On the August 20 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh asserted of attacks by Sen. John McCain against Sen. Barack Obama: "[S]ee, there are Democrats -- the drive-bys" -- a term Limbaugh uses to denote the national media -- “are just so upset with these so-called 'ferocious attacks.' These have been benign. Even the Britney Spears/Paris Hilton ad was funny. It was benign." He later added: “It's -- you know, it's just -- it's just we can't hit the girl. I don't care how far feminism's saying, you can't hit the girl, and you can't -- you can't criticize the little black man-child. You just can't do it, 'cause it's just not right, It's not fair. He's such a victim.”

Limbaugh previously claimed that “nobody criticizes [Sen.] Hillary [Clinton]. ... Well, you might say, 'No, Michelle Obama and Mrs. [Elizabeth] Edwards are out there criticizing her,' but, see, I finally figured this one out, too. You can't hit the girl. You just -- you can't hit the girl.” He continued: “And for [former Democratic presidential candidate John] Edwards and Obama to go out there and criticize Hillary would -- she would -- she plays the victim better than anybody does, and she could make real hay out of that. So they've got their wives out there ripping her.”

From the August 20 broadcast of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show:

LIMBAUGH: Quickly, L.A. Times poll: “More striking, however, is the drop in Obama's favorable rating. Obama's favorable rating has slid from 59 percent to 48 percent since June. At the same time his negative rating has risen from 27 to 35 percent. The bulk of that shift stems from Republicans souring on Obama amid ferocious attacks on the Democrat by McCain and his allies.” That's it -- see, there are Democrats -- the drive-bys are just so upset with these so-called “ferocious attacks.” These have been benign. Even the Britney Spears/Paris Hilton ad was funny. It was benign.

Obama's patriotism is not being attacked in an ad. McCain's just out there saying he's putting his own personal political ambition ahead of the country's. It's -- you know, it's just -- it's just we can't hit the girl. I don't care how far feminism's saying, you can't hit the girl, and you can't -- you can't criticize the little black man-child. You just can't do it, 'cause it's just not right. It's not fair. He's such a victim.

Asli Bashir is an intern with Media Matters for America