Of late, the liberal media has been extremely interested in letting people know that Rush Limbaugh shouldn't have called abortion activist Sandra Fluke a slut since such language is inappropriate. That's a decidedly different attitude from how the media have regarded vulgar and sexist attacks on Wisconsin Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch—and her children.
Kleefisch is a wife, mother and cancer survivor who faces a recall vote on June 5 along with Governor Scott Walker after they helped pass a law last spring that would affect public workers' collective bargaining rights.
During an on-air segment soon after Kleefisch was inaugurated in January of 2011, Sylvester made references to her colon cancer, including speculation about whether she wears a wig or just has a poor hairstyle.
He also asserted that while Kleefisch has government insurance, she basically says: “Screw everybody else!”
According to an uncredited article at WXOW.com, Mark Jefferson, executive director of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, then called on Sylvester to apologize for his remarks, which Jefferson described as “offensive.”
A statement from the American Cancer Society called the references "disrespectful" and said Sylvester made light of Kleefisch's fight with cancer "under the guise of political discourse."
Even though WTDY Program Director Rex Charger defended Sylvester's remarks as obvious sarcasm and not to be taken literally, the talk show host issued a public statement of apology two days later, even sending a letter of apology to Kleefisch.
However, the lieutenant governor has remained one of Sylvester's favorite targets, and he has even gone so far as to include her children in his attacks, such as this excerpt of an on-air segment:
I love it that your kids have actually have to hear about what evil things you're doing. I hope they have to hear it every day. And I hope they come home right to you. And just because you’re good looking—and and she is—and just 'cuz you’re cutes and I'm sure you got a precocious little daughter you put in little Jon Benet contests, and I'm sure you have a little jock son, and they come home and say 'Mommy, they’re saying you’re a witch.' You are a witch!
Interestingly, this incident isn't the first time Sylvester's comments about a Republican woman have gotten him in trouble.
In 2004, on-air remarks by Sylvester about Condoleeza Rice, the Bush administration's national security adviser, were considered by some to be racist and resulted in national attention. That doesn't appear to be happening this time since Sylvester's remarks don't fit into their ludicrous "war on women" idea.
Sylvester did apologize for his comments but the Wisconsin media was nowhere near as interested in them as the national press was in Rush Limbaugh's discussion of Sandra Fluke.
