From the July 13 edition of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show:
Rush Limbaugh Defends Fox’s Roger Ailes From Sexual Harassment Allegations
Limbaugh: “I'm Telling You Folks, Of All The People About Whom You Could Make Such An Allegation, This Is One That Nobody Who Knows Him Would Believe”
Written by Media Matters Staff
Published
Video file
RUSH LIMBAUGH (HOST): I'm sure that you are all aware of the sexual harassment lawsuit that's been filed by Gretchen Carlson against Roger Ailes at Fox News. It's a lawsuit not aimed at Fox, it's targeted specifically at Roger Ailes and I've had people email me, “why haven't you commented on this?” Well, A, I actually didn't think it was necessary, but I'd be happy to. But before I do, I just want to remind you that as I knew what happened, there have been a plethora of women employees at Fox who have stood up, and said they don't understand it, they've never seen it, they've never seen any evidence of it, they've never been treated this way, they were shocked and stunned. Let's see if I can remember the women, we have Kimberly Guilfoyle, Sandra Smith, Jeanine Pirro of Judge Jeanine, Ainsley Earhardt -- there’s a bunch of them -- Neil Cavuto has publicly, even Geraldo [Rivera] has weighed in. And Martha MaCallum weighed in, Greta Van Susteren has -- they are all saying that they've never seen this, they've never been treated this way, they've never seen any sign of it anywhere.
But Gretchen insists, and so people are -- let me thrown in folks, I've known Roger Ailes since 1990. I've never seen Roger Ailes even flirt with a woman. Roger used to, some of the most fun things, Saturday afternoon water volleyball games of his. He had a home at one time in Croton-on-Hudson, and Rudy would show up with his kids, it was a representative group of the New York Republican power structure. Peter Powers, it was families and so forth. Some people that worked for Roger, a lot of women. When I saw this, of all the people in the world that you would think might have this proclivity, Roger Ailes would be at the bottom of any list. I've never seen him do anything other than interact with great friendliness and respect for women. It totally took me aback. When I say I've never seen him flirt, I mean it, I've never seen him flirt. I’ve known him when he was married, I’ve known him when he was single, double dated, I’ve never seen it. I’ve never seen one sign of this. I've never heard one woman. I know some of the people that work at Fox. It’s never, ever been mentioned. And like everybody else, I was shocked and taken aback when I saw this.
I also know Gretchen, I've been interviewed by Gretchen at the Miss America pageant. And I know that she's a Christian, she's religious. Then I found this story on Breitbart, “Gretchen Carlson Attorney Donates Big To Left Wing Democrats Who Aggressively Criticize Fox News.” Nancy Erika Smith. “An analysis of political donations that Nancy Erika Smith has made,” she’s the lawyer for Gretchen “shows that she is a hardcore progressive Democrat who has given thousands upon thousands of dollars to Democrat candidates for office.” Many of those Democrats that Smith has supported have repeatedly, viciously, very publicly criticized Fox for its coverage. How did Gretchen end up with this lawyer? Those are the questions I ask, how did she end up with somebody like this? Now, maybe if you’re going to bring a lawsuit like this, you want to go out and find a pitbull that hates Fox. Maybe that's what she's done.
I'm telling you folks, of all the people about whom you could make such an allegation, this is one that nobody who knows him would believe.
[...]
[Fox] has a distinctive identity, it has a unique and distinctive culture, it's identity is different than any other news organization. It is perceived to be honest, its fans – this is back in 2009 – perceive Fox to be unbiased and fair and balanced and all these things, and I said the guy responsible for this is not even on the air. Roger Ailes never once appears on camera, Roger Ailes has never appeared on camera, Roger Ailes yet, because of his leadership and dynamism, has been able to create a culture with 1,700 people who are all oriented in the same professional direction. I said you can't accomplish that unless you are deeply and profoundly respected.
Previously:
Fox Figures Circle The Wagons Around Boss Roger Ailes Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations