Rush Limbaugh, Michael J. Fox and Parkinson's Disease
POSTED BY: misbehaven
UPDATED: Saturday, November 18, 2006 01:39
VIEWED: 26984
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It's sad that a person's political ideology can run so deeply, that he feels justified in verbally attacking someone who's suffering from a debilitating disease just because he disagrees with the other guy's politics.
Rush Limbaugh On the Offensive Against Ad With Michael J. Fox
By David Montgomery
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 25, 2006; Page C01
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."
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."
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 him
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My father died of pneumonia due to Parkinson's disease. The diease isn't pretty to watch and it's not merely debilitating, it's always fatal. Pneumonia is how most suffers die, and it is mentally, physically and emotionally gruesome. Rush and other hacks need to understand that it's called a 'disease' for the reason that it demolishes the person for years until a brutal death. And that THAT might be why people who have Parkinson's disease and their families are looking for effective treatment, and maybe even a cure.
Rush Limbaugh - a rancid slab of bacon.
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Perhaps he doesn't remember Janet Reno's distracting head-bob? Those were side effects from her Parkinson's meds.
Parkinson's is a very difficult disease to control, and in MJ Fox's version (which begins at an early age) the progression is more rapid that with later-onset Parkinson's. It is a balancing act between enough meds (L-dopa and related/ synergistic meds) and too much meds, and eventually you get all of the side effects but very little benefit.
But the right-wing is just desperate, and they'll stop at nothing.
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Reality sucks. Especially when it contradicts our cherished ideas.
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My mother worked in nursing homes for years so I have seen the disease and know that it is not pretty. But come on, can anyone really be surprised that Rush Limbaugh said what he did? It is after all the same guy who said that junkies were useless human beings while addicted to pain killers. What happened though disgusting, is pure Rush Limbaugh.
"Well, my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle." http://whimsicalnbrainpan.blogspot.com/
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Quote:
Originally posted by misbehaven:
It's sad that a person's political ideology can run so deeply, that he feels justified in verbally attacking someone who's suffering from a debilitating disease just because he disagrees with the other guy's politics.
I agree. I can't believe Fox would go around the country attacking people because he suffers from a debilitating illness just because he disagrees with their politics.
I listened to Rush. He said what he said. Then I watched the video on the News. Fox is moving around pretty bad. Then they show'd recent file footage where he wasn't moving at all. Then there is Fox's book were he talks about going off his medication before testifying before Congress to further illistrate (or exaggerate) the illness. I found that odd and it made me wonder.
Today Fox's Doctor revealed that the movement was less a part of the disease and more a side effect of the medication. Oh, ok. That explains it unless we hear credible evidence to the contrary. So now we know that Fox isn't faking, lets look at his argument.
Fox indicates in his ads that Candidate So-n-so wants to make stem cell research illegal and that the Democrat will make it so that they can research stem cells and find a cure for his disease.
1. Stem cell research is not illegal. None of the candidates targeted have indicated a desire to make it so.
2. In Maryland the Republican candidate is neutral on Stem cells and indicated openess to the idea of limited govt. funding. The Democrat, who Fox supports, voted for the ban.
3. Stem cell research is not a path to cure Fox's particular disease, although it is a potenital path to cure other diseases which are mentioned (like Alzheimer's).
I disagree with most of Limbaugh's personal comments about Fox, but the ads are political cheap shot, false and misleading, and Fox is taking advantage of his disease to generate sympathy for a pet cause. He deserves to be challenged on the issue, if not the medium he chose.
In short I think celebrity standard bearers should take a note from Bono and go after both parties rather then targeting one. If Democrats get control of the House, not one federal dollar will be spent on stem cells. Not one. Republicans will stall it, sabotage it, veto it, whatever they need to to stick it to Fox. Thats not a Republican thing, its how politics really works. I suspect Fox knows this and that his real cause is the Demcratic Party, not stem cell research.
H
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I personally found the ad very powerful. Here's a link if you haven't seen it yet.
More generally, I'm not surprised at all that Limbaugh and other Republicans (as evidenced by Hero's talking points spiel) are attacking Michael J. Fox. One of the worst things that could happen to the leaders of the Republican Party is for Americans to realize that the legislation they have been ramming through Congress, and that President Bush has been signing, impacts people personally. And that legislation they are cynically proposing to shore up their support among the far right fringe has a very real and direct impact on the quality of life of many Americans.
Ads like this, and the two VoteVets ads( and ) put a human face on the other side of the equation. It's a face that the leadership of the conservative ruling majority does not want you to see. So they must attack as hard as they can. Attack. Always attack. Only one voice is allowed to be heard.
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urk!
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Remember Bill Frist and Terry Schiavo? I think Limbaugh has gone to the Bill Frist School of Television Diagnosis.
Yes, it's terrible how a poltical party can use a person's diseases to further a cause (you know, like over-ruling judges from Congress) ...
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Reality sucks. Especially when it contradicts our cherished ideas.
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How about a solution to the whole mess
Lets take the researchers and all the money that could be spent on said research, move it to Canada and get something done.
After all, the end goal is more important than the politics involved...
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Quote:You see it's statements like this, where you indicate that the American Government takes the opinions of religious extremists more importantly than quality of life for the majority of citizens, that I thank whoever it is I need to thank that I was born British.
Originally posted by SoupCatcher:
And that legislation they are cynically proposing to shore up their support among the far right fringe has a very real and direct impact on the quality of life of many Americans.
More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.
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