“I am astonished at the desperation of the elite media to avoid rising gas prices, to avoid the president’s apology to religious fanatics in Afghanistan, to avoid a trillion-dollar deficit, to avoid the longest period of unemployment since the Great Depression, and to suddenly decide that Rush Limbaugh is the great national crisis of the week,” the former House speaker said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Gingrich Slams Media on Limbaugh Focus Sunday, 04 Mar 2012 10:49 AM By Amy Woods Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich accused “the elite media” of negligence for focusing on the contraception controversy that Rush Limbaugh escalated last week instead of reporting on the issues relevant to the campaign. “I am astonished at the desperation of the elite media to avoid rising gas prices, to avoid the president’s apology to religious fanatics in Afghanistan, to avoid a trillion-dollar deficit, to avoid the longest period of unemployment since the Great Depression, and to suddenly decide that Rush Limbaugh is the great national crisis of the week,” the former House speaker said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” The controversy erupted after Georgetown University student Sandra Fluke testified before Congress to lobby for the availability of birth control. Limbaugh, who referred to the woman as a “slut” while commenting on the issue during his radio show, apologized for his comments on Saturday. Gingrich said he is glad that the conservative radio commentator apologized but said there is no debate about access to contraception. “This is the most fundamental assault on religious liberty in American history,” he said, referring to President Barack Obama’s new requirement that insurance companies provide coverage for contraception for employees even at Catholic institutions that object to birth control. “It’s not about access to contraception. It is a question about whether or not a religiously affiliated institution should be coerced by the federal government.” When host David Gregory asked Gingrich about winning Georgia on Super Tuesday, Gingrich shrugged and said, “It is the biggest state in terms of delegates. It’s very hard for one of the major candidates to not carry their own state and continue to move forward.”