Posted on 03/05/2012 11:51:28 AM PST by raccoonradio
The tally of advertisers who have pulled their spots from PREMIERE NETWORKS host RUSH LIMBAUGH's show over his comments about law student/activist SANDRA FLUKE last week (NET NEWS 3/2) now stands at nine, although it is presently unclear whether LIMBAUGH's weekend apology (NET NEWS 3/3) will result in any returning advertisers or whether the advertising suspensions are permanent or temporary.
The list of advertisers pulling spots from LIMBAUGH's show includes CALIFORNIA regional mattress chain SLEEP TRAIN and national advertisers QUICKEN LOANS, CITRIX (GOTOMYPC), SLEEP NUMBER, PROFLOWERS.COM, CARBONITE (which initially said it would hold off pulling its ads until its CEO spoke to LIMBAUGH), AOL, and LEGAL ZOOM. QUICKEN LOANS' sister CLEVELAND CAVALIERS have pulled spots from LIMBAUGH's show on CLEAR CHANNEL Talk WTAM-A/CLEVELAND, which happens to be the team's flagship station, according to WTAM, citing TALKING POINTS MEMO. Most recently, MICHAEL ROZBRUCH of TAX RESOLUTION SERVICES tweeted: "We have decided to join other advertisers and suspend our sponsorship of The RUSH LIMBAUGH Show."
Limbaugh Opens Show With Apology And Barbs At Obama, Left
At the outset of his show TODAY, LIMBAUGH joked about canceling his own company's "TWO IF BY TEA" commercials but being unable to get past a busy signal. "Give me 30 minutes here," he said, "and then you can do what you want."
Taking a shot at the left for what he described as saying and doing anything to make its point, LIMBAUGH said, "In fighting this issue last week, I became like them ... I descended to their level ... I became like them, and I feel very badly about that." He added, "I do not think that she is either of those two words ... the apology over the weekend was sincere ... I became like the people we oppose."
He then went on to criticize President OBAMA's "socialist agenda" and "extra-constitutionally" making moral judgments over what private insurance plans cover, and recounted his version of the timeline of the issue and Rep. DARRELL ISSA (R-CA)'s rejection of FLUKE's bid to testify before Congress. "All of this," LIMBAUGH said, "is political," adding that the examples of women denied coverage of contraception by GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY's health plan that FLUKE sought to testify about were anecdotal and "unprovable" hearsay, and that FLUKE, knowing that GEORGETOWN is a Jesuit Catholic school, went there to change the policy. He repeated his apology's assertion that the segments from last week were intended as satire and prompted by reports of FLUKE claiming that she could not afford birth control. "I acted too much like the leftists that despise me," he said. "It's wrong, and that's why I apologized. Don't be mad at them or mad at her, everybody was being true to their nature except me."
On the departed advertisers, he said he is "sorry to see them go," but noted that they had done well through their access to the LIMBAUGH audience. "It's a business decision and it's theirs to make. They've decided that they don't want you, and so be it." He said that he "knew the political inclinations" of the advertisers and that they didn't care, nor did he, as long as they were making money. He said that he rejects "millions" of dollars a year from potential advertisers, including, he claimed, GENERAL MOTORS. He said the show will "replace those who leave... who no longer want your business" and advised listeners to "make your own decision" on doing business with those advertisers. And he repeated the apology as well as his assertion that the left does not apologize for its own comments (including BILL MAHER's calling SARAH PALIN names) and that the right should not descend to the left's level.
Fluke Isn't Impressed With Apology
FLUKE, appearing on ABC-TV's "THE VIEW," said that the apology didn't change anything for her. "I don't think that a statement like this issued, saying that his choice of words was not the best, changes anything," she said, "and especially when that statement is issued when he's under significant pressure from his sponsors who have begun to pull their support."
One Activist Wants Clear Channel To Do More
Meanwhile, the same activist who issued a press release rejecting CLEAR CHANNEL's offers after Talk KFI-A/LOS ANGELES hosts JOHN AND KEN as not enough did the same regarding LIMBAUGH, issuing another pair of press releases reiterating her intention to complain to the FCC. JASMYNE CANNICK's JOHN AND KEN release contradicted the comments of other activists who had met with KFI officials, including PROJECT ISLAMIC HOPE leader NAJEE ALI, who told the LOS ANGELES TIMES, "Mission accomplished. We got everything we asked for."
If they drop him, we drop them
I have been paying for Aol since at least 95 despite my family telling me to drop it.
So today I finally cancelled. It felt very good. I was then instructed to take a survey and I told them I need my 15 bucks per month to pay for birth control.
I do finally feel free of AOL and thank Rush and his loyal listeners for finally helping me find my way.
Maybe i can get some good rates on advertising my business right now.
RUSH should have known better.
He should have triple-downed on his critique.
He still would have lost his advertisers. He still would have been battered by the MSM. And he still wouldn’t have his apology accepted. But he would at least have his pride and convictions.
Pathetic
This is nothing more than an attack by Democrats in Congress and Democratic Corporations against Rush Limbaugh in an Election year.
Their intention is to deny Limbaugh his First Amendment Rights and to prohibit his message during an election year.
I have never used one of those products so it doesn’t matter to me. However, this is getting ridiculous. Rush might need a little money to pay some bills for the short term, but he will rebuild and get other sponsors.
“good rates on advertising my business”
That’s what I call a stimulus plan.
Pro Flowers?
No more wilted roses for Valentine’s day?
BWAAAAAAA.
You go RUSH!!!
There are a few of us behind you!
Rush has said he turns away quite a few companies that want to advertise on his show/website...
If any of those advertisers decide to come back to Rush because of the money and clients they’ve lost I hope Rush tells them to ...
wow! finally you dumped worthless aol. I have a friend I have begged and begged to drop aol, but she still hangs on, so far doesnt want to bother.
There are more of us than there are Kos Kids jerks.
You’re about to learn that. :)
Didn’t this Fluke creep get her fifteen minutes of attention yet?
Free at last.
Rush has said he turns away quite a few companies that want to advertise on his show/website...
That is great news. Maybe he can go through the list and see if any would fit what he is looking for.
None of these companies advertise on Mtv I take it??
I’ve had my AOL email account for 18 years but will happily cancel them today.
Sandy Bed Bugs
It would have been good to tell them you cancelled because of them cancelling on Rush's show.
That way they would get the cause-effect.
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