Bachmann on Limbaugh: Where's the outrage?
(CNN) – Former GOP presidential candidate Michele Bachmann on Monday pointed to partisanship in the uproar over Rush Limbaugh's comments about a female law student, saying top conservative women face similar "vitriol" but receive far less attention.
"I have gone through myself, and experienced, more things said about me and I have never seen this level of outrage on the left about what left-leaning commentators said about me," Bachmann said in an interview set to air Monday on CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight."
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The Minnesota congresswoman added that for a conservative woman, "it seems like there is no level of vitriol that's beyond the pale."
"I've been on the receiving end of it. We all know Governor Palin has been on the receiving end of it. You don't see this level of outrage," Bachmann said. "You certainly don't see advertisers cutting back."
Limbaugh apologized Saturday after calling the law student, Sandra Fluke, a "slut" and a "prostitute" following her appearance advocating for contraception coverage at a Democratic hearing last month.
His comments sparked an uproar of criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike, as well as a swarm of advertisers who pledged to take their business elsewhere.
On Monday, Bachmann said the main take-away from Limbaugh's comments was that people should be more careful in their choice of words.
"That's what we should learn out of all of this, is that on both sides, we want to pay attention to what we're saying," Bachmann said.
The full interview will air Monday night at 9 p.m. ET on CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight."
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And what would you do about Iran Mr. Santorum? Just because Obama is not going to war doesn't mean he is not looking for a solution. Fortunately, for America he thinks about the grim consequences unlike the previous administration with Iraq.
Michelle is more or less defending Rush here. Is she implying that it is okay for Rush to use such words. It is okay for anybody to be criticized for their actions. But public figures personally attaching common people or elected officials with uncivilized language is certainly not acceptable.
Michelle Bachman is a politician in the same sense that Count Chocula is a vampire.
Yes, genius but these are, as you say "top Republican women." Not a college student who dared testify before Congress. Sorry, but if you run for political office you have to expect to get roughed up a bit.
Poor, poor Michelle, no one is paying any attention to her anymore. Don't worry the "lame stream media" won't let you down.
the difference is bachman is a politician, and I can't remember any high profile dem with as much clout as rush has with the repubs calling bachman anything like that
Bachmann just doesn't get it. It isn't about being left or right. It is about decency and civility, things Bachmann and Limbaugh seem to have difficulty understanding.
All republicans are unfit to lead the country if they cant recognize the extreme insult on females by one of their admirers and prominent conservative spokesman.
Repubs are saying that Rush is not one of them, and hence they don't have to comment on it or condemn it. If Rush is not one of them, and if Rush insults women for 15 hours on 600 radio stations in front of millions and millions of people, then is it not the responsibility of a leader who is aspiring to be leader of the world to condemn it in most direct terms??
If they just brush it off as an incident that is not worth commenting, then they will see the wrath of 53% of the electorate.
Most of the things said about Michelle Bachmann were true. The truth may hurt but is no reason for outrage. She proved time after time in her speeches and interviews that she is an idiot who just spouts out things as if they are fact when they are actually not true. She needs to go back to Minnesota and leave the rest of the country alone. Enough of her, already!!
It is not about you Mrs. Bachman...please address the real issue here.
Rep. Bachmann, with all due respect, you are a public figure running for office and as such fair game to criticism and satire. Ms. Fluke is a private citizen testifying before a congressional panel. She merits a different level of consideration than you do. In my opinion, only the veracity of her testimony should have been an issue to Mr. Limbaugh. His three day protracted attack of her character was one of the worst verbal assaults on a private American citizen that I can recall hearing about it.
Here's what Bachmann doesn't grasp: Those jokes about, say, Christine O'Donnell and witchcraft, or about Bachman's husband being a little light in the loafers, etc. all emanated from comedy shows... Saturday Night Live, The Jay Leno Show, etc. Some of the more nasty "news" stories came out of the National Enquirer. They didn't come from Rachel Maddow, or other legitimate left-leaning commentators. And when left-wing commentators do step out of line (for instance, Ed Schultz's comments re Laura Ingrahm), they are dealt with swiftly and harshly by their networks. Limbaugh purports to be a conservative commentator and a leading voice for both the conservative media and the Republican party, so he should be held to the same standards as Ed Schultz - not Jay Leno.
We don't want any woman called vile names. It is not a partisan thing, it is called being civil and respectful to each other. That is something that is missing in this country the past several years.
She is 100% correct. The media double standard is astounding.
To Michele: Go away crazy lady.
To RandIA: you obviously know nothing about defamation law. Rush IS a public figure, which applies to more than politician. Ms. Fluke, however, was not.
This woman is breathtakingly clueless. Still.
Is it better to say that I think you choose not to read instead of calling you illiterate? Is it better to say that I think you make up your mind without the use of facts instead of calling you crazy? Congresswoman Bachmann, you've helped create an atmosphere that focuses less on wisdom and honest dialogue in favor of one that thrives on negativity and dishonesty. And you want to compare yourself to an innocent woman who was publically ridiculed by your boss because she chose to testify about contraception? Stop wasting everybody's time and go back to productive endeavors like investigating anti-Americans in Congress.
Because treating women like this is common practice on the right, on the left its not. So when it happens we are pretty outraged.
Do people really buy her comparisons?
Maybe you should pray the vitriol away.
Bachmann tired of your stupid comment I have no idea how people from Minnesota voted for u. People from her district wake up and throw her out of Congress. I would feel ashamed if she was my congresswoman.
Most people so despise you that they could care less about what others might call you.
I have been impressed by a very few conservative voices who have stood up and said in unequivocal terms that
Limbaugh's comments were absurd and outrageous. I though when I started this article that Bachmann might surprise me and do the same – but no, she plays the victim. Conservatives are supposed to be about personal responsibility, and yet when one of their own (and Limbaugh is definitely a conservative insider) does something like this, only a few like John McCain have the courage to stand up and say "this is wrong". The others say "Well the liberals did this over here, the left wing media, etc., etc." An incident like this really shows who truly has admirable conservative qualities. You don't, Ms. Bauchmann.
No, Michelle, it's not all about you. It's about Rush, who suffers from the malady of ejaculation of the mouith, unfortunately, not fatal. He's rude, crude, and not fit for public broadcast with that kind of aspersion to someone he doesn't even know. He stands for no ethics.