On his Friday show, HBO “Real Time” host Bill Maher explained why he can get away with misogynistic attacks on former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and other conservatives while radio host Rush Limbaugh cannot.
Limbaugh on Friday suggested that President Barack Obama should return the $1 million donation Maher made to his super PAC last week, because the White House has so forcefully condemned recent attacks on Georgetown University Law Center student and birth control advocate Sandra Fluke. (RELATED: Obama calls Limbaugh-attacked student to voice support)
“Listen to this,” Maher said. “Today, Rush Limbaugh tried to drag me into this bullshit he caused. Let me explain. Last week, I said goodbye to a million dollars. I bought gas,” Maher joked. “No, I made a contribution to Obama’s super PAC and Rush Limbaugh says [Obama] has to give that money back … because I sometimes call Sarah Palin a bad name.”
According to Maher, Obama doesn’t have to return that contribution because his show airs on a premium cable channel that generates revenue through subscriptions, not sponsors.
“OK, this analogy breaks down in so many places I can’t even begin,” he continued. “Except, let’s just start with this — Rush, I don’t have sponsors. I’m on HBO. See, that’s the great thing about being on HBO, whereas Rush Limbaugh has already lost a lot of sponsors. The first one to pull out : mattress companies, Sleep Train Mattresses. They said they support Rush’s right to free speech, but you know, sluts use a lot of mattresses. They got to go with the sluts. They use like 10 mattress a week. They wear them out. They’re sluts.”