He said he's sorry, didn't he?
One sponsor that's sticking with Rush Limbaugh spoke out Monday. LifeLock, the anti-identify theft outfit, said it will remain in the right-wing host's stable of radio advertisers, despite an exodus of companies following Limbaugh's incendiary description of Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke.
"We do not agree with Rush Limbaugh's recent comments but we acknowledge his apology," LifeLock Chief Marketing Office Marvin Davis wrote in a statement emailed to The Huffington Post. "At this time, we are not making any changes to our advertising program.”
As of this writing, LifeLock joins American Forces Radio, Hillsdale College and Lear Capital among sponsors that are apparently staying aboard. Limbaugh created a radioactive buzz when he used his national radio show to call Fluke a "slut" and a "prostitute" for testifying to Democrats in Congress that a national health program should compel employers to cover birth control for women. Pro Flowers, Quicken Loans, Sleep Train, Sleep Number, Citrix Systems Inc., Carbonite, Legal Zoom, Tax Resolution Services and AOL (The Huffington Post's parent company) have already skedaddled, according to reports. Allstate Insurance hadn't even been aware it was advertising on Limbaugh's show, according to a spokesman, but it has also stopped buying ad time.
But one marketing expert believes the remaining advertisers might benefit from a surge in listeners. "Whenever anyone opens their mouth and inserts both their feet, that often draws curious people to see what he says next," said Karen Post, the author of "Brand Turnaround." "While it did offend a bunch of people, it in fact could have the reverse effect and attract new curious people to see how he'll wriggle out of this one. At the end of the day, the math may work out OK."
The Huffington Post reached out to the aforementioned companies that are reportedly staying put, and we'll let you know if we hear from them.
Meanwhile, Limbaugh on Monday told his audience he was sorry to see some advertisers go, but will replace them with advertisers who will "profit handsomely" from buying time on his show, the New York Daily News reported.
For her part, Fluke, while not accepting Limbaugh's Saturday apology, has remained publicly neutral on whether advertisers should boycott Limbaugh's show.
Rush Limbaugh's history of controversial statements
Limbaugh mocked China's president Hu Jintao in nonsense, ersatz Chinese.
Limbaugh claimed that Michael J. Fox was "exaggerating" the symptoms of Parkinson's disease in a political ad where he advocated stem cell research. Limbaugh said:
He is exaggerating the effects of the disease. He's moving all around and shaking and it's purely an act. ... This is really shameless of Michael J. Fox. Either he didn't take his medication or he's acting.
In 2007, Limbaugh was criticized for referring to veterans who support the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq as "phony soldiers." He later claimed that he had been referring to people who claimed to be veterans but never actually served in the military.
On the eve of Obama's inauguration, Limbaugh said, "I hope he fails." He later doubled down on those comments at CPAC 2009, and on his radio show a few months later, and in 2011.
In 2007 and 2008, Limbaugh played a song by "Barack the Magic Negro" that was written and recorded for his show. In the song, political satirist Paul Shanklin impersonates Al Sharpton singing that white people will vote for Barack Obama "'cause he's not from the hood."
In the aftermath of the Japanese tsunami in March 2011, Limbaugh said:
The Japanese have done so much to save the planet. He's right. They've given us the Prius. Even now, refugees are still recycling their garbage, and yet Gaia levels them [laughs], just wipes them out. Wipes out their nuclear plants, all kinds of radiation. What kind of payback is this? That is an excellent question.
In October 2011, Limbaugh described Kraft's new Triple Double Oreo as a "bi-racial cookie" and an "Or-Ba-Meo." This was not the first time Limbaugh has compared President Obama to an Oreo cookie. In a 2009 segment about food safety advocates, he said, "After that, they're gonna want the Oreos -- might have to put off until Obama's out of office."
In November 2011, Limbaugh accused Michelle Obama -- whom he frequently refers to as Moochelle -- of "uppityism" after she and Jill Biden were booed by NASCAR fans.
Limbaugh said, "What Mr. Loughner knows is that he has the full support of a major political party in this country. He's sitting there in jail. He knows what's going on, he knows that... the Democrat party is attempting to find anybody but him to blame. He knows if he plays his cards right, he's just a victim."
In November 2010, Limbaugh suggested that Rep. Jim Clyburn could chauffeur Nancy Pelosi if he failed to win the race for House minority whip. "He gets to keep the car. He gets to go everywhere she goes, parties and everything else," Limbaugh said. "He's not in the back of the bus. He's in the driver's seat, and she's in the back of the car being chauffeured. Solved problem."
Rush Limbaugh attacked Michelle Obama for her weight, calling her out for eating ribs on a trip with her daughters. "The problem is, and I dare say this, it doesn't look like Michelle Obama follows her own nutritionary, dietary advice," Limbaugh said. "And then we hear that she's out eating ribs at 1,500 calories a serving and 141 grams of fat per serving." He continued, "I'm trying to say our first lady does not project the image of women that you might see on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue or of a woman Alex Rodriguez might date every six months, or what have you."
Rush Limbaugh was back with another hit out on Michelle Obama's weight, days after criticizing her eating ribs while on vacation. This time, his comment was even more incendiary. "The point is, if you'ree going to do this, if you are going to tell everyone to eat twigs and berries and gravel and all this other stuff, you had better look like an Ethiopian."
After Herman Cain won the Florida straw poll, Limbaugh said that if elected president, "Herman Cain could be our first authentically black president." After explaining the comment to a caller, Limbaugh turned to his call screen "Bo Snerdley" (real name James Golden) for an Ebonics skit. RNC chair Michael Steele later called the skit "stupid."
In February 2012, Limbaugh reacted to the national debate about contraception with on a long rant about contraception, abortions and women. He alleged that Planned Parenthood is "a money-laundering operation for the Democrat party," and said, "The vast majority of people having abortions are Democrat voters."
Related on HuffPost:
Ruth Bettelheim, Ph.D.: The War on Sex: The Contraception Controversy's Hidden Agenda
Peter Scheer: Rush Limbaugh's Attack Met With Hypocrisy on All Sides
Marilyn Sewell: Rush Limbaugh and the Legacy of Margaret Sanger
Rush Limbaugh loses another sponsor over Sandra Fluke remarks ...
Sponsors Pull Ads From Rush Limbaugh's Radio Show Over 'Slut ...
Rush Limbaugh: Still has the biggest sponsor on his side
Rush Limbaugh apologizes after sponsors leave (3:18)
Advertiser Boycott of Rush Limbaugh Won't Spell End for Him
More Limbaugh advertisers jump ship
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Posted: 03/ 5/2012 4:51 pm Updated: 03/ 5/2012 9:35 pm