As opposed to that "consistent conservative"?
Posted on 03/04/2012 6:25:04 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich says Rush Limbaugh was wrong to call a college student a "slut" and "prostitute" in the debate over contraception coverage, and was right to apologize for the comments.
Gingrich tells CNN's "State of the Union" that he's glad the conservative commentator issued the apology on Saturday and that it's time to move beyond the controversy.
Gingrich says it's "silly" to suggest that Limbaugh speaks for the GOP. Gingrich contends the media are "trying desperately to protect" President Barack Obama.
What, you mean Freepers are sticking up for Rush vs Newt? Say it ain’t so?
ABC: “This Week”..........STEPHANOPOULOS: And I’m going to ask David Axelrod about Secretary Chu in just a moment.
But also, Rush Limbaugh created quite a stir this week with his attack on the Georgetown student Sandra Fluke who testified in support of President Obama’s policy that insurance plans should provide coverage for contraception. Let’s show what Rush said right here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIMBAUGH: She goes before a congressional committee and essentially says that she must be paid to have sex. What does that make her? It makes her a slut, right? Makes her a prostitute? She wants to be paid to have sex.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHANOPOULOS: The Democrats pounced. President Obama called the student. Under pressure, Mr. Limbaugh did apologize yesterday. I know you disagree with the framing on this issue. You believe this is an issue of religious liberty. The Democrats have called this part of a war on women. Do you worry that Rush Limbaugh helped reinforce that Democratic message?
GINGRICH: No, I worry that the elite media are so desperate to not describe this accurately. You know, Cardinal George has indicated, the cardinal of Chicago, that the president’s policy — which by the way, George, includes sterilization and abortion pills. And let’s be clear about this. The president’s policy, according to Cardinal George, would lead the Catholic Church to give up every Catholic university and every Catholic hospital.
Now, I’m kind of amazed that there aren’t more voices in the elite media in favor of religious liberty in America and suggesting that, first of all, this young lady can buy contraception all she wants to. There is no place in America that’s difficult for her to get contraception. The question is, should a religiously-affiliated institution — not just Catholic, but for example the Christian University of — the Ohio Christian University, which is Protestant, but is right-to-life— finds that sterilization and abortion provisions of Obamacare totally unacceptable.
Now, is that something people are going to look at and say this is a religious liberty issue, or are we just going to have the government from here on out define for us what rights we have and say to us, oh, it’s OK to be religious for one hour on Sunday, but let’s not take it seriously the rest of the week?
I think this is a very profound question about freedom.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Do you think Rush was right to apologize?
GINGRICH: I think he was right to apologize. But let’s talk about apologies for a second. I think the president was totally wrong as commander in chief to apologize to religious fanatics while our young men are being killed in Afghanistan, and I think it was a disaster of an apology—
STEPHANOPOULOS: Let me ask you—
GINGRICH: We now have the U.N. commissioner to Afghanistan — no, just let me finish. You have the U.N. commissioner to Afghanistan in essence saying, since the president has admitted the United States is guilty, these people should be tried. Now, I think that is a disastrous position for us.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But you know, before the president apologized.......”
You Santorum supporters are the nastiest most vitriolic people on this website.
Disagree - Rush probably wishes he had thought a second before commenting the way he did. Newt only applied some common sense and instead of condemning Rush, merely agreed with his follow-on. I was listening when Rush made the comments and I could hear the mental gyrations as he realized he had probably opened a hornets nest and tried to soften the initial comments. He knew he had opened the door to allow another high-jacking of the issues and move it into the realm of the heart vs. the realm of rational thought.
A “not too smart” from an old friend hurts a hell of a lot more than a “you a**hole!” from an acquaintance.
I’ll be surprised if Rush goes anywhere near this topic again regarding this specific person. Any references he makes to her now may be construed by his advertisers that his apology wasn’t sincere.
Typo correction : A real leader takes bold steps... not reacting after the fact.
...but our beloved host JR has the dreaded ZOT handy if we get too far out of line.
As opposed to that "consistent conservative"?
(bet I told you;)
That is just not true. Gingrich did not throw Rush under the bus. If you bothered to listen to him ths morning on several of the SMTS, he was clear. He told David Gregory if he wanted to make the discussion about apologies, lets talk about Obamas apology to Afghanistan, and the damage done to our troops. My heavens, Obama and the msm is keeping the American dialogue directed at the republicans, Newt is always, always attempting to redirect it back to the failed Obama presidency. He wants to move on to higher issues and idiots still want to talk about limbaugh and birth control.
ROFLMAO! That's EXACTLY what Santorum did!
Seriously, you Santorum fanatics are beyond logic and reason. Like your candidate, you really do not think before you open your mouths.
Newt was correct and would never have allowed himself to get into a situation, of the kind that Rush has talked himself into. Rush is now in serious legal trouble for Slander. And this is far from over.
Indeed. Newt pretty much had to say what he said.
And it's not just Newt himself. Applying the fanatical standards of FR, what do you call a woman who slept with a married man for 8 years?
“So let it be with Rush now. The noble Pelosi
Hath told you Rush has been too vicious.
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Rush now answered it.
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest—
For 0bama is an honorable man;
So are they all, all honorable men—”
Oops.
Here under leave of ‘media’ (medea) and the rest....
You may be right - I still think there might - might being the key word - be a chance that on Monday Rush will run a double reverse on this - especially since Bill Maher has chimed in with some idiotic comments today that will support Rush’ case.
C. Edmund Wright has been a strung supporter of Newt. He thinks very strategically. I believe he’s saying that Newt should have stopped with “.....while Obama is apologizing....”. By continuing Newt set up a dynamic wherein the press will now go to Rush with Newt’s statement ....then come back to Newt with what Rush says.... and so on. Not exactly what you want to be talking about heading into Super Tuesday. In effect by continuing to speak Newt has entered the fray, and fallen into one of the media traps that Santorum has shown a propensity to fall in. I could be wrong.
Well that's interesting, because I am not sure it was sincere and I am not sure Rush thinks there's any salvaging the weenie sponsors anyway at this point.
Now I am not sure of the other either. Monday will be interesting .
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