ABC Talk Radio host Sean Hannity spoke to Diane Sawyer about the recent controversey caused by Rush Limbaugh's comments about Michael J. Fox.
Posted on 10/25/2006 12:07:38 PM PDT by ajolympian2004
*** Just outstanding guest appearance by Sean Hannity on Good Morning America with Diane Sawyer, our 'Great American'!!! ***
Hannity: Michael J. Fox Can Be Criticized for Stem Cell Ad
Radio Show Host Says Ad Won't Affect Midterm Elections' Outcome
Video link -
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2604613
(opens ABC News video player)
ABC Talk Radio host Sean Hannity spoke to Diane Sawyer about the recent controversey caused by Rush Limbaugh's comments about Michael J. Fox.
Oct. 25, 2006 — Conservatives came to the defense of talk radio host Rush Limbaugh over his accusation that actor Michael J. Fox's appearance in a political ad about stem cell research was "purely an act."
ABC talk radio host Sean Hannity told "Good Morning America" that Fox deserved to be criticized.
"Michael J. Fox admits now that he stopped taking his medication prior to testifying before Congress," Hannity said. "You have a right to speak up, but he also has a right to be criticized."
Fox cut a highly emotional spot for several Democratic candidates, including Missouri's Senate candidate Claire McCaskill.
Limbaugh questioned whether Fox's very real physical tremors had been faked.
"In this commercial, he is exaggerating the effects of the disease. He is moving all around and shaking. And it's purely an act," Limbaugh said.
Limbaugh apologized after his listeners clued him in that Fox was not acting, but some Democrats say the conservative radio host didn't seem sincere.
"There are some inaccuracies in the ad that need to be debated," Hannity said. "Unfortunately he wants to create an impression where Republicans don't care about the health of people. This is only about the funding of federal stem cell issues."
"Bottom line: Did Rush Limbaugh go too far? My take is that he was referring to his own admission in his own book. He didn't talk about the congressional testimony. Everybody wants Michael J. Fox to get well. It is a difficult disease," Hannity said.
"What's unfortunate and deceiving about the ad is that this is about the federal funding of embryotic stem cells," he said, alleging that congressional candidates didn't have a say in those decisions.
As for the results of the midterm elections, Hannity wasn't sure what the outcome would be.
"If I could pick those, I think I would be a pretty wealthy guy," he said. "But, I sense being on radio talking to people three hours a day, that there's been a shift."
"I think this Michael J. Fox [ad controversy] is going to backfire," he said. "I think the race ultimately is going to be decided on issues: national security, immigration, taxes. And when people focus on that, I think it benefits the Republicans."
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=2604633
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When it comes to an attack ad late in an election cycle, "discourse" is the last thing on MJF's mind, "discourse" is the last thing on McHassle's DC handler's mind.
Source: http://www.michaeljfox.org/news/article.php?id=5
Got it. Maybe the WABC folks made a comment on Sean's appearance without actually seeing it. Who knows???
I don't think so. Should things turn for the worse for Fox, it will be uncharted territory -- I can't think of a celebrity as young as Fox that has so publicly gone through a disease as visibly disorienting as Parkinson's.
Look at how much support and face time Christopher Reeve got out of being paralyzed, and his movie career was in a severe slide when he had his accident (his last picture while able-bodied was a limp remake of Village of the Damned.) Other celebs who have gotten deadly diseases kept up their contacts in the industry up until their premature deaths to raise awareness about what killed them. For example: Saturday Night Live star Gilda Radner, who succumbed to ovarian cancer, and comedienne Wendie Jo Sperber, who died of breast cancer.
Even if the Hollywood elite would forget Fox, the tabloids would never let up. He'd be reported to be "NEAR DEATH (pals fear)" every other month, the way Bob Hope was for over a decade before passing away at 100.
He certainly has the right to his opinion but he doesn't have any rigth to lie, dissemble and slander men like Jim Talent.
Maybe Little Mikey should wander on back to the land of his birth - Canada. He can get all the medical attention he wants for free - if he can live long enough to get an appointment. We all know the numerous and wonderful contributions Canadians have made to science and medicine.
"In this commercial, he is exaggerating the effects of the disease. He is moving all around and shaking. And it's purely an act," Limbaugh said. --- He didn't say that!!! It's a made up quote!!
Limbaugh apologized after his listeners clued him in that Fox was not acting, but some Democrats say the conservative radio host didn't seem sincere. --- And he DIDN'T APOLOGIZE!!! AAAAAUUUUUUGGGGJHHHHH!!!!!
Silly actions by liberals, evoke silly polls!
No, no, no. Libs can always speak up but they can never be criticized. It is mean spirited.
Only evil conservatives can be criticized.
From this article: "...Embryonic stem cell research is anything but a proven science. Intitial results have proven far more unsuccessful than the Strategic Defense Initiative program ever was yet the press has long ago deemed Star Wars a failure. One thing that has been proven, Embryonic Stem Cells produce tumors in almost all test subjects (mice) whereas adult stem cells do not..."
He has dual citizenship.
Those were the days!
Ratt rules!
I didn't mean to suggest you wanted it banned. But I was aruging against your opinion that it was in bad taste.
It is no different that a vet with an amputated leg asking for more Vet assistance.
Or for a woman without the ability to have a child to argue for easier access to adoption or to use services like invitro.
If it bothers you so much it might be because you don't want to see the diseases affects.
I agree but that's a different matter from what I was suggesting.
I wasn't defending the ad style either.. merely suggesting that it isn't bad taste for someone suffering of Parkinsons to talk on a subject that "some" people think will help them.
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