During the weekly left-wing panel discussion on Tuesday's NBC Today, advertising executive Donny Deutsch announced: "The advertisers that are still on [sponsoring Limbaugh's radio show] are basically voting, 'Yes, we're okay with it.' They have no choice – I'm an ad guy, obviously – they have no choice but to go away." [Listen to the audio or watch the video after the jump]
Deutsch predicted: "Advertisers will speak and they will speak loud, and you're just seeing the beginning of it." Near the end of the segment, he berated Limbaugh's other advertisers: "I'm actually imploring advertisers to make – maybe we can use this to make a change in the voice out there, forget even Rush. Advertisers, take a stand right now. Every single one of you."
Considering Deutsch's own past offensive comments on-air, one would think he would be a little more forgiving. Appearing on Joy Behar's HLN show in February of 2010, Deutsch used racially-tinged language to attack then-Senate candidate Marco Rubio: "...You almost need that blank piece of paper. That's the new model. Like, you know, this coconut Rubio down in Florida."
In July of 2009, Deutsch appeared on MSNBC and suggested the only reason Sarah Palin garnered so much attention was because of her "sexual appeal."
On Tuesday, Deutsch touted an off-camera comment from weatherman Al Roker to justify the continued assault on Limbaugh: "When you're bullying down and you're basically sullying 97% – Al [Roker] said an interesting thing to me, he's [Limbaugh's] attacking our daughters. He's calling our daughters sluts if they use contraception."
Attorney Star Jones described Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke as a "young student" and later declared: "When you go after someone's college student, similar to Don Imus calling people "nappy-headed hos," it's the same thing. You're looking at my kid and we don't allow that."
In reality, Fluke is a 30-year-old woman and long-time liberal activist who was more than willing to testify at the Democratic show-hearing. She has gladly used the controversy to make numerous media appearances.
Fellow panelist, NBC chief medical editor Nancy Snyderman, concurred with Deutsch and Jones, ranting against Limbaugh's personal life: "I just want to remind people, for a man who's been married four times and has no children, I assume he's used some form of contraception or the women he's slept with. And, we know he has used Viagra. He's been caught buying Viagra, which is covered by medical insurance plans and contraception is not."
Wrapping up the Limbaugh bash-fest, co-host Matt Lauer did eventually allude to liberals being guilty of similar offensive comments: "...let's be clear about this. Saying outrageous, hurtful, harmful things is not the exclusive territory of those on the Right. People on the Left have said awful things, used slurs against women and minorities, all kinds of things."
However, rather than list specific left-wing commentators, many of them on MSNBC, Lauer simply wondered: "Is this just the system we've now gotten? Is this what the viewers deserve?"
Here is a full transcript of the March 6 exchange:
7:02AM ET TEASE:
ANN CURRY: Also this morning, more sponsors have now pulled out of Rush Limbaugh's radio show following his choice words for a Georgetown law student. How much damage has he done to himself? We're going to ask Today's Professionals about that and a lot more this morning.
8:09AM ET SEGMENT:
MATT LAUER: Back now at 8:09 with a new installment of Today's Professionals. Our team of Star Jones, Donny Deutsch, and Dr. Nancy Snyderman back to break down the hottest headlines of the day. Good morning, all. Good to see you.
By now, everyone's heard about the comments Rush Limbaugh has made about Sandra Fluke, the Georgetown University law student who spoke out saying that she favored insurance plans covering contraception. He called her a "slut" and some other things. Advertisers immediately started bailing from his program and he has apologized.
NANCY SNYDERMAN: Sort of.
LAUER: Has he done enough to set this – and get it behind him?
DONNY DEUTSCH: No. Here's the problem with advertisers – not the problem with advertisers, the problem with Rush. The advertisers that are still on are basically voting, "Yes, we're okay with it." They have no choice – I'm an ad guy, obviously – they have no choice but to go away. It's one thing when you say something inappropriate and you're bullying up. When you're bullying down and you're basically sullying 97% – Al [Roker] said an interesting thing to me, he's attacking our daughters. He's calling our daughters sluts if they use contraception. And the things that go under the table, "femi-Nazis."
STAR JONES: This is a young student.
DEUTSCH: This is – advertisers will speak and they will speak loud, and you're just seeing the beginning of it.
SNYDERMAN: I though this was one of the most depressing weeks we've seen. And I felt like we were, 50 years ago we were more civil talking about contraception and women's rights than we have been this last week. I thought it really sullied a lot of the conversation.
I just want to remind people, for a man who's been married four times and has no children, I assume he's used some form of contraception or the women he's slept with. And, we know he has used Viagra. He's been caught buying Viagra, which is covered by medical insurance plans and contraception is not. If you want to talk about a double standard, I'll put those two medications right on the table.
STAR JONES: And remember what this young woman was testifying about. She was testifying about a colleague, another student who could not afford the medicine – not the contraception – the medicine necessary to treat an illness so that she would not lose her ovary. We need to keep things in perspective. This is an attack on women's health.
LAUER: Alright, when we say keep things in perspective, let's be clear about this. Saying outrageous, hurtful, harmful things is not the exclusive territory of those on the Right. People on the Left have said awful things, used slurs against women and minorities, all kinds of things.
JONES: Absolutely, absolutely.
LAUER: Is this just the system we've now gotten? Is this what the viewers deserve?
DEUTSCH: No, I think the system has a way of self-correcting. It's interesting, because the viewers understand the world we live in and then there's a line. And he crossed the line. And I'm actually imploring advertisers to make – maybe we can use this to make a change in the voice out there, forget even Rush. Advertisers, take a stand right now. Every single one of you.
JONES: As Donny said, bullying up is one thing, when you go after a politician or a big-time entertainer. When you go after someone's college student, similar to Don Imus calling people "nappy-headed hos," it's the same thing. You're looking at my kid and we don't allow that.
(...)
