Obama explains phone call to Fluke
March 6th, 2012
03:00 PM ET
11 years ago

Obama explains phone call to Fluke

(CNN) – President Barack Obama further explained Tuesday why he called and offered support to Sandra Fluke, the law student targeted by Rush Limbaugh last week after advocating for contraception coverage in a Democratic hearing on Capitol Hill.

In his first press conference of the year, Obama said he was thinking about his own two daughters when he picked up the phone to call Fluke on Friday.

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"One of the things I want them to do as they get older is to engage in issues they care about, even ones I may not agree with them on," he said. "I want them to be able to speak their mind in a civil and thoughtful way, and I don't want them attacked or called horrible names because they're being good citizens."

He added: "I wanted Sandra to know that I thought her parents should be proud of her, and that we want to send a message to all our young people that being part of a democracy involves arguments and disagreements and debate."

Limbaugh issued an apology this weekend, saying he did not use the best choice of words when he labeled Fluke a "slut" and a "prostitute" during his radio show last week.

Fluke, who attends Georgetown Law, appeared before a Democratic panel the week prior, calling for more coverage of contraceptives as a health care issue.

Her testimony came in the wake of a recent compromise reached by the Obama administration, which amended a controversial policy to now allow religiously-affiliated institutions to be exempt from paying for contraceptives in their health insurance plans.

Since Limbaugh made the comments last week, a flood of advertisers have pledged to take their business elsewhere, and two radio stations have pulled the plug on his show all together.

On Tuesday, Obama declined to comment on the firestorm that has erupted over Limbaugh's remarks, as well as the conservative firebrand's apology.

"What I can comment on is the fact that all decent folks can agree that the remarks that were made don't have any place in the public discourse," Obama said.

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Filed under: Health care • President Obama • Rush Limbaugh
soundoff (62 Responses)
  1. Dagnytag

    B.O. jumps all over this to score political points, calling a random conraception activist that had no business or experience discussing seperation of church/govn't issues with Congress in the first place (the real issue), BUT, DOES NOT call the family of murdered border patrol agent Brian Terry due to his admin's attempt to do an end run around the 2nd amendment. E-Fing amazing. And the lib s.c.u.m. choke down more of the leftist kool-aide. pa-thet-ic

    March 6, 2012 04:09 pm at 4:09 pm |
  2. Dagnytag

    B.O. jumps all over this to score political points, calling a random conraception activist that had no business or experience discussing seperation of church/govn't issues with Congress in the first place (the real issue), BUT, DOES NOT call the family of murdered border patrol agent Brian Terry due to his admin's attempt to do an end run around the 2nd amendment. amazing. And the lib s. c. u. m. choke down more of the leftist kool-aide. pa-thet-ic

    March 6, 2012 04:09 pm at 4:09 pm |
  3. Dagnytag

    B.O. jumps all over this to score political points, calling a random conraception activist that had no business or experience discussing seperation of church/govn't issues with Congress in the first place (the real issue), BUT, DOES NOT call the family of murdered border patrol agent Brian Terry due to his admin's attempt to do an end run around the 2nd amendment. amazing. And the libs choke down more of the leftist kool-aide. pa-thet-ic

    March 6, 2012 04:12 pm at 4:12 pm |
  4. bullock w

    Obama was too late for 3 year cause he was problems for 3 year also he like play game that I watched tv at cnn about obama
    He like act show to people about his act walking with his showoff

    March 6, 2012 04:13 pm at 4:13 pm |
  5. diridi

    I do not care what transpired, but Rush Limbaugh is a total idiot. Nasty thug of this nation. Sad, Sad, Sad.

    March 6, 2012 04:13 pm at 4:13 pm |
  6. kayla

    class act mr president, you are one of a kind
    God Bless You.

    March 6, 2012 04:14 pm at 4:14 pm |
  7. Dominican mama 4 Obama (the real one)

    @Dominican mama 4 Obama (the real one)

    Oh thank goodness. That idiot troll who stole your name an started posting made me think that you jumped ship and joined the redumblicans. Glad I was wrong.
    ------------------------
    LOL!! Scary people aren't they? Just for the record though babe, I'm not against Republicans just because they are Republicans I am against ANYONE and ANYTHING that is against the good of this country, and it's people. This country whom I willingly pledged allegiance to many decades ago deserves the BEST. The BEST IMHO is our current President Barack Hussein Obama.
    Obama 2012 indeed!!!

    March 6, 2012 04:14 pm at 4:14 pm |
  8. Rudy NYC

    Jariv wrote:

    This country is becoming so stupid.

    To give an example. My dad has principles that he has thought us and he goes against them by voting democrat. He doesn't like government telling him what he should do and what he can't do, yet he votes democrat. He does not want easy access to s.e.x because of moral values, yet he votes democrat, so many things its like "WHAT?" lives me speechless and frustrated.
    -------------------
    Have you ever bothered to ask the obvious? Why?
    Maybe it would make more sense coming from him, rather than the web.

    March 6, 2012 04:14 pm at 4:14 pm |
  9. Malory Archer

    concernedjoy were you that concerned about the children of politicians when the fat, drug addicted reichwing radio bloviator called 13 year-old Chelsea Clinton the whitehouse dog and played sound effects while holding up her photo?

    March 6, 2012 04:16 pm at 4:16 pm |
  10. Women 4 Obama

    Thank you Mr. President, you are a decent human being, and thanks Ms. Flute for being a bright and strong young woman willing to stand up and be a roll model for other young women.

    March 6, 2012 04:21 pm at 4:21 pm |
  11. PK

    Huge donors to Obama's superpac, namely Bill Maher, use extremely foul language against conservative women, and he doesn't hold them to the same standard that he claims is unacceptable. His justification isn't valid. Also, it's unbelieveable that a person would be allowed to sit before a government committee and whine about her contraceptive costs – this is ridiculous! But she can afford an expensive law school and can't take care of her own health needs? This is appalling on every level!

    March 6, 2012 04:23 pm at 4:23 pm |
  12. macrasta

    Mitt Romney owns the network (Premier Network) that carries Rush Lim's show.... and Sean Hannity..(Bain Capitol) he should be held accountable too...............

    March 6, 2012 04:24 pm at 4:24 pm |
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