Why the big advertisers are leaving Limbaugh now

>>> rush limbaugh is facing new uproar over his remarks against georgetown law student sandra fluke. his distributor alerted it i filluates to pull national ads. this afternoon he returned to the air waves to champion women 's concerns.

>> america, want jobs and an expanding economy. they're not obsessed with birth control pills passed out on campus or whatever anybody wants them. the regem calculated they could create this mitt cal republican war on women and look where they are.

>> our panel is back with us. david corn , joe williams and krystal ball. what do you make of limbaugh's latest remarks? he's become the voice of defense for women .

>> he saying y'all and eating rush and rush limbaugh is the defender of women . the idea that it's democrats that are pushing this narrative on women is ridiculous. let me just tell you that in 2011 , across the country in 50 states across the country, there were 1100 women 's health bills pushed by republican legislatures across the country. these were all legislature who is were elected because they said jobs and economy and deficit. when they got in there --

>> they focused on uterus.

>> the agenda is totally different. that's why women are so upset.

>> david, rush suggest the war on women is a myth perpetrated by democrats. if that's the case why are his advertisers fleeing and running away from his broadcast.

>> a bout of classiness has struck advertisers. it's not just his show. about 100 advertisers, very big name stores and restaurants have told premier radio they don't want to be associated anymore with controversial and mean-spirited. i think that's the keyword here, mean-spirited radio talk show hosts. rush limbaugh could be bringing down a big part of the right wing, which is talk show radio hosts across the board. i think ultimately, this will level out and he's going to keep his show and they will keep their shows. it's been a tremendous blow. after all the terrible things he's said over the years, i'm still surprised this is the straw that broke the camel's back. that camel was getting pretty knobbly at the knees.

>> we have 140 advertisers having requested ads being pulled. you say it's more than that.

>> the number we have is 156 that stopped rush. that said we don't -- they either pulled their ads or said we don't want to be on during this program. it's hard to keep track because so many have issues statements. then you have another number who have quietly pulled their ads without putting out a statement and calling attention to themselves. the big news we got last night too is that premier, which syndicate his show for two week pps they are saying for two weeks we're not taking in revenue because we need a cooling off period. we don't have enough to continue placing national ads at local affiliates.

>> joe, why would they ask for this two-week period? does this mean people are seriously considering their long-term commitment to rush?

>> they have to. they don't really have a choice. ve a campaign that went viral element immediately. it reminds me of when i used to cover police, they always would catch the serial murder because he was driving around with a busted taillight, not because he had three bodies in the trunk. this was rush limbaugh 's. he went over the line and advertisers don't like that kind of negative publicity particularly when it goes viral on the internet and there are boycotting campaigns that start. it's not always about what he says. it's about whether or not there's enough outrage to hit those kind of broadcasters where it hurts in the wallet.

>> i have to give credit to you for championing this. other activists are calling on the fcc to take him off the air. do you think that's possible?

>> i don't know if it's possible. i don't know the ins and outs of that. what we've been doing by calling on the sponsors, it's been so successful, i think we should try to use the free market approach, which is what we're doing and see if we can get a success that way, first.

>> thank you very much. two