The national media, seemingly in step with President
Obama and Nancy Pelosi, has launched a blistering attack on conservative talk
show host Rush Limbaugh for his comments about a young law school student who
supports mandated contraceptive coverage.
Limbaugh used sexually vulgar terms to describe her. Unfortunately, the effect of the language was
to obscure the substance of his criticism.
His words were indeed offensive and have no place in public discourse.
But the statements were Limbaugh’s alone. So why did Mitt Romney, New Gingrich and
House Speaker John Boehner feel compelled to respond to media questions about
them? To comment suggests that the
person has some responsibility for what someone else said. That would be a reasonable inference in any
organization where a leader might be asked
whether he endorses or denounces a controversial statement by a
subordinate.
Note what didn’t happen last October, when leading
liberal Democrat, and Minority Leader of the House, Nancy Pelosi castigated Republicans
who opposed abortions funded by Obamacare.
She said they were going to vote “to say that women can die on the
floor”.
Wouldn’t it have been appropriate for the media to
inquire of President Obama (by benefit of his office, head of his party)
whether he would denounce her?
The national media did not ask, of course. So why do conservatives feel compelled to
answer such questions?
Whatever one thinks of Newt Gingrich, one can certainly
applaud his willingness to challenge ideologically-motivated media queries.
We must learn to stop taking the bait – there’s always a
hook in it.
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