Journalists on Monday's Good Morning America
chided the Republican presidential candidates for "equivocating" and
not strongly condemning Rush Limbaugh's comments about Sandra Fluke.
Analyst Matt Dowd appeared to deride Mitt Romney for "missing a huge
opportunity" to slam Limbaugh.
John Berman focused on the fact that the conservative radio host called his own words "insulting" and that his apology went "much
further than the words used by the Republican presidential candidates,
whose condemnations all came with equivocations or deflections." [MP3 audio here.]
Berman harped on this point, making it twice: "...Because of that
language used by Rush Limbaugh, which even Limbaugh now calls insulting,
Mitt Romney and all the candidates find themselves caught between a
Rush and a hard place."
The reporter closed by making mischief, noting, "Some people have taken
notice of the fact that the company that syndicates Limbaugh's show is
partly owned by Bain Capital, the company founded by Mitt Romney."
In a follow-up segment Dowd gave some odd advice. He urged Republican
front-runner Romney to take on a man loved by many Republican voters: "I
think Mitt Romney missed a huge opportunity to show some strength,
basically take on Rush Limbaugh. Say this is not the kind of thing we
want in our political discourse."
Dowd concluded that Romney was simply to "risk adverse" to "make that hurdle."
In contrast, when liberal comedian Bill Maher
mocked Tim Tebow's religiosity, GMA reported the incident in a news
brief. When news reader Dan Harris repeated Maher's joke, laughter could
be heard in the studio.
A transcript of the March 5 Berman segment, which aired at 7:11am EST, follows:
GEORGE
STEPHANOPOULOS: Now to the Super Tuesday showdown. With his fifth
straight win in Saturday's Washington caucuses, Mitt Romney is picking
up momentum and high-profile support in the ten states voting tomorrow.
But as he looks to wrap up this nomination fight, the Rush Limbaugh
firestorm is complicating life for all the GOP candidates. That's where
we begin this morning. Your voice, your vote with ABC's John Berman.
Hey, John.
JOHN BERMAN: Good morning, George. You know, this morning,
because of that language used by Rush Limbaugh, which even Limbaugh now
calls insulting, Mitt Romney and all the candidates find themselves
caught between a Rush and a hard place. Rush Limbaugh's words
have now cost him seven advertisers. Pro Flowers, the latest big money
company to flee his show, saying his language "went beyond political
discourse to a personal attack and do not reflect our thoughts as a
company." This is what they're talking about, his comments on
30-year-old student Sandra Fluke, who testified to Congress in support
of requiring employer-funded contraceptive.
ABC GRAPHIC: Rush Revolt? Super Tuesday Fallout
RUSH LIMBAUGH: She must be paid to have sex. What does that make her? It makes her a slut, right? It makes her a prostitute.
BERMAN:
This weekend, in the face of advertiser uproar, Limbaugh apologized.
"My choice of words was not the best and in an attempt to be humorous, I
created a national stir. I sincerely apologize to Ms. Fluke for the
insulting word choices." Insulting. Limbaugh's own words and much
further than the words used by the Republican presidential candidates,
whose condemnations all came with equivocations or deflections.
RICK SANTORUM: He's being absurd. But that's that's-You know, an entertainer can be absurd.
NEWT 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 and women are being killed in Afghanistan.
MITT ROMNEY: That's not the language I would have used. I'm focusing
on the issues that I think is significant in the country today and
that's why I'm here talking about jobs in Ohio.
BERMAN: In no rush to judge Rush, a conservative icon. Romney would
love to be talking about Ohio. Polls show him closing there on Rick
Santorum.
GINGRICH: Get out and vote on Tuesday!
BERMAN: And Romney seems to be consolidating establishment support who
would love to see this race end. Now, that establishment support
includes a new recorded phone call going out from none other than former
First Lady Barbara Bush. And back to Rush Limbaugh for a moment. Some
people have taken notice of the fact that the company that syndicates
Limbaugh's show is partly owned by Bain Capital, the company founded by
Mitt Romney. George?
-- Scott Whitlock is the senior news analyst for the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on Twitter.
