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Fox vs. Limbaugh
Rush Limbaugh's attack on Michael J. Fox - he said the actor was exaggerating his Parkinson's Disease symptoms in an ad to better hit a politician opposed to stem cell research - has helped make the TV spot the toast of the Internet. It might help a couple of Democrats in tight Senate races, say some commentators.
Michael J. Fox's 37-second spot for Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Senate candidate who supports stem cell research, is now the most-viewed video on the Web, according to Technorati, with about a million and a half views since it was posted Oct. 20.
It's discomforting to watch for anyone who has watched Fox grow up on television and in films, or who has met him. (I spent a day watching Spin City tape for a profile in the late '90s. Seeing an unfamiliar face, he bounded across the room and introduced himself - the model of poise and self assurance.) On the clip, his head swivels, his body rocks as he tells how Missouri Republican Sen. James M. Talent tried to criminalize research that could have helped those, like Fox, who have Parkinson's Disease.
"What you do in Missouri matters to millions of Americans," he says. "Americans like me."
Already conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh has caused a storm by telling listeners, "he is exaggerating the effects of the disease. He's moving around and shaking and it's purely an act."
(Video of Limbaugh's show, in which he imitates Fox's movements, here, via Crooks and Liars.)
The Washington Post interviewed Elaine Richman, a Baltimore neuroscientist who co-wrote "Parkinson's Disease and the Family" and said "anyone who knows the disease well would regard his movement as classic severe Parkinson's disease."
Limbaugh later apologized, saying people have told him they've seen Fox appear that way in interviews. "So I will bigly, hugely admit that I was wrong, and I will apologize to Michael J. Fox if I am wrong in characterizing his behavior on this commercial as an act," Limbaugh said. He added that Fox was allowing himself to be exploited in service of a Democratic politician.
Kathryn Jean Lopez in The Corner on National Review Online had Limbaugh's back. She wrote that the radio host was merely saying what doctors and other experts were saying off the record - "that it looked like he must have laid off his medication to make sure viewers would have a worse-day kinda look at life with Parkinson's."
This does not strike me as an argument that's going to honor anyone who advances it.
Fox, who is making ads for a number of candidates who support stem cell research, wrote of his symptoms in his memoir, Lucky Man, who came out in 2002, two years after he stepped back his acting career as the disease progressed:
When I'm "off," the disease has complete authority over my physical being. I'm utterly in its possession. Sometimes there are flashes of function, and I can be effective at performing basic physical tasks, certainly feeding and dressing myself (though I'll lean toward loafers and pullover sweaters), as well as any chore calling for more brute force than manual dexterity. In my very worst "off" times I experience the full panoply of classic Parkinsonian symptoms: rigidity, shuffling, tremors, lack of balance, diminished small motor control, and the insidious cluster of symptoms that makes communication - written as well as spoken - difficult and sometimes impossible.
Opponents of a Missouri amendment that would increase stem-cell research have put together their own celeb roster for a counter ad. Speaking against it have been ex-Ram Kurt Warner, Kansas City Royal Mike Sweeney and ex-Royal Jeff Suppan, Patricia Heaton of "Everybody Loves Raymond" and Passion of the Christ star Jim Caviezel. One blog post, headlines I Love Political Ads, coolly appraises the dueling star power.
Billmon saw it this way:
If you're Claire McCaskill (Missouri) or Ben Cardin (Maryland) this is the best thing since the invention of the teleprompter. Both are running against anti-abortion, anti-stem cell Republicans; both badly need a big turnout among pro-choice, pro-stem cell voters to win. But both are also running in Border South states with large Catholic voting blocks -- i.e. states where the anti-abortion movement is strong and a pro-choice stand can alienate a lot of voters who might otherwise be willing to pull the Democratic lever.
But Rush, in his infinite wisdom, has now ensured that the issue isn't abortion. It isn't even stem cells. Now it's all about Michael J. Fox and his battle with Parkinson's Disease -- which is exactly how you don't want it framed if you're the GOP candidates in those races ...
Actually, it's about LYING in a political ad! The amendment is about making HUMAN CLONING part of the Missouri constitution. Thankfully, actress Patricia Heaton and others have put together a response ad TELLING THE TRUTH about Amendment 2! Also, Senator Talent isn't,in Mr. Fox's words out to "criminalize" stem cell research..IT'S ALREADY LEGAL AND GOING ON IN MISSOURI!!! HELLO?? Why don't you libs read the transcript of Rush's show? Oh, that's right! You libs can't win in the arena of ideas, so you have to LIE...
Ellsworth, you are a perfect example of the kind of gullible moron on whom Limbaugh relies. http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/2006petitions/ppStemCell.asp As this GOVERNMENT website of MO states in part 2, section 1: "No person may clone or attempt to clone a human being." Then you have the audacity to accuse US liberals of lying! No, you idiot, it's Limbaugh and his neo-clowns who are lying! You CONSERVATIVES are raging hypocrites who have to lie because YOU are the ones who can't win in the arena of ideas!
Rush has no shame. The man goes in and out of rehab every couple years yet he has a huge number of drug addict followers. Anything he does or says should not be considered at all. I think he should retire in Cuba.
Someone should make a list of the Top 10 (or Top 100) disgusting things Limbaugh has said. It's depressing to think that such people exist and are popular.
Ever since I first heard Rush in the 1990s, I have always considered him a media jerk. He doesn't know that, in these days of the Internet, there are competitors such as the BBC, Radio France, and NPR, that would treat Rush more as a clown than as a 'commentator'.
I used to be a big Rush fan, but as he's towed the party line, a party that has left behind it's libertarian ideals that I belive in, I stopped listening. He's become a goon, and it disgusts me.
Somehow when I read of Limbaugh's horrendous comments today, I felt so very sad. Painful memories of my grandfather, and his slow, wretched decline from Parkinson's disease became fresh in my mind. My grandfather was a terrific guy, and I was very close to him until mentally, due to end-stage Parkinson's dementia, he slipped away from us. I gave my grandfather's eulogy, and it remains one of my proudest moments.I guess I'm so pissed at Limbaugh because his arrogant attitude is so prevalent in the Christian right. My whole family are all "born-again" evangelical Christians, and many of them thought my grandfather's dementia was due to his unconfessed sins coming to roost in his brain when he was near death. (!) I could cry with frustration, even now, thinking about their willful ignorance. And that is exactly what Limbaugh has done, displayed his willful ignorance. Unlike my sisters, he has a national stage in which to broadcast his vitriol. I long for the day that he is humbled.
Hey Mr. Alton. There is NO competition for Limbaugh. He has more listeners than all of those other liberal outlets combined. The collective liberal reaction demonstrated above simply proves his point. Why don't you stop listening to Radio France and MOVE to France. That would help all parties involved.
I'm sick and tired of christian conservatives and their skewed views that are supposed to represent the bible. They spend time fighting for issues they supposedly believe in and totally forget the example Jesus himself represented during his time in this world. Maybe if you spent more time praying and reading the bible and less time toiling in the political arena, you could actually save your souls. As it stands now, you've backed a party and presidency based on supposed christian values. You are all religious sell-outs.
Your a sick man....did you forget your Meds today?
Rush was right. Fox has pull this stunt in the past, (before congress, and admitted to it). There is no evidence that stem cells will do anything, and even worst, the person that he did the original commercials for voted against stem cell research. Just because you have a disease or tragedy, doesn't give you the right to lie and make false claims. To bad the press didn't get the whole story, but then again do they really every get it all?
Can someone explain to me why a fat, racist, sexist, hypocrite, bigot, pill popping waste of flesh like Rush would need 3 dozen pills of viagra while attending an all male retreat to the Dominican Republic? Patricia Heaton and Kurt Warner can eat it too. There is no evidence that stem cells will do anything?!?! I guess since we live in the United States we can say that...we can just let all the european scientists make all the huge breakthroughs. Science is dead in America thanks to backwards thinking like that demonstrated in the posts above.
Sorry, Alex, but Amendment 2 DOES allow human cloning for the purpose of "research"...Nice try, but PATHETIC.
And Marty..ADULT stem cells and UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD stem cells are already treating various diseases and disabilties...Embryonic?....ZERO...except for creating TUMORS in mice!
Ellsworth... Because backwoods morons like you protest the RESEARCH needed to make this work. Have you ever taken a science course? RESEARCH is needed to get RESULTS. Oh no! The poor mice! Oh the humanity...oh the humanity of it all.
Also didn't Limbaugh exaggerate a medical condition once? Anal Cyst? Well his was to get out of Vietnam. So I guess that makes it ok. Wuss.
Marty is a typical angry irrational lib. Thanks for demonstrating that once again for all to see. Tough to think clearly with all that rage huh?
TJB... Hardly angry. Just well informed, well read, well educated.
Marty,Marty,Marty...AGAIN...Embryonic stem cell research is ALREADY BEING DONE with ZERO results...It's already being financed in the private sector. Not difficult to understand..even for a "backwoods moron"!
Ellsworth.. "As a result of private research, more than 60 genetically diverse stem cell lines already exist" I have concluded that we should allow federal funds to be used for research on these existing stem cell lines " where the life and death decision has already been made", This allows us to explore the promise and potential of stem cell research" without crossing a fundamental moral line by providing taxpayer funding that would sanction or encourage further destruction of human embryos that have at least the potential for life." -- George W. Bush That's Bush pretty much acknowledging the potential stem cells have. Also thanks to this private sector research new methods of extration have been developed that do not hinder the embryos development.
Marty, President Bush's acknowledging "potential" still doesn't change the fact that embryonic stem cell research has provided ZERO results...Your statement about the private sector research is also false, as shown by Wesley J. Smith in the Weekly Standard Sept.4, 2006 article:"Science by Press Release". www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/index.php?command=view&id=3720 ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: mojo
Typical Rush. The GOP is so terrified that they're about to lose the House, and there will finally be some oversight (accountability?) of Bush/Cheneys crimes, that they resort to attacking a beloved American actor. Notice that Rush can't manage to engage on the actual question of stem cell research. Instead he first resorts to calling Fox a faker, but then merely attacks him for using his celebrity to fight for cures for diseases like Parkinsons & Diabetes. The desperation of the GOP is reaching a fever pitch.
Ellsworth... http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/nature05142.html mmmmmm how do your words taste? PWNED
I honestly don't get what all the fuss is about anyway. To me this is another classic example of an extremist taking a non-issue and making it an issue just by talking about loudly. Let's say Fox didn't take his meds that day so his symptoms would be more evident. So what? With or without his meds the man still has Parkinson's disease and the disease does cause the symptoms he displayed. The meds may control the symptoms, but they're far from being a cure so I don't find it at all deceptive for him to demonstrate just how bad it can get. Of course, we could also use this to open the debate about what Parkinson's does to people who aren't lucky enough to have the kind of money Fox has to pay for his treatments. Many people with Parkinson's often look like MJ off his meds because they can't afford them. Maybe it would have been better to put a person with Parkinson's who can't afford the level of treatment MJ gets next to a fully medicated MJ. Both have Parkinson's, but look at the difference between the poor slob who can't afford the meds and calm, cool, collected MJ who can afford the meds. Score for the ad on two points - stem cell research and affordable health care. Of course Limbaugh would have shouted that MJ should have bought the poor slob some meds, but then that is the nature of the extremist - If there's something to exploit, find it. If there's nothing to exploit, make it up.
What the above fails to mention that Michael J. Fox admits in his book that he stopped taking his meds before going before Congress to exaggerate the symptoms more so they were more seen to the eye. Who's to say he didn't do the same here? This is typical Democrat politics. Michael J. Fox should be ashamed he is being being used as political pawn. And before someone says I have no idea I know what he is going through, I do. I lost my father to this disease. Yet I still do not support stem cell research to go on unabated.
See a tongue-in-cheek visual that gives Rush Limbaugh a dose of his own medicine...here: www.thoughttheater.com
You leftists are always clamoring for the triumph of science over religion, so here's some indisputable science for you: -No currently approved treatments have been obtained using embryonic stem cells. -There are no human trialsdespite all the hype and all the media. -After 20 years of research, embryonic stem cells haven't been used to treat people because the cells are unproven and unsafe. -They tend to produce tumors, cause transplant rejection, and form the wrong kinds of cells. -Private investors arent funding embryonic stem cell research. They are funding adult stem cell research, which is an ethical alternative. -Some of the most startling advancements using adult stem cells have come in treating Parkinsons disease, juvenile diabetes, and spinal cord injuries. -The scientific data on embryonic stem cell research simply does not support continued investment in research. --from: "Federal Stem Cell Research: What Taxpayers Should Know" by Robert Moffit, Ph.D., Kelly Hollowell, Ph.D., Phil Coelho, and the Honorable Dave Weldon
>>Why don't you libs read the transcript of Rush's show? Oh, that's right! You libs can't win in the arena of ideas, so you have to LIE...<< Did Limbaugh attack Fox for his commercial for Arlen Specter? I don't think so. Rush is a dangerous man, putting dangerous thoughts into the minds of sheeple like you, who need to be led by someone. Rush is a hypocrite who believes his own BS. He whines about drug addicts, but is one himself. He rips on people, slanders them, but sues Nick Bakay for a comedic satire on one of his TV specials. The "man" certainly likes to dish it, but he surely cannot take it!
"What the above fails to mention that Michael J. Fox admits in his book that he stopped taking his meds before going before Congress to exaggerate the symptoms more so they were more seen to the eye. Who's to say he didn't do the same here?" So....what? Not taking his meds does not "exaggerate" his symptoms. Those ARE his symptoms and all the medication does is control what is already there. The medication can mask the true severity of the symptoms and if you want people to understand the full impact, don't you think it would make sense to not cover up the symptoms? If he invented NEW symptoms that could not be attributed to Parkinson's, or if it was later proven that he didn't have Parkinson's at all, then I could see people being upset about it. I am not in favor of embryonic stem cell research for a lot of reasons...I think it's wrong, I think there are other sources for stem cells that are just as viable, and I think they still have a lot to prove in the research. But, I think this claim that MJF was somehow dishonest because he stopped taking his meds so Congress and the public could see the full range of his symptoms is totally ridiculous. What else was he supposed to do? Go up and tell them it's really not so bad after all?
Johnny Bopp, using scientific citations from Robert Moffit/Heritage Foundation "studies" is laughable. According to Heritages own website: "Moffit received his B.A in political science from LaSalle University in Philadelphia and his doctorate from the University of Arizona". He's a longtime conservative shill not a reputable biologist. BTW, when you click on Heritage's tab for "About Heritage", here is the banner quote: "Some of the finest conservative minds in America today do their work in The Heritage Foundation." - Rush Limbaugh, November 10, 2000 In defense of Rush, I think that was prior to his Oxy bust, but his thinking is still about the same.
The - "there are no results" - so don't federally fund argument is pathetic - do you have any idea how long it takes to advance medical knowledge and technology and know how? I feel strongly that tax payer money should be used wisely and that the current congress and administration is just throwing our money in the street. How many Iraqi nationals have bolted the middle east with millions of our tax dollars and no one is even talking about it - how about the millions in subsidies to Exxon/Mobile who ran gas prices up to $3.50 a gallon claiming China was using too much oil? Did China stop using oil -all of a sudden - oh no wait there's an election. But we all know how honerable our Captains of industry and political leaders are they wouldn't use price controls to manipulate the market and political landscape. Come on how naive do you have to be - have any of you actually been in business? When was the last million dollar deal one of you yahoos closed. Get a clue business is ruthless and the law is bent, ignored and disgraced in order to get away with what you can get away with. We waste tax payer money on bridges to nowhere but don't federally fund stem cell research because why - we are compassionate conservatives, or because we are courting a certain voter block that has above average fanatisim to vote than the general middle class. Let's think long and hard about that. Stem cell research like abortion, welfare reform, activist judges, immigration are "wedge" issues meant to get out the vote. It has nothing to do with science, the validity of the science or the intelligent use of tax payer money. It's about staying in power to further game the system to your advantage. Rush is a stooge because he thinks his lock step pandering gets him favor with those higher up gaming the system. No one respects him except the gulible he manipulates on the powerful's behalf. They used to call "wedge issues" political footballs. Because the religious zelots (who are ruining the world everywhere as per usual) are more passionate about voting they get lip service from the frauds in the White House. The biggest problem for the republican grip on power is that this voting block now understands that Bush isn't the "Pastor in Chief" but a reformed drug and alcohol abuser who has built his life and career on a series of lies and used them (they allowed themselves to be duped). Except for the most devout Bush has lost the flock so to speak. But don't worry their irrational agenda of dumbing down the Constitution won't go away. They'll continue to seek a national religion to reafirm their beliefs, and strip us of our freedoms all in the name of some board of govenors sitting at the hierarchy of the political Church and their individual quest for power and control. None of this has anything to do with god or jesus because "what would jesus do" he would help people and the repulican party is way short on that one. The goal is power people - that's what they are all fighting for in the mid east and why gutter politics is the norm. The citizens must stop aligning themselves blindly to either party or canidate or personality or even news source and start thinking about electing the best people, not the best, wealthiest campaigners. I would shy away from them as obviously they have more people to answer to before they get to our concerns (the working stiffs) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Johnny Bopp
Mojo, Paul Burke and the rest of you leftists, The statements I quoted from Dr. Moffit and his colleagues remain unchallenged. Moffit & friends simply did what anyone else could do - why, even YOU could, if you weren't blinded by your leftist political ideology - they went out and gathered the FACTS, which clearly show that all the progress and hope is with ADULT stem cell research, which I already mentioned but you totally ignored because it doesn't jive with leftist dogma. What does political affiliation have to do with the scientific veracity of their claims? Someone makes a claim, it can be proved or disproved. It doesn't matter which political party they support. They made some claims and so far, nobody's disproved any of them. Also, I never claimed Moffitt was a biologist; you foolishly inferred that he was because you saw Ph.D. after his name. A fact is a fact, no matter how much you wish it wasn't. Embryonic stem cell research is a dead end and not a dime of taxpayer money should be wasted on it.
Actually, if you go to Rush's website and read his entire commentary, in context, he makes some great points. Michael Fox has admitted to Diane Sawyer that he previously refused to take his medication when he was testifying to Congress. Perhaps he did it again for this commercial. Do I know this for a fact? Well, of course not. However, an even more important point made by Rush is that this is all typical victim-baiting by the Democrats. It's an expected move. The Democrats think that by placing a victim in front of us that we cannot debate the substance of what Michael Fox is saying. This is just blatant, pure exploitation once again by the Democrats. It's horrible and rotten. The ballot initiative in Missouri IS ABOUT HUMAN CLONING. IT'S NOT ABOUT STEM CELL RESEARCH. It's funded by huge drug and research companies out there that want to make millions. So, let's investigate the actual substance of Michael Fox's remarks, rather than get distracted by whether he did or didn't take his medication.
Interesting posts here. Jake has it right when he accuses the Democrats of using Mr. Fox as bait. Check what Fox has written before, namely that he has deliberately gone off his meds when making public appearances wherein hes trying to influence the group to whom hes speaking. He knew exactly what he was doing in that ad. Even Matt Lauer, a usually blatant liberal on Today, said that when Fox appears like that he opens himself up as fair game, or in other words, if you use your disease for political purposes then you cant expect to not be held to account. But of course, that is the political liberals design in this: a sympathy ploy, exploiting a popular actors terrible disease and waiting for anyone to question its taste or ethics, then pouncing and accusing them of hateful insensitivity. Regardless of ones point of view on stem cell research, this was a shameless use of Michael J. Fox, and both he and his handlers should take what is valid criticism. If you inject yourself into the poitical debate, prepare to take the fallout.
Well Jake, That's a very good point. I too think it would be far more beneficial to everyone if we could debate the substance of MJF's remarks. The only problem with that is Limbaugh's solution to Democrats playing victim-baiting was to try and discredit the obvious and very real disease that does, in fact, make MJF a victim. Guess the Democrats were right about it being an effective technique. He took that bait hook, line, and sinker.
Bob, that is indeed an awful tactic to take. Much like the Republican tactic of pointing to anyone who thinks the war in Iraq is a bad idea and accusing them of not supporting the troops or not being patriotic. Or like when Republicans focus on discrediting the service records of anyone who served in the military that doesn't pledge allegiance to the party line. Or like when Terry Schiavo was held up as the poster child for end of life issues. Yes sir, it is a shameful, tactless, and heartless tactic that shreds all meaning from any serious discussion of any serious topic. It would do us all a lot of good if both parties would stop going that route and just stuck to the point, don't you think?
Sorry,Marty...Your link doesn't work. Why don't you explain what words I'm supposed to eat??? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Ellsworth
By the way, Marty..If you're going to throw a whole bunch of Advanced Cell Technology press releases at me...Wesley J. Smith does a good job of debunking them on his blog "Secondhand Smoke".
Frankly I don't know much about Parkinsons, I probably even spelled it wrong. But I do know this, the nasty negative ad's and the shamless ranting of the drug addicted, viagra emboldened buffoon that is Rush Limbaugh (Rush, is that a name or a sensation when stoned?)is all I need to see to come to the realization that the right wing conservatives are wrong about America, and dangerous to our future. It's really that simple.
was rush high when he made his comments? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Anthony Preziosi
OK, so i had that "O'Reilly Factor" on for 3 seconds during a My Name is Earl commercial break, and he was talking to Laura Ingraham about this Fox/Limbaugh deal. O'Reilly said "it was good for talk radio" at which point I had to turn it off.
Listening to Rush is frustrating. The way that he presents false information with false arguments sickens me. Not because he is doing it, but because people clearly lack the reasoning skills to analyize his words and see that he makes no sense. This is why America is on a swift decline losing jobs and lagging in the scientific arena.
Loved the statue behind Caviezel. Very subtle.
Hey Mindy, the truth hurts doesn't it. Come down out of your ivory castle, hypocrite. Oh i forgot, if Rush said it then it must be true.
Here you go again you despicable re-puke-licans. Trying to change the conversation to John Kerry when more than a 100 of our troops gave their lives this past month while being placed in the midst of a civil war. We went to Iraq under false pretenses and with no legitimate post-war plan. I've heard troops saying time and time again that they want to come home. Yet we've had indicidents such as the one where troops actually landed on American soil(the Alaska incidident)only to be told they were going to be sent back to Iraq. Try to change the subject now Re-puke-licans, and hope that Americans are dumb enough to buy into your sound bites instead of the real issues. And you so called christian coalitions... you've sold your souls to back a president and party that have used deception to do more harm to innocent human beings than Sadam Hussein ever dreamed of. Shame on you all!
What makes any thinking person think - that dumping 100,000 or more US troops in a country of 27 million Arabs in a sea of over a billion Muslims, some of which hate us and the rest only tolerate us (they like our money), none of which have democratic governments - is going to make any positive difference for us or them?
It seems Rush Limbaugh can't keep his fat mouth shut. He recently bad mouthed Michael J. Fox for an ad he appeared in supporting a Democratic candidate who is for government funded stem cell research. I used to be a...