Fox Nation Whines: Stop Making Offenisve Comments You Pigs!

The outrage over Rush Limbaugh’s despicable attack on Georgetown law student, Sandra Fluke, continues to rage unabated. In just a few days he has lost at least 28 major sponsors. That rash of advertiser responsibility led to a fearful Limbaugh issuing a pitifully insincere “apology” that failed to address his serious infraction of civility.

However, rather than deal directly with the specific abhorrent behavior by Limbaugh, much of the right, and particularly Fox News, has decided to try to redirect the debate and shield their corpulent hero from criticism. Fox Nation’s latest contribution to this public relations crisis management campaign is a bankshot from Limbaugh to comedian Bill Maher that also takes a swipe at President Obama.

Fox Nation - Obama/Maher

The Fox Nationalists have really outdone themselves this time with a propaganda piece rich in targets. First of all, what scandal? There is nothing here that even resembles a scandal, which generally refers to some legal wrongdoing. Secondly, Obama has nothing to do with this. The Fox Nationalists are referring to a donation Maher made to an independent SuperPAC that he does not (and legally can not) control. Finally, Fox has managed to whine about offensive comments in an article that makes an offensive comment in the headline. This particular slur is one that Fox has been repeating for years. Almost every time they publish anything about Maher they substitute the word “Pig” for his first name. I don’t think anyone knows why, other than just to be as childishly insulting as possible.

Fox Nation - Pig Maher

That infantile cheap shot could only be posted on Fox Nation. Could you imagine NBC News or CNN posting such a childish taunt? Fox did the same thing with Sen. Al Franken, repeatedly calling him “Sen. Smalley,” after a character he created a decade ago on Saturday Night Live.

The underlying argument to which Fox is trying to shift is that offensive comments are only objectionable when made by conservatives. This is an empty lament that is being propagated throughout the right-wing media in a coordinated attempt to run interference for Limbaugh. The Fox nationalists ask “why the same outrage doesn’t occur when offensive comments are made by liberals.”

Not only does the same outrage occur, liberals are invariably held to account in material ways. When Keith Olbermann or Ed Schultz or David Shuster made inappropriate comments, MSNBC suspended them from their hosting duties. When was the last time that ever happened to Bill O’Reilly or Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh? Liberals have actually been notably conscientious about condemning inappropriate rhetoric, not only in words but in actions. In fact, even the article that Fox cites to make their case that liberals don’t criticize their own was written by Kirsten Powers – a liberal!

Contrary to demanding accountability for misbehavior, rightists seem bent on rewarding it. When Don Imus was bounced from his radio perch for making disparaging, racially charged comments about members of the Rutgers University women’s basketball team, Fox hired him. When Lou Dobbs was released from CNN for his ongoing insults to immigrants, Fox hired him. When Juan Williams lost his NPR gig for admitting that he was afraid of Muslims at airports, Fox hired him.

The management at all of the media companies above are considered to be liberal by conservatives, yet they all took corrective actions against their own employees. Compare that to the right. Limbaugh’s radio syndicator released a statement backing him. Rupert Murdoch publicly stated that he supported Glenn Beck when Beck called the President a racist. The pro-Gingrich SuperPAC, Winning Our Future, just announced that they are buying more time on Limbaugh’s show in the wake of this controversy.


So from both a financial and ideological perspective, the right lines up behind the most vile behavior of their advocates, while the left punishes and even fires those on their side who slip below their ethical standards. Yet the right, and Fox News, are now trying to portray the left as being tolerant of offensive rhetoric. If nothing else, this proves how upside-down the world is in the media realm.

If Fox and other conservatives think that Bill Maher’s donations should be returned, then I suppose they would also demand that the Republican Governor’s Association return Rupert Murdoch’s donation and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce return Glenn Beck’s donation. After that we can go through the rest of the donor files of every public person and make sure that no one who has ever said something that someone thinks is off-color has ever made a contribution to any political person, party, or program. And if people with objectionable histories are prohibited from making political contributions, then the same should go for corporations, right?

Don’t let the media weasels distract from the issue at hand. This campaign to hold Limbaugh accountable is about fundamental values of fairness and decency, and should continue despite his utterly disingenuous attempt at crisis management. Here are some resources you can visit to keep the fight alive:

ThinkProgress: Stand with Sandra Fluke
Daily Kos: Advertisers: pull your support for Limbaugh
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee: Denounce Rush’s Vile Misogyny
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee: Denounce Rush Limbaugh’s Anti-Women Tirade

Rush Limbaugh’s Syndicator:
Premiere Radio Network
1270 Avenue of the Americas, Fl. 19
New York, NY 10020
(212) 896-5200

Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554
(202)-418-1000

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31 thoughts on “Fox Nation Whines: Stop Making Offenisve Comments You Pigs!

  1. If I call the lot of Fox and friends reprobate, would that be considered an accurate characterization or subjective slander?

    No matter how I look at it, the fact distortion, the blatant lies, the puerile rhetoric, the withholding of vital information, reprobate just seems like the right word to use.

  2. Flush Rush. Racist Limpballs is shit. Shitty exterior, shit for brains, and full of shit. He’s shit all the way through. We need to ignore their attempts at counter-attack and continue on until we Flush Rush. Hopefully he go full on Breitbart for us!

  3. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could silence all of the people who make nasty remarks on the internet?

    • Wouldn’t it be nice if we could silence all of the people who make nasty remarks on the internet?

      Now THAT will be a true curbing of first amendment rights.

      Nice to see you coming out with your true feelings.

      • True feelings, no. But I did get a rise out of you.
        It sounds like you want to selectively silence certain people. That would make you a hypocrite.

        More speech is better.

    • If the market silences Limbaugh, isn’t that the free market at its free market best? No one has suggested (that I’ve seen or heard) that the government of FCC silence him. THAT would be an infringement of free speech. But consumers pressuring advertisers is part of a market economy.

  4. Kirsten Powers is not a “liberal.” She is a “Fox News liberal”, i.e., a shill used to present easily refuted liberal viewpoints. See Robert Greenwald’s film “Outfoxed” for more details about “Fox News liberals.”

    As for Maher, the RW is using the old tactic of deflection, changing the subject when one of their own is caught with his hand in his pants. “But what about Bill Clinton?” is their typical response to any charge that a Republican (Ensign, Vitter, Sanford et al.) was engaged in similar improprieties.

    • absolutely correct, God. In fact, considering what she does for a living – demeaning herself for profit – one might describe her, in Limbo’s own vernacular, as a….well, let’s just call her a sell-out.

    • You get your information from “Outfoxed”? Now, that is fall down funny.

      • You get your news from “Fox News”? Now that is fall down funny.

  5. Remember Coulter repeatedly referring to Amb. Joseph Wilson as “Clown” Wilson? Maybe she thought up this cheap shot name for Maher in spite of him claiming her as a friend.

    • So, you agree with Rush Limbaugh? Just another “tolerant” liberal hypocrite.

      • Everytime an oppressive right-winger intones, ‘I thought liberals were supposed to be tolerant heh heh heh’, the ghost of Karl Popper appears declares “In the name of tolerance I will not tolerate the intolerant” and beats you over the head with a hammer.

  6. I believe that the republican race is becoming more line the old side show at Coney Island than the clown show as it’s commonly called

  7. The bottom line here is that at Fox and the Fox Nation’s website, they have no class or sense of humor. If Limbaugh apoligized for this, if you can call it that, then isn’t he saying it was wrong too? That’s what an apology is-I’m sorry I was wrong! Eventhough his apology was not sincere and the only reason he made it is because his megaphone is being threatened, it is, none-the-less, some sort of an apology and admission that he was wrong. Why can’t the right-wing media just admit it? The answer: because they have no class or sense of humor. This has nothing to do with Bill Maher or anyone else other than Limbaugh. And as stated in this post, replacing Maher’s first name with Pig is so effing childish. It shows alot more about the people using this language than it does about those this language is used against.

  8. “When Keith Olberman made inappropriate comments…MSNBC suspended him…”

    Wrong as usual. Olbermann was suspended for making a campaign contribution, in violation of company policy. And while Shuster was suspended for an “inappropriate comment”, he was eventually fired for trying to peddle a show at CNN while he was still under contract with MSNBC.

    And no matter how you slice it, the left can not minimize the hatred and filth Bill Maher spews every day. He is a thousand times more disgusting than Limbaugh. The SuperPAC should return that $1 million worth of raw sewage immediately, or we will point that out every time lefty hypocrites bring up the issue of civility.

    Finally, I read Kirsten Powers’ article in the Daily Beast, and it is 100% spot on.

    • Bill Maher is a comedian whose show is on a pay cable channel. When his show was on the public airwaves and he made one comment about 9-11, he was fired immediately. Maher also brings on those with opposing views for true debate, and gives them plenty of time to speak. The next time Limbaugh does that will be the first.

      • “Bill Maher is a comedian…”

        That excuse absolutely does not wash. The media culture in all its infinite wisdom (ahem, that was sarcasm, by the way) has elevated Maher to some kind of wise sage and satirist. That is why CNN and MSNBC keep bringing him back on again and again. They keep thinking he has something profound to say. Maher feeds off of that to puff himself up.

        Comedian? Satirist? No. I hear more truth coming out of the mouth of Jeff Foxworthy than I do Bill Maher.

    • First of all, the point is that MSNBC has ethical standards for their hosts, whether for commentaries or contributions is immaterial.

      Secondly, if you think that Maher’s remarks should result in Democratic politicians shunning his support, it sounds like you are agreeing that the same should be true for Limbaugh. I’m cool with that. But, somehow, I suspect that you’re not.

      • “MSNBC has ethical standards for their hosts.” STOP!! you’re killing me!!! LOL!!!!!

        Two words “Chris Matthews”.

      • I do wish that all the GOP candidates had said that Limbaugh’s comments were disgusting instead of…um…er…inappropriate or “that’s language I wouldn’t use.”

        There is one dividing line to point out. Limbaugh has since apologized. Yes, it was a pretty weak apology, but it is still light years more than what you will ever hear from Bill Maher. And don’t forget: While calling somebody a slut and a prostitute is disgusting, calling somebody a c### and a tw## is far, far worse.

        • Thanks for being consistent.

          As for the dividing line, I agree for different reasons. Rush made his disgusting comments about a private person, while Maher spoke about a very public politician. That’s significant because someone like Palin has the resources and media access to defend herself – although it doesn’t excuse the language.

          Also, just to be accurate, Maher never called anyone a cunt. He did refer to Palin’s vagina using that word, but he didn’t call her one.

          • Fluke became a public person the minute she opened her mouth in the meeting with Nancy Pelosi. Let’s not try to whitewash this thing. She has an agenda and is perfectly willing to stick her face on TV to promote said agenda.

            “Bill Maher never called anyone a cunt.”
            Well that makes it OK now. Sheesh!!! You really need to stop defending Maher and others on the left.

            • We need to stop defending Maher as you defend Rush. Glad to see you’re in favor of media giants bullying the little guy/gal.

  9. Sammy, I have never defended Limbaugh. Just pointing out the double standard. You should be just as outraged at the left as you are of the right.

    • I cringe when someone with whom I agree makes a statement that is distasteful or hateful. I cringe because of the nature of the statement and because it’s too “easy”. And I cringe because it fans the flames of the opposition’s outrage.

      However, in the context of a comedy show’s monologue, regardless of the person’s positions, I give more leeway because of the nature of that kind of humor. Letterman made fun of GWB all the time, but it was almost always picking fun at Bush’s problems with public speaking. He doesn’t make fun of Obama as much, but I doubt it’s because his writers are all liberals (because I don’t even know who his writers are except for one who is actually more of a comedy and sports writer), but because Obama doesn’t make as many speaking gaffes.

      Bill Maher has chastised Obama on many issues and called him a pussy. I watch his show, so I’ve seen it. He goes toe to toe with both liberals and conservatives on his show and because it’s HBO he uses more profane language than those on regular TV or cable. But he makes no bones about his political leanings and doesn’t pretend to be on a “fair and balanced” network. In fact, he had Breitbart on his show at least twice (that I saw). Michael Steele has had his own one on one segment twice. His show, regardless of what you think of him, is the most balanced of any political show on TV. And when he is short on conservatives, he apologizes and explains why (usually it’s because he’s reached out and been rebuked.)

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