Obama ,Sen and Sleep Train brings together in assaulting Limbaugh over student slur

Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown is joining Democrats in calling on radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh to apologize for calling a law student “a slut’’ and along with President Barack Obama made a supportive phone call Friday to a law student who testified before Congress about the need for birth-control coverage.

A Brown spokesman said that as the father of two daughters, the senator found the remarks offensive and reprehensible and believes Limbaugh should apologize. Brown’s comments came after Massachusetts Democratic Party Executive Director Clare Kelly called on him to condemn Limbaugh’s remarks. For Obama, it was a plunge into the latest flare-up on social issues. Democratic officeholders and liberal advocacy groups have accused Republicans of waging a “war on women” because of GOP stances on contraception and abortion rights, and Limbaugh’s tirade on his radio talk show was seen as an escalation.

In addition to her call from Obama, the third-year Georgetown University law student, Sandra Fluke, was backed by members of Congress, women’s groups and the administration and faculty at her Roman Catholic university.Demands for Limbaugh’s sponsors to pull their ads from his show rocketed through cyberspace, and at least three companies, Quicken Loans and bedding retailers Sleep Train and Sleep Number, bowed to the pressure.

Sleep Train was a tiny outfit when founder Dale Carlsen was introduced to Limbaugh through a radio advertising representative. Sleep Train officials were unavailable Friday, but issued a statement confirming that they will no longer advertise with the nationally syndicated radio program. “As a diverse company, Sleep Train does not condone such negative comments directed toward any person. We have currently pulled our ads with Rush Limbaugh,” the statement said.

Limbaugh’s controversial on-air comments about law student Sandra Fluke, who testified last week on Capitol Hill about contraceptive coverage, upset many Sleep Train customers, who let the company know about it through its website and social media.