Add freshman tea party Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL) to the list of Republicans attacking Sandra Fluke after her appearance at the Democratic National Convention.
At a campaign stop Saturday in Addison, IL, Walsh, who faces a tough reelection battle, went on a self-described rant about Fluke, attacking her support for contraception coverage and telling the law student to “get a job.”
“So at the Democratic Convention Wednesday night their first prime time speaker was Sandra Fluke, whatever her name is,” Walsh said. “Think about this, a 31-32 year old law student who has been a student for life, who gets up there in front of a national audience and tells the American people, ‘I want America to pay for my contraceptives.’ You’re kidding me. Go get a job. Go get a job Sandra Fluke.”
“This a woman who feels entitled that we all should pay for her contraceptives,” he said. “This is what we are teaching Americans? That was embarrassing. That was embarrassing.”
Fluke emerged on the national stage after Rush Limbaugh called her a “slut” following her public support for a contraception coverage mandate from the Obama administration. Lately Fluke has emerged as a surrogate for President Obama and Democrats on the campaign trail, which has drawn fresh criticism from Republicans.
Walsh’s opponent, Tammy Duckworth, also spoke at the Democratic convention in Charlotte. Walsh rose to prominence with the tea party in 2010 and his defeat has become a cause celebre in progressive and Democratic circles.
Here’s video of Walsh captured by a progressive tracker with CREDO SuperPAC.
The transcript:
How about this? This one kills me, then I’ll be done with my rant.So at the Democratic Convention Wednesday night their first prime time speaker was Sandra Fluke — Fluke, Fluke, whatever her name is.
Think about this: a 31-32 year old law student who’s been a student for life, who gets up there in front of a national audience and tells the American people, “I want America to pay for my contraceptives.” You’re kidding me. Go get a job. Go get a job Sandra Fluke.
This is what, I was offended. We’ve got Americans who are struggling. We’ve got parents in this country who are struggling to buy sneakers that their kids can wear to school that just started. We’ve got parents up and down my district who are barely keeping their house. And, and, and, we have to be confronted by a woman, the Democratic Party this is what they stand for. Their going to put a woman in front of us who is complaining that the country — you, me and you — won’t pay the 9 dollars per month to pay for her contraceptives.
How crazy is this? In a way it’s not her fault, because we teach people this stuff. You go back to fairness, we teach young people this. Don’t worry, government will take care of you. You’re having trouble with your student loans? Don’t worry, government will be there for you.
We are raising the Sandra Flukes of the world. We’re raising Americans who don’t know how to take care of themselves, who feel entitled. This a woman who feels entitled that we all should pay for her contraceptives. This is what we are teaching Americans? That was embarrassing. That was embarrassing.
Sahil Kapur contributed to this report
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