text: The number of advertisers who have at least temporarily cut ties with Rush Limbaugh grew to seven on Sunday in the aftermath of the conservative radio host's self-described "insulting word choices" about a female law student. 
   
   
   
   ProFlowers, an online florist, is one of the latest companies to announce it would halt advertising on Limbaugh's show. 
   
   
   
   "Mr. Limbaugh’s recent comments went beyond political discourse to a personal attack and do not reflect our values as a company. As such, ProFlowers has suspended advertising on the Rush Limbaugh radio program," it announced on its Facebook page. 
   
   
   
   ProFlowers, like other Limbaugh sponsors, faced pressure from women's groups to end its relationship with his show after Limbaugh branded Georgetown University law student Sandra Fluke, 30, a "slut" and "prostitute," equating Fluke’s advocacy of expanded coverage for contraceptives with her wanting to be "paid to have sex." Fluke has been a vocal supporter of a new Obama administration rule that mandates greatly expanded access to contraceptives through health insurance plans. 
   
   
   
   One activist group, UltraViolet, said 91,000 people had signed its petition urging ProFlowers to suspend advertising on Limbaugh's show. 
   
   
   
   "UltraViolet members are glad that ProFlowers decided to suspend their advertising from the Rush Limbaugh show. … Our members hope that ProFlowers will do the right thing and not only suspend their advertising but pull it permanently," it said in a statement. 
   
   
   
   Quicken Loans, Sleep Train, Sleep Number, Citrix Systems Inc., Carbonite and LegalZoom also have suspended their advertising with Limbaugh, according to The Associated Press. 
   
   
   
   Republican presidential hopefuls Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul also criticized Limbaugh's remarks during Sunday show appearances and on the campaign trail. Eric Fehrnstrom, an advisor to Mitt Romney, said the candidate thought Limbaugh's apology was "appropriate." 
   
   
   
   "I think there is extreme rhetoric on both sides of the political spectrum. I think the political process is best served if everybody tones it down. Not only those on the right, but also intolerant voices on the left," Fehrnstrom said. 
   
   Maeve Reston contributed to this report. ||||| Go Back 
   
   A Statement from David Friend, CEO of Carbonite as of 6:45pm ET, March 3: 
   
   “No one with daughters the age of Sandra Fluke, and I have two, could possibly abide the insult and abuse heaped upon this courageous and well-intentioned young lady. Mr. Limbaugh, with his highly personal attacks on Miss Fluke, overstepped any reasonable bounds of decency. Even though Mr. Limbaugh has now issued an apology, we have nonetheless decided to withdraw our advertising from his show. We hope that our action, along with the other advertisers who have already withdrawn their ads, will ultimately contribute to a more civilized public discourse.” 
   
   —— 
   
   Original post: 
   
   Over the past two days we have received a tremendous amount of feedback on Rush Limbaugh’s recent comments. I too am offended and very concerned about his comments. Limbaugh’s remarks have us rethinking our future use of talk radio.We use more than 40 talk show hosts to help get the Carbonite message out to the public. The nature of talk radio is that from time to time listeners are offended by a host and ask that we pull our advertising. This goes for conservatives like Limbaugh and progressives like Stephanie Miller and Ed Shultz. We even get customers who demand that we pull the plug on NPR. As an advertiser, we do not have control over a show’s editorial content or what they say on air. Carbonite does not endorse the opinions of the shows or their hosts.However, the outcry over Limbaugh is the worst we’ve ever seen. I have scheduled a face-to-face meeting next week with Limbaugh during which I will impress upon him that his comments were offensive to many of our customers and employees alike.Please know your voice has been heard and that we are taking this matter very seriously.Sincerely,David Friend
target: – Advertisers aren't flocking back to Rush Limbaugh since he apologized to a Georgetown law student for calling her a "slut." In fact, another company is yanking its commercials from the right-winger's radio program. "Mr. Limbaugh’s recent comments went beyond political discourse to a personal attack, and do not reflect our values as a company," said a statement from online florist ProFlowers, which became the seventh advertiser yesterday to yank its ads. ProFlowers was the target of a petition drive urging the company to stop advertising with Limbaugh after he called Sandra Fluke a slut and a prostitute when she spoke out in favor health coverage for birth control, reports the Los Angeles Times. Quicken Loans, Sleep Train, Sleep Number, Citix Systems, Inc., Carbonite, and LegalZoom also yanked their ads. The CEO of Carbonite, a company that provides backup systems for computer files, said the firm would not renew its advertising, despite Limbaugh's apology. “No one with daughters the age of Sandra Fluke, and I have two, could possibly abide the insult and abuse heaped upon this courageous and well-intentioned young lady," said CEO David Friend. "Mr. Limbaugh overstepped any reasonable bounds of decency. Even though Mr. Limbaugh has issued an apology, we have nonetheless decided to withdraw our advertising. We hope that our action will ultimately contribute to a more civilized public discourse.”