Rush Limbaugh apologizes to Sandra Fluke for ‘slut’ and ‘prostitute’ remarks

This does not happen every day.

After days of mounting criticism, including from fellow Republicans, and the loss of at least three advertisers, Rush Limbaugh today apologized for remarks this week in which he called a Georgetown law student a “slut” and a “prostitute” for arguing in favor of subsidized contraception.

In a statement posted to his website, Limbaugh stood by his objections to what he described as taxpayer-funded sexual activity but said he was wrong to use inflammatory language against the law student, Sandra Fluke.

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“For over 20 years, I have illustrated the absurd with absurdity, three hours a day, five days a week. In this instance, I chose the wrong words in my analogy of the situation. I did not mean a personal attack on Ms. Fluke,” Limbaugh wrote.

“My choice of words was not the best, and in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir. I sincerely apologize to Ms. Fluke for the insulting word choices.”

But Limbaugh stood by his positions, saying it was “absurd” for Americans to discuss “personal sexual recreational activities” during “these very serious political times."

Sleep Train Mattress Centers, had announced by yesterday that it was pulling its advertising. According to Politico, advertisers Sleep Number and Quicken Loans did likewise.

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Mild rebukes continued to come in from Republicans who may have feared such ugly language and unpopular views could have given the Democrats an advantage in an election year.

Republican front-runner and presidential candidate Mitt Romney told Politico that Limbaugh’s words were “not the language I would have used.”

His main rival Rick Santorum had earlier told CNN that Limbaugh’s words were “absurd” and fellow candidate Ron Paul said Limbaugh’s remarks had been “crude.”