Republican reactions to Rush Limbaugh calling a 30-year-old grad student a "slut" and a "prostitute" for thinking birth control pills should be covered by health insurance have been varied this weekend, as the candidates took to the talk show circuit to express their opinion on the divisive topic. Not surprisingly, each candidate's approach says a lot about their campaign's underlying strategy.
On the "if I don't talk about it, maybe it will go away" front was Mitt Romney, who attempted to avoid talking about the subject at all. When finally pressed for an opinion on Friday night, CNN quotes him as saying, "I'll just say this which is it's not the language I would have used," Romney said. "I'm focusing on the issues I think are significant in the country today, and that's why I'm here talking about jobs and Ohio."
Romney's wife spoke out as well, and in the same vein: "I love it that women are concerned and voting for economic reasons," she told a handful of supporters at her husband's Ohio campaign headquarters in Columbus. "Moms are very angry about the deficit spending in Washington, D.C."
In an astounding display of a lack of self-awareness, Rick Santorum attempted to turn the conversation to his concern about someone legislating morality (apparently the only one allowed to do this is Santorum himself). Santorum, like Romney, chose to attack Limbaugh's words but not his message, calling Limbaugh's words "absurd" and adopting a "boys will be boys" mentality about "entertainers."
"Slut" and "prostitute" are absurd to Santorum, but "snob"? Well, even Santorum admits that's taking it too far. During an interview with Wolf Blitzer on CNN's "The Situation Room," he retracted his use of the word to describe President Obama, saying, "I got a little passionate there and I used a harsher word than I normally would, but the point was government shouldn't be dictating to people what they do."
The last of the Republican reactions to Rush Limbaugh's comments comes from Ron Paul, who in contrast to his competition, approached the subject with less judgment but no more logic. Paul—a former obstetrician, who should know better than most that women use birth control pills for a variety of health-related related reasons that have nothing to do with avoiding pregnancy—chose a bizarre, extended metaphor equating birth control with house paint.
All told, each of these Republican reactions to Rush Limbaugh's latest PR disaster appears perfectly tailored to their loyal supporters: Romney managed to work the economy into it, Santorum made it all about morals, and Paul did whatever it is that he does that appeals to his loyalists. But what do these Republican responses to Rush say about the candidates to undecided voters? Do these responses make any difference in their public opinion?
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Comments: 35
...That they're Socially-responsible and Wise.
Santorum: Not that dumb.
Gingrich: Uncharacteristically silent for the smartest man in the world.
Paul: Nailed it.
They need to stay away from issues like this, since they've been leapfrogging each other to the right on social issues already.
And anything that puts more spotlight on them among independents, and their disastrous, deficit increasing "budget" plans, is bad news for them. Only Paul has a plan that even pays down the deficit among the remaining cirque du clowns. And his pseudo-libertarian Republican nostalgia platform would be horrible for the country too.
Limbaugh actually did apologize- but it's too little too late, and it was perfectly obvious that he did not mean it. Limbaugh needs his sponsors to drop his radio show, and we need to make sure it happens. And the Repbublican candidates need to grow a pair and call his statements what they in fact were: hate speech.
Its plain to see that she is ever stupid or she is a plant... Maybe, she is both... Put there by the left to try and get their agenda passed...
Not everyone is stupid enough to buy into her bs...
I dont think Rush should say that he is sorry, until the left says they are sorry for calling Palin names.... Come on now, fair is fair....lol ... I think its funny actually, Rush has freedom of speech, he can say what he wants too...
he has freedom of speech, so he can go rant in his shower.
When you get there I'm thinking you won't be able to find him anywhere.
Real Republicans like myself dont support this behavior.
"The gather republicans are angry and functionally illiterate and purposefully ignorant."
So you are a RINO!
And, as for her reference to "functionally-illiterate "republicans," all one needs to do is read some of HER comments elsewhere...she couldn't spell the word "try" if she tried...
My favourite? Oh, it is her spelling of the word "sentense," without a doubt.
Rest in Peace, my Friend.
As for Rush, he was being sarcastic. No biggie. I do notice how the libs could care less when Bill Maher or Ed Shultz make derogatory comments about women. I suppose the liberal women are ok with it as long as the female is a conservative. The entire issue is absurd and a diversion.
The party itself may have, or have had, principles and some form of coherent ideology in a now distinctly mist filled past, but when its guardians prove to be little more than feeble yes men to a corpulent shock jock, then one must fear for the safety of ones country should they ever become its stewards
That they have fearfully chosen to avoid tangling with this viagra loving porker is a sign that these men have no spine. How can they be trusted to deal firmly and decisively with weighty global economic and political issues when they are afraid of calling him out for his disgusting comments towards that poor law student.. No wonder he has no kids. I am sure that his many (brave) wives made sure of that..... via contraception...lol
I mean it's just silly at this point. Liberals have no sense of doling outrage fairly. Tunnel vision rules.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/03/paul-calls-limbaugh-comments-crude/
I think John Edwards marital issues beat out anything Newt or Rush did. And Hillary actually stayed with Billy after all his womanizing just doesn't make sense... but God bless them -- they seem to know the meaning of forgiveness... you have to give them that.