Conservative talker Rush Limbaugh says the fact that he judged the Miss America pageant proves that he's not sexist as his critics have claimed.
Limbaugh has been at the center of a controversy over women's rights after he called Georgetown University law student Sandra Fluke a "slut" and a "prostitute" because she had called for contraception to be covered by the health insurance offered by religious institutions.
Although he said he "sincerely" apologized to Fluke, Limbaugh has continued to double down on his fight against feminism in the past week by blasting "overeducated" single white women and referring to the National Organization for Women (NOW) as the National Organization of Gals -- or NAGs.
"I have affectionately referred to the NOW gang as the NAGs, the National Organization of Gals, for over 15 years," Limbaugh said on Wednesday. "And the head NOW-gang babe was asked what she thinks about that yesterday on television after 15 years. Outraged! They are outraged!"
"Now, how can I be anti-woman?" he asked. "I even judged the Miss America pageant."
Miss America Organization President Art McMaster has defended the decision to have Limbaugh judge the 2010 pageant by saying he was "good for our show."
After the pageant, former Miss America-turned-Fox News host Gretchen Carlson asked Limbaugh how he responded to critics who said that someone with his track record had no business judging women in a beauty pageant.
"I'm a huge supporter of women!" the radio host declared. "What I'm not is a supporter of liberalism. Feminism is what I oppose and feminism has led women astray. I love women. I don't know where this gets started."
"I love the women's movement -- especially when walking behind it."
(H/T: Media Matters)
