When Sandra Fluke testified before Congress last month, Rush Limbaugh ranted in his usual profane way, drawing massive attention to his use of "slut" and "prostitute" to describe her, although his "reaction" to her speech shows little evidence that he actually watched her testimony. There were, of course, many other subtler insults, from calling her a co-ed to mispronouncing her name, not to mention suggesting that she post video of her sexual encounters (no doubt for him to enjoy with his insurance-covered Viagra). He apologized as sincerely as Rush ever does for using "those two words", but in so doing he successfully highjacked the conversation. The most insidious thing he did was to implant the idea in the public that she wants taxpayers or an employer to pay for birth control. In reality, she pays for her own insurance. Her friend with the ruptured ovarian cyst secondary to polycystic ovarian syndrome pays for her own insurance. Like any good con man, Rush distracted our attention from his real purpose through razzle-dazzle. His style, of course, is his vulgar, petty, "shock and 'baugh," which should surprise no one.
We, of course, are to blame as well. In our sound-bite-gobbling way, we do not tend to listen to the whole story. Sandra Fluke repeatedly stated that she pays for her own insurance. What we heard is what he concluded before he ever watched the video. What we heard were those two words.
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