Obama Calls Student After Slam by Limbaugh

More developments today surrounding Rush Limbaugh's labeling of law student Sandra Fluke as a "slut" in the birth control debate:

• 'Outraged': Fluke appeared on the Today show: “I think my reaction was the reaction a lot of women have had historically when they’ve been called these types of names: Initially to be stunned by it, and then to quickly feel outraged and very upset."
• Limbaugh: On his show today, he blamed the liberal media for overblowing the story. “They want to blame me as the person (women) should fear." He added: "Contraception is the replacement plank for abortion in the Democrat Party platform. That's what's happening here in a political sense."
• Obama calls: The president called Fluke today to offer support. He "wanted to express his disappointment that she has been the subject of inappropriate personal attacks, and thank her for exercising her rights as a citizen to speak out on an issue of public policy," said spokesman Jay Carney. “It was a very good conversation.”
• Fluke reacts: Obama's call "meant a lot," she told MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell. “He encouraged me and supported me and thanked me for speaking out about the concerns of American women, and what was really personal for me was that he said to tell my parents that they should be proud."

• Lost sponsor: The Sleep Train chain of mattress stores said it was pulling its ads from Limbaugh's show.

Read more at MSNBC, the Los Angeles Times, and the Hill. (More Rush Limbaugh stories.)