On Monday's CBS This Morning, Charlie Rose hinted that Republicans
needed to go further in decrying Rush Limbaugh's slam of radical
feminist and law student Sandra Fluke. Rose asked Senator John McCain, "Are you satisfied that those Republican officials have gone far enough in condemning these statements?" McCain replied, "Oh, I'll leave that up to pundits like you, Charlie" [audio available here [1] ].
The morning newscast also highlighted how "seven companies have pulled commercials from Limbaugh's nationally syndicated show. Online data company Carbonite said the on-air attack crossed the line....Limbaugh had some defenders, but they were drowned out by those protests on the left, and critics on the right."
The anchor raised the controversy over Limbaugh's remark during the
second half of his interview of McCain. He first asked the former
Republican presidential candidate, "One question about Rush Limbaugh,
who is, obviously, a prominent radio personality. Does he have some
power within the Republican Party?"
The Arizona senator answered, in part, that "those statements were
unacceptable in every way and should be condemned by everyone, no matter
what their political leanings are." Rose followed up by asking his
"condemning" question concerning the Republican leadership.
Near the end of the segment, the CBS journalist (whom McCain interestingly labeled a "pundit")
raised the issue of the upcoming HBO feature about the 2008
presidential election. The Republican didn't mince words in his answer
about "Game Change":
ROSE: Senator McCain, there's also a movie that's- this week. (McCain laughs) You're not going to look at it. Why are you not going to see a movie about your campaign?
MCCAIN: Because it's based on a book that is full of
unattributed quotes- things that are- absolutely never happened- and if
it's based on that book, which I was briefed on, then, of course, it
can't be accurate.
Correspondent
Jan Crawford filed a report on the current GOP presidential contenders'
response to the Limbaugh controversy following the McCain interview.
Co-anchor Erica Hill noted in her introduction that "some of
Limbaugh's sponsors are dropping his show, and the Republican
presidential candidates are now being drawn into the controversy." During her report, Crawford spotlighted how "Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney tried to distance themselves from the controversy," and that Ron Paul "questioned Limbaugh's apology." She also played a clip of Newt Gingrich attacking the media for making the story the "great national crisis of this week."
The transcript of the relevant portion of Charlie Rose's interview on Monday's CBS This Morning, starting at the 13 minutes into the 7 am Eastern hour mark; along with the report from Jan Crawford, which immediately followed:
CHARLIE ROSE: One question about Rush Limbaugh, who is, obviously, a
prominent radio personality. Does he have some power within the
Republican Party?
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R), ARIZONA: Sure, absolutely- he has influence
because he has a strong conservative base. I know that. But those
statements were unacceptable in every way and should be condemned by
everyone, no matter what their political leanings are.
[CBS News Graphic: "Rush's Reversal: McCain On Limbaugh Apology"]
ROSE: And so, are you satisfied that those Republican officials have gone far enough in condemning these statements?
MCCAIN: Oh, I'll leave that up to pundits like you, Charlie. (Rose laughs) But it is totally unacceptable.
ROSE: Senator McCain, there's also a movie that's- this week. (McCain
laughs) You're not going to look at it. Why are you not going to see a
movie about your campaign?
MCCAIN: Because it's based on a book that is full of unattributed
quotes- things that are- absolutely never happened- and if it's based on
that book, which I was briefed on, then, of course, it can't be
accurate.
ROSE: Senator, it's always good to have you on the program. Thank you so much.
MCCAIN: Thanks, Charlie.
ROSE: We'll have more on Rush Limbaugh. He apologized over the weekend
for the language he used to describe a law student who wants insurance
coverage for birth control.
ERICA HILL: Some of Limbaugh's sponsors are dropping his show, and the
Republican presidential candidates are now being drawn into the
controversy.
Political correspondent Jan Crawford is in Dayton, Ohio, where the
important Super Tuesday primary is, of course, tomorrow. Jan, good
morning.
[CBS News Graphic: "Rush's Reversal: Limbaugh Apologizes As Sponsers [sic] Leave"]
JAN CRAWFORD: Well, good morning, Erica. That's right. Super Tuesday is
just hours away, and the candidates are out making their final push for
voters. They hoped to be focusing on the issues, like the economy and
energy prices. But instead, they found themselves answering questions
about Rush Limbaugh.
CRAWFORD (voice-over): He's a media powerhouse known for rallying the
right. But for some conservatives, Rush Limbaugh's latest comments were
too much. Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney tried to distance themselves
from the controversy.
RICK SANTORUM, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (from interview on CNN's
"The Situation Room): He's being absurd, but that's- you know, an
entertainer can be absurd.
MITT ROMNEY, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (from campaign event): I'll
just say this, which is, it's not the language I would have used.
CRAWFORD: The controversy began after Georgetown University law student
Sandra Fluke testified in support of mandatory contraceptive coverage
under her school's health care plan, saying birth control would cost
$3,000.
RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST (from February 29, 2012 radio
program): It makes her a slut, right? It makes her a prostitute. She
wants to be paid to have sex. Miss Fluke, and the rest of you
feminazis, here's the deal. If we are going to pay for your
contraceptives, and thus, pay for you to have sex, we want something for
it, and I'll tell you what it is. We want you to post the videos
online, so we can all watch.
CRAWFORD: Insisting he did not mean to personally attack Fluke,
Limbaugh issued a written apology, stating, 'My choice of words was not
the best, and in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir.'
But Saturday's apology became Sunday talk show fodder.
NEWT GINGRICH, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (from NBC's "Meet The
Press"): I'm astonished at the desperation of the elite media. To
suddenly to decide that Rush Limbaugh is the great national crisis of
this week.
PEGGY NOONAN, FORMER NIXON [sic] SPEECH WRITER: It played into this
trope that the Republicans have a war on women. No, they don't, but he
made it look that way.
CRAWFORD: Calling his language crude, Ron Paul questioned Limbaugh's apology.
REP. RON PAUL, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (from interview on CBS's
"Face The Nation"): I don't think he's very apologetic. He's doing it
because some people were taking their advertisements off his program. It
was his bottom line that he was concerned about.
CRAWFORD: Seven companies have pulled commercials from Limbaugh's
nationally syndicated show. Online data company Carbonite said the
on-air attack crossed the line, and issued this statement. 'We hope that
our action will ultimately contribute to a more civilized public
discourse' [David Friend, CEO, Carbonite].
Media expert Eric Dezenhall believes Limbaugh's career will survive this P.R. crisis.
ERIC DEZENHALL: Well, Rush Limbaugh makes his living crossing the line.
For every person who loudly protests, there are also people who
silently agree with him.
CRAWFORD (live): Now, Limbaugh had some defenders, but they were
drowned out by those protests on the left, and critics on the right. And
for some Republicans, there was also this concern, that the focus on
the Limbaugh controversy was distracting from the important issues, and
playing right into Democrats' hands, as both sides fight for that
critical female vote. Charlie and Erica?
HILL: Jan, thank you.