Limbaugh apologises for slur against student

Controversial US conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh has apologised to a law student he branded a “slut” and “prostitute” amid a storm of criticism from Republican and Democrat politicians and advertisers who severed ties with his radio programme.

Sandra Fluke, 30, a student at Georgetown University in Washington DC, had given evidence to congressional Democrats in support of their national healthcare policy that would compel her college to offer plans that covered her birth control.

“My choice of words was not the best, and in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir,” conservative commentator Limbaugh said on his website. “I sincerely apologise to Ms Fluke for the insulting word choices.”

Ms Fluke had been invited by Democrats to testify to a House of Representatives committee about her school’s healthcare plan that does not include contraception. Republican politicians barred her from giving evidence during that hearing, but Democrats invited her back and she spoke to them at an unofficial session.

President Barack Obama, whose landmark healthcare overhaul requires many institutions to provide birth control coverage, phoned her from the White House on Friday to express his support.

The issue has been much debated in the presidential race, with Republican candidates particularly criticising the Obama plan’s requirements on such employers as Catholic hospitals.

Democrats – and many Republican leaders, too – have suggested the issue could energise women to vote for Mr Obama and other Democrats in November.

Limbaugh was not swayed by Fluke’s statements before the House panel.

He said on Wednesday: “What does it say about the college coed ... who goes before a congressional committee and essentially says that she must be paid to have sex? It makes her a slut, right? It makes her a prostitute. She wants to be paid to have sex.”

He dug in a day later, refusing to give ground. “If we’re going to have to pay for this, then we want something in return, Ms Fluke,” he said. “And that would be the videos of all this sex posted online so we can see what we’re getting for our money.”

He also asked Ms Fluke: “Who bought your condoms in junior high?”

And on Friday, still defiant, even after Democrats defeated Republican challenges to the new healthcare law, Limbaugh scoffed at the Democrats’ talk of a conservative “war on women”.

“Amazingly, when there is the slightest bit of opposition to this new welfare entitlement being created, then all of a sudden we hate women. We want ’em barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen,” he said.

“And now, at the end of this week, I am the person that the women of America are to fear the most.”

But by yesterday, six advertisers had ended their sponsorship of Limbaugh’s show and some Republicans had distanced themselves from the comments.

Early today Limbaugh decided to yield, saying: “For over 20 years, I have illustrated the absurd with absurdity, three hours a day, five days a week.

“In this instance, I chose the wrong words in my analogy of the situation. I did not mean a personal attack on Ms Fluke.”

But he also said the entire debate was “absolutely absurd”.

“In my monologue, I posited that it is not our business whatsoever to know what is going on in anyone’s bedroom, nor do I think it is a topic that should reach a presidential level,” he said.

But Limbaugh’s critics were not swayed by his statement.

“In all seriousness, this isn’t an apology. It’s a public relations statement. It’s hollow and deceitful. Don’t be fooled,” tweeted the account @StopRush, the effort online to pressure advertisers to abandon the radio host.

The latest furore involved putting in place a requirement in the president’s healthcare law mandating that religious-affiliated institutions such as hospitals and universities include free birth control coverage in their employee health plans.

Georgetown, a Jesuit institution, does not provide contraception coverage in its student health plan.

Many Republicans and some religious organisations accused President Obama of waging a war on religion. As protests mounted, he said religious employers could opt out, but their insurers still must pay for the birth control coverage.

In his apology, Limbaugh repeated his aversion to the rule.

“I personally do not agree that American citizens should pay for these social activities,” he said.

“What happened to personal responsibility and accountability? Where do we draw the line? If this is accepted as the norm, what will follow? Will we be debating if taxpayers should pay for new sneakers for all students that are interested in running to keep fit?”