Sen. Levin calls on AFN to drop Rush Limbaugh
By Matthew M. Burke
Published: March 7, 2012
The influential chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee joined a group of female veterans in advocating for the removal of polarizing talk radio host Rush Limbaugh from the American Forces Network Wednesday following controversial comments the shock jock made about a young female law student, according to a CNN report Thursday.
Sen. Carl Levin said that while he would not legislate to have Limbaugh’s program removed from the network that provides a broad spectrum of viewpoints and ideas in television and radio to U.S. servicemembers around the world, he hoped the Pentagon would “drop it on their own volition.”
“I think that is probably an issue that should be left to the folks that run that network,” Levin told CNN. “In other words, I'd love to see them drop it but I don't think I'd legislate it.”
The Michigan Democrat joins the growing backlash against the conservative stalwart for comments made about Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke in which Limbaugh called the woman a “slut” and a “prostitute” for advocating insurance coverage for contraceptives in testimony before lawmakers. Limbaugh has lost dozens of advertisers following the vitriolic remarks and has even seen the Republican presidential candidates distance themselves from him.
Levin told CNN that Limbaugh’s remarks were “offensive” and he was “delighted” to see sponsors jumping ship in droves.
Earlier this week, four female veterans argued for his removal in a statement released by the political group VoteVets.org.
“Rush Limbaugh has a freedom of speech and can say what he wants, but in light of his horribly misogynistic comments, American Forces Radio should no longer give him a platform,” said the statement, attributed to Iraq veterans Miranda Norman, Kayla Williams, Robin Eckstein and Katherine Scheirman. “Our entire military depends on troops respecting each other - women and men.”
A Pentagon spokesman said Monday that there were no plans to remove Limbaugh’s show from the airwaves.
http://www.stripes.com/blogs/stripes-central/stripes-central-1.8040/sen-levin-calls-on-afn-to-drop-rush-limbaugh-1.170931
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