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| Rush Limbaugh 'sincerely' sorry for Fluke remarks but AOL joins ad exodus | Rush Limbaugh 'sincerely' sorry for Fluke remarks but AOL joins ad exodus |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh said on Monday he was "sincere" and "heartfelt" in his apology to Sandra Fluke, the law student he branded a "slut", as advertisers continued to withdraw support from his show. | |
| On Monday media firm AOL and insurance giant Allstate joined the dozen advertisers to have pulled their support from Limbaugh's syndicated radio show. AOL said Limbaugh's messages were "not in line with our values". | |
| In a Facebook posting, Allstate said its ads had appeared in error on Monday. | In a Facebook posting, Allstate said its ads had appeared in error on Monday. |
| "We have asked our media buying firm to correct the error by discontinuing any advertising on the Rush Limbaugh Show moving forward," the company said. | "We have asked our media buying firm to correct the error by discontinuing any advertising on the Rush Limbaugh Show moving forward," the company said. |
| Last week, Limbaugh called Fluke, a Georgetown University law student, a "prostitute" and a "slut" after she testified before Congress about the need for insurance coverage for birth control. | |
| Having made the initial attack last Wednesday, Limbaugh followed up on Thursday by adding: "So, Miss Fluke, if we are going to … pay for you to have sex, we want something for it. We want you to post the videos online so we can all watch." | Having made the initial attack last Wednesday, Limbaugh followed up on Thursday by adding: "So, Miss Fluke, if we are going to … pay for you to have sex, we want something for it. We want you to post the videos online so we can all watch." |
| "I should not have used the language I did, and it was wrong," Limbaugh told listeners on Monday. | "I should not have used the language I did, and it was wrong," Limbaugh told listeners on Monday. |
| Advertisers began pulling their support immediately after the comments. Limbaugh apologised over the weekend for his comments, but immediately ran into more trouble as critics charged that his apology was insincere. | |
| "I think it is absolutely absurd that during these very serious political times, we are discussing personal sexual recreational activities before members of Congress," he wrote on his website. "My choice of words was not the best, and in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir. I sincerely apologise to Ms Fluke for the insulting word choices." | "I think it is absolutely absurd that during these very serious political times, we are discussing personal sexual recreational activities before members of Congress," he wrote on his website. "My choice of words was not the best, and in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir. I sincerely apologise to Ms Fluke for the insulting word choices." |
| Fluke told ABC's The View that Limbaugh had been trying to silence her. She rejected the apology: "I don't think that a statement like this, issued saying that his choice of words was not the best, changes anything. Especially when that statement is issued when he's under significant pressure from his sponsors, who have begun to pull support from his show." | Fluke told ABC's The View that Limbaugh had been trying to silence her. She rejected the apology: "I don't think that a statement like this, issued saying that his choice of words was not the best, changes anything. Especially when that statement is issued when he's under significant pressure from his sponsors, who have begun to pull support from his show." |
| The remarks were condemned by president Barack Obama, who called Fluke to offer his support, and by John Boehner, Republican House speaker, who called them "inappropriate". | The remarks were condemned by president Barack Obama, who called Fluke to offer his support, and by John Boehner, Republican House speaker, who called them "inappropriate". |
| AOL and Allstate were joined by two other advertisers that pulled their support after Limbaugh's apology, Carbonite and ProFlowers. | AOL and Allstate were joined by two other advertisers that pulled their support after Limbaugh's apology, Carbonite and ProFlowers. |
| "No one with daughters the age of Sandra Fluke – and I have two – could possibly abide the insult and abuse heaped upon this courageous and well-intentioned young lady," the CEO of Carbonite, David Friend, said in a statement. | |
| "Mr Limbaugh, with his highly personal attacks on Miss Fluke, overstepped any reasonable bounds of decency. Even though Mr Limbaugh has now issued an apology, we have nonetheless decided to withdraw our advertising from his show." | "Mr Limbaugh, with his highly personal attacks on Miss Fluke, overstepped any reasonable bounds of decency. Even though Mr Limbaugh has now issued an apology, we have nonetheless decided to withdraw our advertising from his show." |
| ProFlowers also released a statement: "We do not base our advertising decisions to align with any particular political view or opinion as our employees and customers are as diverse as the USA. Mr Limbaugh's recent comments went beyond political discourse to a personal attack and do not reflect our values as a company." | ProFlowers also released a statement: "We do not base our advertising decisions to align with any particular political view or opinion as our employees and customers are as diverse as the USA. Mr Limbaugh's recent comments went beyond political discourse to a personal attack and do not reflect our values as a company." |
| Limbaugh is one of the biggest radio stars in the US and is estimated to make $50m a year from his programme. The show is owned by Premiere Radio Networks, part of media giant Clear Channel Communications. | Limbaugh is one of the biggest radio stars in the US and is estimated to make $50m a year from his programme. The show is owned by Premiere Radio Networks, part of media giant Clear Channel Communications. |
| A Hawaii radio station on Monday announced it would no longer air Limbaugh's show. | A Hawaii radio station on Monday announced it would no longer air Limbaugh's show. |
| "Regardless of one's political views on the issue being discussed, we feel the delivery was degrading and the continued comments over several days to be egregious. As a result, we are discontinuing the Rush Limbaugh program on KPUA effective immediately," president and general manager Chris Leonard said in a statement. |