Obama hangs Cosby out to dry: 'If you give a woman a drug then have sex without consent, that's rape' - but comedian WON'T lose Presidential Medal of Freedom

• Obama was answering questions about his Iran nuclear bargain when a reporter asked if Cosby's Presidential Medal of Freedom would be yanked
• He said there's 'no mechanism' for revoking the 2002 prize but what the comedian is accused of doing to dozens of women is 'rape' 
• 'If you give a woman, or a man for that matter, without his or her knowledge, a drug and then have sex with that person without consent, that's rape,' the president said
• 'And I think this country, any civilized country, should have no tolerance for rape' 
• Lawyer Gloria Allred who is representing victims says that White House must come up with way of revoking it 

By David Martosko, Us Political Editor For Dailymail.com

Published: 13:32 EST, 15 July 2015 | Updated: 18:47 EST, 15 July 2015

President Barack Obama delivered a stinging rebuke to comedian Bill Cosby on Wednesday during a White House press conference that was otherwise focused on his Iran nuclear deal, saying of the date-rape drugging allegations dozens of women have lobbed at him: 'That's rape.'

He was asked whether the Presidential Medal of Freedom Cosby was awarded in 2002 would be taken away, and launched into a heartfelt but damning criticism.

'If you give a woman, or a man for that matter, without his or her knowledge, a drug and then have sex with that person without consent, that's rape,' the president said.

'And I think this country, any civilized country, should have no tolerance for rape.'

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No means no: The president says there is no way to strip Cosby of his Presidential Medal of Freedom but attacked his conduct, saying of drugging a woman and having sex without consent: 'That's rape.'

KEEPING HIS MEDAL? Bill Cosby can't lose his Presidential Medal of Freedom, Barack Obama suggested on Wednesday, before terming as 'rape' what the entertainer is accused of doing on dozens of occasions

'If you give a woman, or a man for that matter, without his or her knowledge, a drug and then have sex with that person without consent, that's rape,' the president said 

Obama punted on the Medal of Freedom question, saying that 'there's no precedent for revoking a medal. We don't have that mechanism.'

'And as you know, I tend to make it a policy not to comment on the specifics of cases where therre might still be, if not criminal, then civil issues involved.' 

Court documents obtained by The Associated Press have revealed that Cosby admitted under oath that he obtained quaaludes to give to women with whom he wanted to have sex.

A sexual assault awareness group has petitioned the White House to revoke Cosby's medal.

On July 9 White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said that 'it's never been done before.'

'No tolerance for rape': Obama makes first comments on Cosby

The president's condemnation of Cosby's conduct was welcomed by the group calling for the Presidential Medal of Freedom - but its executive director said it was time to set a precedent of revoking it.

Angela Rose, executive director of Promoting Awareness Victim Empowerment, said: 'By President Obama's own definition, Bill Cosby is a rapist. 

'The Medal of Freedom embodies our nation's values. Allowing Cosby to maintain this coveted symbol suggests that we as a society support coercive sexual behavior. 

'The President said there is no precedent for revoking the Medal of Freedom, but there's also no precedent for the nation giving its highest honor to a man accused by dozens of women and admitting to obtaining drugs to people he wanted to have sex with. 

That this an unprecedented action is the point - we need to show zero tolerance for sexual assault.'

Bill Cosby receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002

Cosby has been gone from being a nationally-respected figure to disgraced in well under a year.

More than two dozen women have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct over the past four decades - with many alleging that he drugged and raped them. 

They came forward in droves after the wall of silence was breached by the comedian Hannibal Buress last October.

He called Cosby a serial 'rapist', prompting one of his victims, Barbara Bowman, to speak to Daily Mail Online about her ordeal.

She prompted a series of women to speak out, with the number steadily growing over the months. 

The 77-year-old comedian and TV star, who has never been charged with a crime, has denied some accusations while declining to comment or respond to others.

Pictured is The Cosby Show season six cast, including Cosby (top row, center)

Joseph C. Phillips (left), known for his role as Martin Kendall on The Cosby Show, has written a blog post titled 'Of Course Bill Cosby is Guilty' shaming Cosby for the alleged sexual assaults of 30 plus women

He is now facing criminal and civil action. Last week lawyers for a woman who alleges he drugged and sexually assaulted her at the Playboy Mansion in 2008 were told by the Los Angeles Police Department that their investigation remains active.

It is - so far- the only criminal case not covered by statutes of limitation in the states where Cosby is alleged to have struck.

A previous deposition in 2005 was fully unsealed this month and revealed how he had admitted drugging and having sex with a woman.

Cosby, made the admission during testimony in a 2005 civil case brought by a former Temple University employee, Andrea Constand.

The case was settled in 2006 for an undisclosed sum.

The comedian's lawyers had tried to block the documents release arguing they would cause severe embarrassment to the actor.

A number of women are now suing the comedian civilly, including the former supermodel Janice Dickinson. Their move could finally force Cosby into a courtroom to be questioned on his actions.

'I was drugged and raped by Bill Cosby,' Dickinson told ET. 'And the fact that he and his spokespeople have called me a liar – referring to remarks that I've made – it's just not correct.

'I'm suing Bill Cosby for justice and vindication,' the former supermodel said in the taped interview set to air Wednesday evening. 'And the fact that he and his spokespeople have called me a liar...it's not correct. I want to fight. I want to fight this and let everyone know that I'm not being paid anything monetarily to do this. It's just the right thing to do'

new moves: Chloe Goins is expected to be questioned by Los Angeles police officers about her account of being drugged and sexually assaulted by Bill Cosby

Venue: The Playboy Mansion, where Goins says she was drugged and attacked by Cosby in 2008. She has not specified the date 

What's more, Dickinson has dated-looking photographs of a robe-wearing Cosby she says she took in the hotel room where she claims he sexually assaulted her in Lake Tahoe.

'I'm suing Bill Cosby for justice and vindication,' the former supermodel said. 'And the fact that he and his spokespeople have called me a liar...it's not correct. 

'I want to fight. I want to fight this and let everyone know that I'm not being paid anything monetarily to do this. It's just the right thing to do.'

Late last year, Dickinson broke down in tears in a live television interview accusing Cosby of using the offer of career advancement to lure her to a hotel room where he drugged her and raped her while she was unconscious. 

In November, Cosby's attorney spoke out specifically against Dickinson's claims, something he's been wont to do regarding claims of dozens of other women.

Her attorney, Lisa Bloom, said they'll be asking for a jury trial and for undisclosed damages. 

Asked what she'd tell Bill Cosby today if given the chance to speak to him, Dickinson told ET she'd ask, 'Why won't you talk about the truth?...Do you want to go to heaven or do you want to go to hell?'

Speaking out: Gloria Allred (right) with Rebecca Lynn Neal (left) and Beth Ferrier (center). They were Jane Doe witnesses in the 1005 lawsuit in which Cosby admitted drugging a woman before sex with Quaaludes

Protest: Cosby's performances earlier this year were repeatedly hit by demonstrators highlighting the allegations against him, including this one in January in Denver, Colorado. At the time he had 18 accusers, a number which has now increased to around 40

'Documentary proof and Ms. Dickinson's own words show that her new story about something she now claims happened back in 1982 is a fabricated lie,' read the statement, which referred to interviews with Dickinson--as well as an account in her book--that claimed Cosby simply blew her off after she refused to have sex with him.

Now, years after the statute of limitations ran out on her sexual assault allegations, Dickinson is using Cosby's statement to take him to task.

Bloom told ET: 'We're asking for money damages to compensate her for the damage to her reputation and for the emotional distress, the very serious emotional distress that's been very real for Janice that she's been going through. 

Gloria Allred, who is representing other women taking action against Cosby, said the president had said nothing to suggest there was a legal reason why the medal could not be revoked.

'The President indicated that there was no precedent for revoking the medal and that "we don't have the mechanism", but he did not indicate that it could not be done,' she said

'In my opinion, allegations against Mr Cosby by more than 40 women alleging that he drugged and sexually assaulted them are so serious that it is the right time to create a mechanism and establish the precedent to revoke this honor to Mr Cosby.

'If all it takes is a "mechanism" to do that, then I would hope that the executive branch would begin work on such a mechanism, and if the White House does not do it then the Congress should pass a resolution supporting such a mechanism and suggesting guidelines to be followed to create such a mechanism.'

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