How will Obama explain Bill Maher to Sasha & Malia?

That's the question Democratic political analyst Donna Brazile voiced during a CNN segment covering the controversy surrounding Rush Limbaugh's comments about contraceptive cheerleader Sandra Fluke. Earlier this week, President Obama invoked his daughters' names in denouncing Limbaugh's remarks.  When he phoned Ms. Fluke to thank her for her outspoken support of his contraception mandate, the president said he had his daughters in mind.

"One of the things I want them to do as they get older is engage in issues they care about, even ones I may not agree with them on,” the President said of Malia and Sasha at a press conference on Tuesday.  “I want them to be able to speak their mind in a civil and thoughtful way. And I don't want them attacked or called horrible names because they're being good citizens.”

That's a very noble idea that I 100%  agree with.  Limbaugh's comments wereinappropriate and people in America should be able to speak freely without fear of being attacked or slandered.  But, as many have pointed out in the time since Limbaugh publicly apologized for his remarks, the president surrounds himself with people who say much more despicable things than Limbaugh -- they just tend to agree with him more than Limbaugh.  Obama's top campaign strategist will soon appear on Bill Maher's prime time HBO hour of vulgarity and the president's own campaign super PAC isn't about to return misogynist Maher's million-dollar gift or dis-invite him from entertaining the president's other wealthy friends.

So while the president is rightly worried about his daughters having to defend themselves against being labeled "slut" for voicing an opinion, how will he simultaneously explain hobnobbing with and accepting money from someone who makes a living out excoriating those he disagrees with by using routinely sexist and vulgar language?

Enter Brazile who warned against making this issue a case of “the left said, the right said.”  Instead, both sides need to embrace basic standards of civility, she said.

Watch (via Mediaite):