Limbaugh mocks Michael J. Fox political ad

Conservative talk show host accuses actor of faking Parkinson's disease

By David Montgomery

 

Possibly worse than making fun of someone's disability is saying that it's imaginary. That is not to mock someone's body, but to challenge a person's guts, integrity, sanity.

 

To Rush Limbaugh on Monday, Michael J. Fox looked like a faker. The actor, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, has done a series of political ads supporting candidates who favor stem cell research, including Maryland Democrat Ben Cardin, who is running against Republican Michael Steele for the Senate seat being vacated by Paul Sarbanes.

 

"He is exaggerating the effects of the disease," Limbaugh told listeners. "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."

 

Limbaugh, whose syndicated radio program has a weekly audience of about 10 million, was reacting to Fox's appearance in another one of the spots, for Missouri Democrat Claire McCaskill, running against Republican Sen. James M. Talent.

 

But the Cardin ad is similar. It is hard to watch, unless, for some reason, you don't believe it. As he speaks, Fox's restless torso weaves and writhes in a private dance. His head bobs from side to side, almost leaving the video frame.

 

"This is the only time I've ever seen Michael J. Fox portray any of the symptoms of the disease he has," Limbaugh said. "He can barely control himself."

 

'A shameless statement'

Later Monday, still on the air, Limbaugh would apologize, but reaction to his statements from Parkinson's experts and Fox's supporters was swift and angry.

 

"It's a shameless statement," John Rogers said yesterday. Rogers, Fox's political adviser, who also serves on the board of the Parkinson's Action Network, added: "It's insulting. It's appallingly sad, at best."

 

"Anyone who knows the disease well would regard his movement as classic severe Parkinson's disease," said Elaine Richman, a neuroscientist in Baltimore who co-wrote "Parkinson's Disease and the Family." "Any other interpretation is misinformed."

 

Fox was campaigning yesterday for Tammy Duckworth, a congressional candidate, outside Chicago, when he alluded to Limbaugh's remarks. "It's ironic, given some of the things that have been said in the last couple of days, that my pills are working really well right now," he said, according to a report on the CBS2 Web site.

 

After his apology, Limbaugh shifted his ground and renewed his attack on Fox.

 

"Now people are telling me they have seen Michael J. Fox in interviews and he does appear the same way in the interviews as he does in this commercial," Limbaugh said, according to a transcript on his Web site. "All right then, I stand corrected. . . . 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."

 

Then Limbaugh pivoted to a different critique: "Michael J. Fox is allowing his illness to be exploited and in the process is shilling for a Democratic politician."

 

'Hope to millions of Americans'

Limbaugh's shock at Fox's appearance is a measure of the disease's devastation, advocates say. Contrary to the charge that Fox might not take his medicine to enhance his symptoms, the medicine produces some of the uncontrolled body movements.

 

"Stem cell research offers hope to millions of Americans with diseases like diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's," Fox says in the Cardin ad. "But George Bush and Michael Steele would put limits on the most promising stem cell research."

 

Fox has appeared in ABC's "Boston Legal" this season. In his scenes, taped over the summer, Fox does not shake or loll his head as he does in the Cardin commercial, but does appear to be restraining himself, appearing almost rigid at times.

 

A source with direct knowledge of Fox's illness who viewed the Cardin ad said Fox is not acting to exaggerate the effects of the disease. The source said Fox's scenes in "Boston Legal" had to be taped around his illness, as he worked to control the tremors associated with Parkinson's for limited periods of time.

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15408508/

 

What a jerk. That's such an ignorant thing to say about a person's disability.

Typical.

 

Nothing new from Limbaugh.

He is a complete and utter moron, and a drug addicted putz

Come on, let's hear how people defend Rush now. Please?

Extremely lame.

 

That said, the things said in that ad have seriously been debunked and I think it's lame that alot of people will be severely mislead.

I have listened to his show over the last few days as this was brought up, so I know what he actually said and how he said it. He made an observation on the commercial and questioned whether Fox had not taken his medication, like he didn't do on purpose before testifying to Congress, to make the symptoms show loudly as he had never seen him so "out of control" with the symptoms before.

 

The basic idea of the comment, which he said later on, was that should the exploitation of a disease be used in political campaigns.

 

I saw the Fox ad and he basically says he believes the cure for Parkinson's Disease is in embryonic stem cell research (involving the possible cloning/destruction of human embryos) and that Republicans like Talent of Missouri, Steele of Maryland, and a candidate in Minnesota are stopping a cure by only supporting stem cell research not coming from the destruction or cloning of human embryos.

 

Rush, as a Missouri native, took offense to the fact Fox ignored that voters are not being asked to ban embryonic stem cell research.

 

Not saying Rush was right or wrong, just what was said by both sides.

 

Rush Transcript/Audio Clip: http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/sit...loit.guest.html & http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/sit...ight.guest.html

 

Fox Ad in Question:

 

 

As a note, RealClearPolitics.com shows the Missouri Senate Race tight, but with Talent ahead slightly.

 

Inside Edition has a brief summary: http://www.insideedition.com/ourstories/in...spx?storyid=441

 

Missouri Amendment #2: http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/2006petitions/ppStemCell.asp

Cape, what evidence do you have that Fox stops taking his medicine before going in front of Congress? Limbaugh's evidence was hearsay from an email. This is why Limbaugh is scum. He makes accusations based on non-existent evidence. And then his followers pick it up and run with it as truth. Conservatives are doing the same thing in Ohio, accusing the dem of being a child molestor.

Not going to defend Limbaugh, but President Bush is the first President to authorize funding for Embryonic Stem Cell Reseach, even though Clinton could have, and there is no ban on Stem Cell Research of any kind, only rules on how Federal money can be spent on such research. There are no restriction placed on private financing of medical research into Stem Cells. If there was promise of a viable cure for diseases that afflict millions, and therefore a big wad of cash waiting for the person or company that find that cure, there would be no need for Federal funding at all.

 

Again, not only is there no ban on Embryonic Stem Cell Research, there is Federal funding for the research. One can argue that there is not enough funding, or that the rules regarding federal funds are counterproductive but no matter where you stand on the promise or morality of Embryonic stem cell research, to describe the situation as a ban is a baldfaced lie, often repeated by Democrats, and unfortunately by Michael J. Fox.

Cape, what evidence do you have that Fox stops taking his medicine before going in front of Congress? Limbaugh's evidence was hearsay from an email.

 

Inside Edition quoting an ABC News interview with Michael J. Fox on Good Morning America with Diane Sawyer. I have also been told that he wrote on it in one of his books.

But many people want to ban the federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. Thats the point.

I heard him bantering about this on the radio this afternoon. No need to explain this, of course, but what a jerk.

BTW, the title of this thread is from the MSNBC.com/Washington Post story and is not accurate. Rush did not mock Fox, he scorned him, but didn't mock him.

Is anybody really surprised by Rush Limbaugh anymore? He just felt like he wasn't getting enough attention, so he said something ridiculous to get his name back out there. He does this every few years.

But many people want to ban the federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. Thats the point.

 

 

The Congress as is stands now, hell even if the GOP got upwards of 60% representation (not going to happen) would not be able to ban federal funding, much less research not funded by the federal government.

BTW, the title of this thread is from the MSNBC.com/Washington Post story and is not accurate. Rush did not mock Fox, he scorned him, but didn't mock him.

 

 

Well, they showed the video from his show taping on CBS news last night and he was mimicing Fox. If that's not mockery, I don't know what is.

He's an idiot.

BTW, the title of this thread is from the MSNBC.com/Washington Post story and is not accurate. Rush did not mock Fox, he scorned him, but didn't mock him.

 

Either way, hes a total douchebag.

Come on, let's hear how people defend Rush now. Please?

 

Uh... after receiving about 1000 phone calls from people saying it was legit and alienating tens of thousands of listeners he appologized? :shrugs

 

Granted, I'm not a big proponent of "stars" in politics, but still. I still want to see one of those church ads trying to make the counter point. :mischief2

 

"What would Jesus do?"

Come on, let's hear how people defend Rush now. Please?

 

Uh... after receiving about 1000 phone calls from people saying it was legit and alienating tens of thousands of listeners he appologized? :shrugs

 

Granted, I'm not a big proponent of "stars" in politics, but still. I still want to see one of those church ads trying to make the counter point. :mischief2

 

"What would Jesus do?"

 

 

BTW, the title of this thread is from the MSNBC.com/Washington Post story and is not accurate. Rush did not mock Fox, he scorned him, but didn't mock him.

 

 

Well, they showed the video from his show taping on CBS news last night and he was mimicing Fox. If that's not mockery, I don't know what is.

 

 

The guy is a sh*t stain on the already crap filled landscape of american politics.

The guy is a sh*t stain on the already crap filled landscape of american politics.

:lol

 

I don't know about Florida, but EVERY campaign in NY has involved a smear ad on their opponent. I would love to see a debate where each candidate is forced to say why their opponent WOULD make a good candidate. They would soil themselves... :thumbup

Only Rush would do this. Even guys like Hannity and O'Reilly wouldn't cross this line.

 

Why people actually listen to him, I'll never know. :blink:

he's crap and most thinking conservatives (including those on this board) I'd say agrees with that....except cape who's about as party-line as an individual can be.

 

Does anyone here listen to Mike Savage? I work at a bar and listen to him sometimes on my way to work.

Cape, what evidence do you have that Fox stops taking his medicine before going in front of Congress? Limbaugh's evidence was hearsay from an email. This is why Limbaugh is scum. He makes accusations based on non-existent evidence. And then his followers pick it up and run with it as truth. Conservatives are doing the same thing in Ohio, accusing the dem of being a child molestor.

 

 

He only did it once, and it was to make a point. If anything, this ad should bolster the argument for funding for stem-cell research, because it demonstrates that after a while, medication for Parkinson's disease doesn't work anymore, or if it does, just intermittently.

Dr. John Boockvar, a neurosurgeon and assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical Center at New York's Presbyterian Hospital, called Limbaugh's claim "ludicrous." Boockvar said those with Parkinson's have "on" and "off" spells.

 

"If there is one single disease that has the highest potential for benefit from stem cell research," Boockvar said Tuesday, "it's Parkinson's."

 

 

 

Damn neurosurgeons have a liberal agenda.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/10/25/mic...n.ap/index.html

"Insider" showed a clip of Rush Limbaugh mocking Fox, so yeah, I'd keep the claim that he mocked Fox.