostitute?' GAWD, no! he walked right into the trap the Left set, and changed the 'narrative' from a debate over religious freedom into a 'women's rights' argument

Michael| 3.8.12 @ 9:38AM

The Conservative press keeps focusing on the wrong things with Maher. Yes he is a misogynist, but he is an anti religious bigot who hates the Catholic Church and as well as all religious groups. You have a White House that has issues with religious tolerance and has its own war on the church. Hypocrisy is a short term thing. The anti religion angle will last to the election.

Vox populi| 3.8.12 @ 11:08AM

If he hates "all religious groups" why doesn't he ridicule Muslims?

nlaw| 3.8.12 @ 6:12PM

Don Gato has this spot on. To compare someone who has chosen the public eye to someone who probably just saw a news camera lens for the first time is far from an apples to apples comparison. Although it's a nice propaganda twist to introduce the Afghan president for a paragraph. Must be tough finding new things to write about in Boston I guess.

fred| 3.8.12 @ 6:35PM

As a Canadian citizen who has lived in the U.S for 6 months a year for 36 years.I am so upset and so angered by the contempt and uncare and hipocritical the Obama administration is,when one of their fanatic supporters like Bill Mahr ( The filthy so called comedian)can call a woman the filthiest names,as he has,and not demand an apology.I'm getting sick with anger and frustration.It wasn't right for Rush and it's certainly not right for Mahr.

dd| 3.8.12 @ 10:18PM

The analogy fails. Sarah Palin and Fluke do not occupy the same status as private citizens. One is a former governor of Alaska, political commentator, and celebrity, the other is a 30 year old college student at a Catholic university. Sarah has said some pretty boneheaded things along the way.

Rush's comment was disgusting, plain and simple. He tried to excuse it as humor, but the only humor in it was mean and nasty. To go on and suggest that she should put up videos was also degrading and in effect makes Rush look like a lewd pervert. Ganging up on a woman old enough to be his daughter looks pretty nasty, too.

To bring in Maher really is just a version of the Rush defense-- like a child who's always saying "he started it!" For Rush to say that his mistake was "descending to the level of liberals' commentary" is a neat way to deflect criticism, but it won't wash. If you are a true conservative, you take responsibility for your actions and don't try to blame someone else for your mistake. But Rush has a big ego-- so he won't descend to the level of apology.

It's not the president's responsibility to stop telling everyone to stop slinging buckets of mud.

qrstuv| 3.9.12 @ 8:38AM

He did apologize, as you fail to acknowledge.

We're bringing in Maher to point out how the left, as a group, does not actually mind slurs at all, and that their defense of the lying rent-seeker Fluke is pure hypocrisy.

I recall how you piled on to Joe the Plumber, who by your argument here wouldn't deserve it. Feh. You'll just try to destroy anything and anyone in your path, period. Don't pretend it's otherwise.

Of course it's not the President's responsibility to stop telling everyone to stop slinging buckets of mud. In fact, he's taken a side in this, as he did with the Cambridge police. He's as partisan as any of you, and has no problem calling people names.

the halfrican| 3.9.12 @ 2:55PM

dd, you are wrong ! You must think that Letterman's comment that 12 year old Sasha Obama having public sex with Derek Jeter in the Yankee dugout during the 7th inning was appropiate ? My bad I meant to write 12 year old Willow Palin.

dBlue| 3.8.12 @ 10:48PM

The hypocrisy of the libtards like Maher is amazing, never surprising however.

Bottom line...Limbaugh will not be put out of business by all the progressive marxists, so get over it!

tuwrtefjaldskkjf alfjasdlfkj| 3.9.12 @ 4:06AM

Two differences easy to spot:

1- Palin is a public figure
2- Maher is a comedian

qrstuv| 3.9.12 @ 8:44AM

Yeah, if those are the principles at play, where is your defense of the attacks on Joe the Plumber?

On the second point, you're saying that comedians specifically have license that talk show hosts don't have, even when talk show hosts are clearly cracking a bad joke. Interesting.

I don't accept that premise.

Maher does not get a pass on calling anyone a cunt. It's simply a vicious thing to say, and you know it.

L. B. Orwig| 3.9.12 @ 9:21AM

Admittedly, Mr. Maher went too far with his treatment of Ms. Palin, but here’s where you line of reasoning completely falls apart.  You start by quoting Jake Carney’s description of Ms. Fluke as a "private citizen who was simply expressing her views on a matter of public policy."  Then you say, “The last I checked Sarah Palin is a private citizen who expresses her views on public policy.”  Huh?!  Are you kidding?  Have you been in a coma for the last four years.  Sarah Palin was a governor who quit her job, became a failed vice presidential candidate and is an on-going paid “commentator” on Fox News, not to mention the fact that she gets paid handsomely for public appearances and (ghost written) books deals.  How on earth does this make her a “private citizen” comparable to Ms. Fluke? In Red State America, she is a household name - a brand.  Who are you kidding? Your whole argument is absurd!

qrstuv| 3.9.12 @ 9:30AM

What is this really about is your patently insincere demands for civility.

Take a look at what you just wrote. Sarah Palin is a household name in Red State America. You're fine with calling her a cunt and thus insulting all of us in Red State America.

Kinda makes you a hater.

fred| 3.9.12 @ 1:31PM

What has a private citizen or public figure got to do with anything.They are both women for Christ sake.You just dont call a woman a cunt no matter who it is.Do you think it's o.k to call the queen of England a cunt ,after all she is a public figure.What the fuck is the matter with you?

the halfrican| 3.9.12 @ 2:51PM

So by your analysis Letterman's statement that 12 year old Sasha Obama having public sex with Derek Jeter in the Yankee dugout during the 7th inning was appropiate ? Oh my bad I meant to say 12 year old Willow Palin.

the halfrican| 3.9.12 @ 2:44PM

Didn't Letterman say that 12 year old Sasha Obama had public sex in the Yankee dugout with Derek Jeter during the 7th inning ?

Resist We Much! | 3.9.12 @ 2:44PM

The next time that any Prog starts screaming that Sandra Bell is a "private citizen" so it is diiiiiifffffffferent, here ya go:

She appeared at the “Catholic Students for Women’s Health” press conference on 9 February 2012 at the National Press Club where she expressed support for Obama's contraception mandate.

She waived any "private citizen" claim she might have had long before she "testified" before Maerose Prizzi's kaffee klatsch.

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/304345-1#

Resist We Much! | 3.9.12 @ 3:09PM

Fluke Was Not A "Private Citizen"

http://predicthistunpredictpas.....tizen.html

beebop2| 3.10.12 @ 8:37AM

How is he going to explain to Sasha and Malie why he gave the middle finger salute to his FEMALE opponent or taking the stage to that rousing democrat sing-a-long "Ninety-Nine Problems But a Bitch Ain't One ...."

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