(CNN) - Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh apologized Saturday for calling Sandra Fluke a "slut" this week after the Georgetown law student advocated for contraception coverage in a Democratic hearing.
“My choice of words was not the best, and in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir,” Limbaugh said in a statement on his website. “I sincerely apologize to Ms. Fluke for the insulting word choices.”
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Limbaugh made the original comments Wednesday, in which he also suggested Fluke wanted taxpayers to pay for her to have sex.
"What does it say about the college co-ed [Sandra] Fluke, who goes before a congressional committee and essentially says she must be paid to have sex?" Limbaugh asked. "What does that make her? It makes her a slut, right? It makes her a prostitute. She wants to be paid to have sex. She's having so much sex she can't afford the contraception. She wants you and me and the taxpayers to pay her to have sex."
His remarks set off a major outcry, prompting top Republicans and Democrats alike to denounce the famed talk show host.
President Barack Obama called Fluke on Friday to offer his support, while Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum labeled the comments as “absurd” and Ron Paul described them as “crude.” Mitt Romney said Limbaugh's words were "not the language I would have used."
But Limbaugh repeated his comments during his show on Thursday and Friday, even taking them further to suggest that women who accept free contraception should film themselves having sex so taxpayers could watch.
In his apology Saturday, Limbaugh said he disagrees with the notion that contraceptives should be covered under federally backed health insurance plans, saying he finds it “absurd” that Americans are “discussing personal sexual recreational activities before members of Congress” and argued taxpayers should not “pay for these social activities.”
But Limbaugh admitted Saturday his choice of words referring to Fluke were “wrong.”
“For over 20 years, I have illustrated the absurd with absurdity, three hours a day, five days a week. In this instance, I chose the wrong words in my analogy of the situation. I did not mean a personal attack on Ms. Fluke.”
From CNN Politics
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Whatever Rush. You're fat and old.
Change the station. Please!
There is so much more informative, entertaining radio, podcasts, audiobooks...
Giving this pig attention, only encourages him. Turn him off.
Too little, too late, El Rushbo.
This guy is an idiot. The End.
Rush Limbaugh is not 'part of the problem'. To a great degree, he is the problem. Daily he tears down the ideal of 'American Brotherhood', preferring to 'separate and demean'.
The face of the republican teaparty, return to republican moon base, Mr limpbag!!!
He says it and stands by it for three days, then apologizes. He is a worse 'flip-flopper' than Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum put together! The man is a self-inflated windbag who any decent sensible person should pay no heed to. He owes more than an apology – he should forfeit his privilege of filling the airwaves with his BS.
This guy is an idiot. The End.
Sure ya did, Rush, you just stepped in it, and rightly got called down for it, so now you're doing the lame pro forma backpeddle for damage control.
Why on earth is this man allowed to stay on the air? He's an insult to intelligent human beings.
Too little, too late. This man is a boil on the butt of humanity. In fact, I think he used that excuse to be exempted from the draft. I hope he just goes away, far, far away.
Limbaugh is paid to be rude and bizarre, to feed the malcontents dissatisfied with their own lives, needing to strike out shamelessly at those of opposing views. The FBI could easily fill its "no-fly" list with his loyal listeners.
eh...although he had to apologize im actually really suprised he did.
Misogyny, no wonder he can't keep a woman. Too easy to pick on women for political advantage.
he always makes personal attacks, it his biggest attraction to the angry right. it was not only his choice of words, but expressing his vukgar view
whatever, Rush. You should really just s t f u already and go away.
There was no humor in the statements you made. Your apology is a failure ....idiot!
Tiger Woods fooled around and lost his sponsors. Other celebreties and said stupid things and lost their sponsors. Rush Limbaugh defmaes somone on to the Nationand his sponsors support him and he sontinues on air? A defamation suit should be filed against Rush, his networka nd his sponsors. Maybe if the lady in question files a suit for one hundred million dollars per listener the networks and sponsors will do the right thing. Get this man off the air. Now !
This piece of vermin didn't apologize to anyone. Mthe backlash against him by decent Americans, his sponsors and even probably the GOP establishment forced his hand. Nothing more.
whatever, Rush. You should really just go away. You're destructive and derisive. You are part of what's wrong with this country today.
Oh pleeease !!!! He's not one bit sorry but I'm guessing his sponsors are taking a beating,
I call BS. Rush most certainy DID mean to attack Ms. Fluke and he attacked a second time after the hurrah began. Hid insincere apology is nothing more than a ploy to get his sponsors back. He said what he meant the first time. He is a truly sick, hateful misogynistic queen.
Despite a lame apology, Rush tries to deflect criticism by claiming that his comments were meant to be satirical. So, now that he has characterized himself as a satirist, should we take anything he says the least bit seriously? What a buffoon.....
What the fat disgusting windbag offered was no apology to Fluke or to women. He is apologizing to his advertisers and his employer since the outcry and boycott is causing a lot of financial loss. EIB is scolding him. I just cancelled my membership to Carbonite. Keep the boycott up.....Finally, we can thank Rush for the big political gift that he has given to the Democrats. He apparently forgot that women vote.
Is this loud mouth, pill popper still on the air? People still take him seriously?