President Obama calls Sandra Fluke

[telemann.livejournal.com]

Earlier this afternoon, Sandra Fluke received a personal phone call from President Obama, two days after she was called a "slut" on Rush Limbaugh's radio show. Ms Fluke attends the prestigious Georgetown University (a Jesuit school) and its president released earlier today a letter of support for Ms. Fluke, strongly critical of Mr. Limbaugh's comments, calling them "vile and misogynistic." Ms. Fluke broke the news about her call from the President during an interview on Andrea Mitchell's show. Fluke was the woman who was to testify before the Republican House Committee hearing but was denied by Darryl Issa, who instead had an all male panel testify on the subject of birth control and freedom of religion. A week later, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi held a non-binding hearing and asked Ms. Fluke to appear. Rush Limbaugh went on the offensive on his radio show and "...demanded that Fluke release tapes of her having sex in exchange for the contraception that she argued should be covered by employers." Fluke said the President's phone call was completely unexpected and added "What was really personal for me was that he said to tell my parents that they should be proud. And that meant a lot because Rush Limbaugh questioned whether or not my family would be proud of me. So I just appreciated that very much."

Joe Scarborough, a former conservative Republican member of the United States House of Representatives stated in an interview, he's had several conversations with what he described as "fire breathing conservatives" going into panic mode over the recent news cycles painting Republicans as opposed to women's rights and birth control when instead they are allowing President Obama off the hook, and thinks the election will be lost because of the focus on issues that don't matter, and were settled years ago.

It seems that the some in the Republican party are so intent on pushing it more to the right, at the expense of moderate and women voters, the chances of winning the Senate back (Olympia Snowe's retirement all but guarantees that her seat will go to a Democrat), or winning the White House are going to be severely crippled (this has happened already in a key state, Virginia, which has seen a significant movement by independent and women voters from Romney to President Obama because of the forced ultrasound amendment for abortions). While Rush Limbaugh doesn't speak for all conservatives obviously, he is the face for one of the largest audiences in talk radio, and the massive condemnation, he's now receiving should wake him up, or at least give him pause for making such reckless statements

Comments

[yelena-r0ssini.livejournal.com]

And if it turns out that she, in fact, does want taxpayer help on contraceptives, then the argument can be made that it is effectively prostitution,

WHAT

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

Are people really this incapable of reading an entire paragraph?

[paft.livejournal.com]

What in that paragraph somehow negates your claim that such a comparison is compelling enough that it might stand up in court?

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

Given the selective quoting done by you, her, and others, it's the difference between understanding an opinion about slander and about one's personal views on a specific topic.

[paft.livejournal.com]

And one of your personal views is that Limbaugh's offensive comparison is compelling enough that it could stand up in court.

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

Your words, not mine.

[paft.livejournal.com]

No, yours I've already quoted them.

[yelena-r0ssini.livejournal.com]

No, seriously, I want to hear this "argument". How IS it "effectively prostitution"? Not why you think it's wrong, why do you think it's effectively prostitution?

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

I don't. I'm not going to defend an argument I didn't make, sorry. Do that with someone else.

[yelena-r0ssini.livejournal.com]

You said the argument could be made, meaning that even if you do not personally think it's true, you see the logic behind the statement. So I'm asking you for that logic, that line of reasoning.