Is there any reason for Rush Limbaugh?

[jpwagoneer1964]

I'm sorry but in what ever context, this comment "He's moving all around and shaking and it's purely an act. . . . This is really shameless of Michael J. Fox. Either he didn't take his medication or he's acting." made by Limbaugh isn't about Fox's inaccurate politics but about the way Fox appeared in the ad.

You obviuosly did not hear all what Rush actually said, Or the context.

[starboardlight]

You obviuosly did not hear whar Rush actually said, Or the context.

wait you're telling me Limbaugh did not say those words? or that those words mean something different in a different context? explain to me what that context would be.

[jpwagoneer1964]

wait you're telling me Limbaugh did not say those words? or that those words mean something different in a different context? explain to me what that context would be.
 

He said that Fox was either of his meds or acting and said there was nothing wrong with that for protraying his disease. He was in no way making fun of Fox.

[serious crayons]

I just listened to a recording of what Limbaugh said. You can hear it here:

http://mediamatters.org/items/200610240001

It's true that Limbaugh disputes the way the political positions of the candidates are presented. He also disputes whether stem-cell research will be effective in curing Parkinson's disease or paralysis.

But he also talks about Michael J. Fox's behavior in the commercial. Here's what he says. The parts directly about Fox are in bold font. People can judge for themselves what to think about his comments.

   

LIMBAUGH: You need to see this. It's a spot running in St. Louis during World Series games, bought and paid for and approved by the Democrat [sic] Senate candidate, Claire McCaskill. Now, I want you to listen to this. This is Michael J. Fox, aired during a World Series game, and I will describe for you what he's doing in this commercial after you've heard it.

    [begin audio clip]

        FOX: As you might know, I care deeply about stem cell research. In Missouri, you can elect Claire McCaskill, who shares my hope for cures. Unfortunately, Senator Jim Talent opposes expanding stem cell research. Senator Talent even wanted to criminalize the science that gives us the chance for hope. They say all politics is local, but that's not always the case. What you do in Missouri matters to millions of Americans, Americans like me.

        McCASKILL: I'm Claire McCaskill, and I approve this message.

    [end audio clip]

    LIMBAUGH: Now, this is Michael J. Fox. He's got Parkinson's disease. And in this commercial, he is exaggerating the effects of the disease. He is moving all around and shaking. And it's purely an act. This is the only time I have ever seen Michael J. Fox portray any of the symptoms of the disease he has. I know he's got it and he's raising money for it, but when I've seen him in public, I've never seen him betray any of the symptoms. But this commercial, he -- he's just all over the place. He can barely control himself. He can control himself enough to stay in the frame of the picture, and he can control himself enough to keep his eyes right on the lens, the teleprompter. But his head and shoulders are moving all over the place, and he is acting like his disease is deteriorating because Jim Talent opposes research that would help him, Michael J. Fox, get cured. Jim Talent does not oppose stem cell research, he opposes fetal stem cell research but not adult. But this is reminiscent, and I don't have time -- yes, I do. Here, listen to [then-Democratic vice presidential candidate] John Edwards, the Breck girl, on the campaign trail, October 11th, 2004:

    EDWARDS [audio clip]: If we do the work that we can do in this country, the work that we will do when John Kerry is president, people like Christopher Reeve are going to walk -- get up out of that wheelchair and walk again.

    LIMBAUGH: And I think, didn't he even say -- they said it at a debate. I don't know if he said it at a convention. So this is really shameless, folks, this is really shameless of Michael J. Fox. Either he didn't take his medication or he's acting, one of the two.

    [...]

    LIMBAUGH: And we are back. El Rushbo, executing assigned host duties flawlessly -- zero mistakes here on the EIB Network.

    All right. Now, people are telling me that they have seen Michael J. Fox in interviews and he does appear the same way in the interviews as he does in this commercial for Claire McCaskill. All right, then, I stand corrected. I have never seen -- I've seen him on Boston Legal, I've seen him on a number of stand-up appearances, I've never seen the evidence that he's got -- I know he's got it. It's pitiable that he has the disease. It's a debilitating disease, and I understand that fully. Now, just stick with me on this.

    All I'm saying is that I've never seen him the way he appears in this commercial for Claire McCaskill. 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, especially since people are telling me they have seen him this way on other interviews and in other television appearances.

    But let me just say this about it. And the reason I went and grabbed the audio from John Edwards, where he said in 2004 on the campaign trail, quote, "If we can do the work we that can do in this country, the work we will do when [Sen.] John Kerry [D-MA] is president, people like Christopher Reeve are going to walk -- get up out of that wheel chair and walk again." That was about stem cells, and that was a misleading statement, and it didn't work for the Breck girl -- implying that if it weren't for George W. Bush and his stubbornness on stem cells, that we've got a cure for spinal deterioration and injury, and we don't!

    We do not have anywhere near a cure. We can't regenerate nerves yet, folks, and that's what has to happen to cure paralysis in the spine. And stem cells do not promise any such thing, nor do they for Parkinson's disease. So the reason that I went and got the Breck girl to compare it to the Michael J. Fox is because I think that the intent here is the same thing.

    I think, and if I may be blatantly honest, brazenly so, I think this is much more offensive than Hillary [Rodham Clinton]'s Senate opponent implying that she is ugly. Michael J. Fox is allowing his illness to be exploited, and in the process is shilling for a Democrat [sic] politician. And in the process of doing that, creating an impression, like John Edwards tried to do, that is not reality. Michael J. Fox is using his illness as a way to mislead voters into thinking that their vote for a single United States senator has a direct impact on stem cell research in Missouri. It doesn't, and it won't.

    So Mr. Fox is using his illness as another tactic to try to secure the election of a Democrat [sic] senator by implying that with her election, that we'll be on the road to stem cell research her opponent opposes, and people who suffer from Parkinson's disease, as he does, will have a cure. Now, I just -- you know, it's a negative ad.

[starboardlight]

He said that Fox was either of his meds or acting and said there was nothing wrong with that for protraying his disease. He was in no way making fun of Fox.

he said "it's really shameful". "making fun" is not the right word, but he clearly was attacking the actor for it.

[serious crayons]

he said "it's really shameful". "making fun" is not the right word, but he clearly was attacking the actor for it.

True. "Making fun" is not the right phrase, as that would imply there was humor involved. He's not being funny. (And I changed my post above, in which I originally used the phrase too, accordingly.)

I guess what Rush Limbaugh actually did was accuse Michael J. Fox of lying about his own progressing and degenerative disease. After listeners reported to him that Fox's symptoms are genuine, Limbaugh apologized for the original accusation and substituted a new one, accusing Fox of exploiting his own disease as a political strategy to mislead voters.

[jpwagoneer1964]

Whats really shamful is the dems using Fox to get a cloneing bill passed, attemting to protray rebs as uncampassionate, Elect a canadate that voted againt stem cell research. The irony is that no one in the medical community can prove actual progress in stem cell.

[JennyC]

Thought I post this here since it's related.

Anderson Cooper interviewed Michael J. Fox on stem cell research in general, and the controversial over Fox's campaign ad.  It’s a very well done interview (ok I am biased since I am a fan of Anderson) about 20 minutes long and definitely worthy watching.  If you missed the 360 show, you can view the video here. http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/anderson.cooper.360/blog/2006/11/michael-j-fox-talks-to-anderson.html

I have learned more information on stem cell research, and have a renewed admiration for Michael J. Fox from the interview.  It takes great courage to live with the stigma of the disease and still put himself out there for the things he believes in, knowing that he will be judged, questioned, and sometimes laughed at.  He was very humble, and very respectful when asked about some people’s opposition on embryonic stem cell research.