A reporter followed up by pointing out to Emanuel that Bill Maher had made comments that some people found as insulting as Limbaugh’s. Limbaugh was ripped by liberals for insulting Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke, while Maher has caught flak from conservatives for remarks he made about former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

“I thought what Rush Limbaugh said was … absolutely not only wrong, it was absolutely repulsive,” Emanuel said. “That said, if you can’t stand up to Rush, how are you going to stand up to Russia? And I just don’t see it. I’m just telling you, having advised two presidents, and I think I’m very fortunate, it takes fortitude in the Oval Office, it takes strength, it takes determination, and the two individuals – the president of the Unites States and Mitt Romney – had a different vision when it came to the auto industry, and I’m saying the Oval Office requires a person of character to make those calls.”