by Mark Silva
Leave it to Rush Limbaugh, the golden voice of radio, to liken the president's nominee for the Supreme Court and her professional friends to a bunch of housemaids.
"I think I'm going to send Sotomayor, and her club, a bunch of vacuum cleaners to help them clean up after their meetings,'' Limbaugh said today.
Here's the context of the radio man's remarks about the candidate for the seat of retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter, with the Senate Judiciary Committee ready to start confirmation hearings for President Barack Obama's first nominee in July:
"Today, my friends, we turn our attention to the latest revelation from Judge Sonia Sotomayor. It appears that Ms. Sotomayor, the model of diversity and inclusion, has some explaining to do regarding her membership in a club.
"Not just any club -- a club whose members are all female. In documents provided to the Senate Judiciary Committee, the honorable judge wrote this: "I am a member of the Belizean Grove, a private organization of female professionals from the profit, nonprofit and social sectors. The organization does not invidiously discriminate on the basis of sex. Men are involved in its activities -- they participate in trips, host events and speak at functions -- but to the best of my knowledge, a man has never asked to be considered for membership." (I don't blame 'em!)
"The group includes over 100 high-level executives and upper-crust women from the corporate and government worlds,'' Limbaugh continued.
"However... the Code of Judicial Conduct bars judges from belonging to any organization that practices discrimination based on race, sex, religion, or national origin.
"I wonder. If Justices Roberts or Thomas belonged to an association that discriminated against females, if Justices Alito or Scalia were discovered to have membership in a group that excluded females, how would liberals have reacted? Would they have forgiven the judges' involvement in an "old boy's club"? Or would they have erupted in a full-blown, five-alarm rage?
"Safe to say, any conservative in this situation would find their nomination dead in the water. Clubbed -- like a baby seal. No question about it. I think I'm going to send Sotomayor, and her club, a bunch of vacuum cleaners to help them clean up after their meetings.''
Comments
Keep floundering for a line of attack against Judge Sotomayor, Rush. So far you have offended Latino voters and now women voters. I can't think of a better titular head of the party than Limbaugh. By the time he's done the GOP will be so small that it can be drowned in a bathtub.
Posted by: Quippy | June 17, 2009 3:52 PM
Let's let the Republican Senators repudiate the CCC and Druggy Rush. I Double dare them. Newt's easy, he's a self serving clown who has no base. But the great fat slob and the CCC? I think not. Rush is still the presumptive head of the GOP until someone can slap him down by name. Coryn did not mention his name, nor were his attacks pointed.
I love watching the big dumb GOP elephant die in it's own dung heap. It's very entertaining and advantageous for the Dems. If I didn't so enjoy seeing the GOP reduced to a pathetic band of losers, I'd empathize for them. But seeing as how the GOP doesn't believe in empathy - I can't do that.
.
http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=487
Posted by: former Republican | June 17, 2009 4:01 PM
Well, Rush, it didn't hurt Alito much now, did it?
http://mediamatters.org/blog/200906110007
Posted by: Mike | June 17, 2009 4:34 PM
Was it women or the Latino maid he was attacking? Rush speaking to the "heart" of conservatives.
Posted by: bill r. | June 17, 2009 4:57 PM
You would have thought that after having been taken to school by Obama on the Stimulus Package, Limpbaugh would have the good sense to avoid having his nose bloodied again by taking on Obama's nominee who will inevitably be confirmed and likely by a significant margin. But no, the bloated Rush and his fat ego won't let him turn from this fight, no matter what it ultimately does to him and indirectly his Republican party. This guy is rapidly becoming my favorite Republican for what he's doing FOR the Democratic Party
Posted by: Lisa | June 17, 2009 5:08 PM
I thought the Supreme Court _was_ a Mens' club!
If she is confirmed, she will be caught red handed.
Posted by: tomj | June 17, 2009 5:23 PM
Note to GOP:
Sometimes buttheads are not independent or even contrarian thinkers. As is the case here (and with Cheney, Palin, and Newt), sometimes they're just buttheads.
Posted by: Kenny Bunkport | June 17, 2009 6:01 PM
How many golf courses still don't allow female members (or minority members for that matter...)?
Posted by: incognita | June 17, 2009 7:42 PM
This man can't help himself, the sexism is so deeply ingrained that he doesn't recognize just how offensive his comments are.
Posted by: athena | June 17, 2009 9:00 PM
Rush the Hutt, invoking the erp response yet again.
Posted by: C.Morrisā§ | June 17, 2009 9:22 PM
Not so fast.
This was a surprising little item to surface.
I don't think there are any all-male clubs l left in the non-Islamic world, are there?
Probably not in the US.
Can anyone name any clubs in US that are still all male?
Posted by: ornery | June 18, 2009 12:20 AM
Are they as big and thick in the Belizean Grove as in the Bohemian?
The tree trunks, I mean.
Posted by: ornery | June 18, 2009 12:46 AM
Wow. I hate to say it, but there may be something seriously wrong with Rush. It seems every new chapter in the story of his life and experiences, shared from behind the golden microphone, is more bizarre, thuggish and convoluted. Is he back to abusing painkillers and could it be syphillis? His brain is going.
Posted by: kg123 | June 18, 2009 8:05 AM
In answer to the query about golf clubs: try Augusta National, famous for "The Masters."
This from Wikipedia:
There are currently no female members of Augusta, although women are able to play the course as guests of a member. The club's lack of female membership received national attention in 2002 when Martha Burk, chairperson of the National Council of Women's Organizations, publicly challenged the club's stance. Pressure placed upon corporate sponsors of The Masters over the 2002 controversy led the Club to voluntarily broadcast the 2003 and 2004 tournaments without commercials. The club has women on the waiting list to become members, but will not allow them to circumvent the regular process to appease the public.
Posted by: athena | June 18, 2009 8:33 AM
Posted by: ornery | June 18, 2009 12:20 AM
Bohemian Club, also known as the Bohemian Grove.
The Brook in New York
The Knickerbocker Club in New York.
Just to name a few.
Posted by: Mike | June 18, 2009 9:01 AM
Posted by: ornery | June 18, 2009 12:20 AM
How about the Skull and Bones society at Yale, the one George W. Bush belonged to?
Posted by: BC | June 18, 2009 10:37 AM
Apparently when Rush sees a latina, all he can think of is "cleaning lady". That's really sad. Why does anyone listen to that pathetic little man?
Posted by: Marge | June 18, 2009 1:03 PM
Rush Limbaugh: Stupid Is As Stupid Claims!: http://tinyurl.com/lfojcb
Posted by: moneyremix | June 24, 2009 8:40 AM