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As the media arm for the US Council of Catholic Bishops and its newly red hatted head, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Fox News channel has provided almost total support for the bishop's opposition to the HHS contraceptive mandate. The "opinion" on Fox & Friends, as articulated by Fox host and NY Diocesan litigator, Peter Johnson, Jr., has been a point by point recitation of the bishop's talking points. Megyn Kelly's official "news" has also been, for the most part, with the bishops and reinforced by two visits from self-proclaimed Catholic spokesman and blowhard bigot, Bill Donohue. And to give the bishop's position that extra special Catholic imprimatur, Fox has employed its only official clergyperson, Catholic Fr. Jonathan Morris, who has pledged to die in support of the right of the Catholic Church and its pals in the GOP, to devote two of his regular Fox & Friends Sunday sermons about how this isn't about birth control but religious liberty. Fr. Morris, who went on Roman holiday as part of Cardinal Dolan's entourage, is a loyal foot soldier in the army of world oldest all men's club. As such, he took Dolan's message, about this "assault on religious liberty" to his Fox flock on this morning's Fox & Friends.

Pat Buchanan apparently knew he was in sympathetic company for a racial joke Friday night (3/2/12) on Hannity. In a discussion about the upcoming presidential election, Buchanan quipped, “Obama was so low in the polls (a few months ago) even the Kenyans were saying he was born in the United States.” 

The less than six degrees of separation between Fox News and the RNC is no secret. Check out Jon Stewart's amusing exposé of how Fox frames its agitprop based on RNC "pundit prep" documents. The best part of the piece is about how wall of genius Steve Doocy actually reveals the RNC agenda - thus earning him a withering glance from Gretchen Carlson's "laser eyes."

Whatever you think of Rush Limbaugh’s apology to Sandra Fluke, at least he said, “I chose the wrong words in my analogy of the situation. I did not mean a personal attack on Ms. Fluke... I sincerely apologize to Ms. Fluke for the insulting word choices.” I encourage you to read his entire statement because it’s more of a CYA than any kind of graciousness. But what about Bill O’Reilly? He didn’t come right out and call Fluke a slut as Limbaugh did; he “merely” implied it.

Rush Limbaugh issued a rare apology this afternoon to Sandra Fluke, the Georgetown Law School student he called a “slut” and a “prostitute” after she testified before Congress in favor of contraception coverage in health insurance. Although Limbaugh has a long history of hate mongering, these remarks were so over the top that he ignited a media firestorm, lost several advertisers and drew condemnation from both sides of the political aisle. I can assure you that if this were a liberal on the hot seat, this would be the top story 24/7 on Fox. But you’ll need your reading glasses to find the news of Limbaugh’s apology on FoxNews.com and you won’t find it at all right now on Fox Nation. UPDATED. UPDATE 2.

Nothing brings out the manly men from Fox Nation than women who dare to articulate a position in support of women's reproductive rights. Obviously, these Neanderthals live (or want to live) in  a world where their women, as was said in that country song, put their biscuits in the oven and their buns in bed. As such, they loathe Sandra Fluke, the Georgetown law student (what a snob!) who spoke about how lack of access to affordable contraception endangers women's health. But Rush Limbaugh, a manly man whose trip to the Dominican Republic included a healthy dose of Viagra - covered under many health insurance plans - saw things differently and called her, and women who support access to contraception, a bunch of sluts. Fox Nation is providing an ongoing transcript for Rush's commentary. Not surprisingly, his Fox Nation followers, who also live in a fantasy world of women as handmaidens and happy brood mares, attacked this woman who dare speak out against the sacred patriarchy. While most of the comments were of the standard she-should-keep-her-legs-closed, there was one comment that was particularly vile.

You just can't make it up. While those who oppose misogyny are incensed by Rush Limbaugh's extraordinarily offensive and sexist commentary about how "sluts" like Sandra Fluke and those women who support the HHS birth control mandate should post sex videos of themselves on the internet, Fox Nation has a transcript of his comments that include the sex tape reference. It's titled "Limbaugh Takes Blowtorch To Fluke "Slut" Controversy." It is followed by equally misogynistic and offensive commentary from the Fox Nation denizens about women needing to keep their legs together. Remember folks, this is the blog for "those opposed to intolerance." Once again, we are reminded that despite Steve Doocy and the religious right, who say that the HHS mandate is a "war on religion," the reaction to it is really a war on women who speak out on behalf of reproductive rights. Only in the bizararo world of right wing machismo are such women considered "sluts." (The early suffragettes endured the same taunts) Limbaugh "jokes" about her having constant sex; but nowhere in Ms. Fluke's testimony did she reference her own sexual activity. "Fair & Balanced" Fox Nation, however, has not provided a transcript of her testimony. Nice to see that Fox "News" is aiding and abetting the Rush Limbaugh's misogyny and lies.  

It was only a matter of time before Sean Hannity and Fox News found an excuse to use Andrew Breitbart’s death to play the conservative victim – and I don’t mean because of any grieving. Sure enough, Hannity dredged up a Rolling Stone article called Andrew Breitbart: Death of a Douche, distorted its content, and then trotted out Ann Coulter last night for a right-wing bitch-a-thon about the sufferings of conservatives in the unfair world where only the left can spew hate. Hannity was not the only show to use the article for its own, anti-left agenda. The Five did the same thing earlier in the day. But unfortunately for conservative martyrdom, Coulter dropped a load of right-wing hate right in the middle of the segment - when she defended Breitbart calling Ted Kennedy a “pile of human excrement” shortly after his demise because he deserved it. Did Hannity object? Do you think Coulter will suffer any kind of Fox News disapproval? Don't hold your breath!

Yesterday The Five was all up in arms over a Rolling Stone column by Matt Taibbi called “Andrew Breitbart: Death of a Douche.”  Taibbi gave Breitbart a send-off not unlike the one Breitbart gave Senator Edward Kennedy when he died: full of invective, essentially dancing on his grave.  This was too much for Breitbart’s strongest defender, best friend Greg Gutfeld, who used Fox “News” airtime to retaliate.  The usual four suspects piled on to defend Breitbart, who must have lived a life beyond reproach.  However, one must always remember that to Fox “News,” defending a Conservative really means attacking the Left—all of the Left.  After about 3 minutes Bob Beckel had had enough: He tried to make the point—which he should be making daily, if you ask me—that you can’t blame all Liberals for the actions of one.  That’s when Andrea Tantaros proved she not only has a tin ear, but will never get irony. [Video below the jump]