[Dialogue] A Campaign of Sleaze

[Harry Wainwright]

Published on Thursday, October 26, 2006 by Truthdig
<http://www.Truthdig.com>  

A Campaign of Sleaze
Even by Limbaugh Standards, Recent Attack on Michael J. Fox is Several
Levels Lower than Tacky



by Molly Ivins 

 

It's a race to the bottom. For misinformation and cruelty, not to mention
plain old dreadful manners, it is so hard to beat Rush Limbaugh. We can only
measure the Great Blowhard against himself. 

Even by Limbaugh standards, his recent attack on Michael J. Fox, the actor,
is several levels lower than tacky. Fox, who has Parkinson's disease, has
done some political ads favoring candidates who in turn support stem cell
research. 

"He is exaggerating the effects of the disease," Limbaugh told his
listeners. "He is 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. This is the only time I've ever seen Michael J.
Fox portray any of the symptoms of the disease he has." 

The reaction from Parkinson's experts was swift and angry. "It's a shameless
statement," said John Rogers of Parkinson's Action Network. "It's insulting.
It's appallingly sad, at best." 

So then Limbaugh, big-hearted guy, says while still on the air in the same
broadcast: "Now, people are telling me they have seen Michael J. Fox in
interviews and he does appear in the same way in the interviews as he does
in this commercial. ... 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 went on to say, "Michael J. Fox is allowing his illness to be
exploited and in the process is shilling for a Democrat politician." 

Exploiting his disease by pushing for a cure. Gee, I never thought of that.
Do you think the late Christopher Reeve was faking it? Is Nancy Reagan
exploiting her late husband? 

If that isn't disgusting enough, let's take a look at a new ad running
against Harold Ford Jr. of Tennessee in the U.S. Senate race. You can find
it on the Internet, and I think you'll be amazed. The ad strings together a
series of ridiculous "positions" (e.g., "Canada can take care of North
Korea") and a stacked blonde claiming she met Ford at a Playboy party.
"Harold, call me," she coos. 

The NAACP and other groups popped up immediately to point out that the
babelicious blonde raises the old racist scare tactic about black men and
white women. I thought the whole ad was racist. Ugh. "Heh, heh, let's make
fun of how dumb the coon is." 

Ford has been a member of Congress for 9 years and is well respected in his
party. The ad is attributed to the Republican National Committee, which now
disowns it. That denial comes from Ken Mehlman, who used his time at the
White house to do favors for clients of Jack Abramoff. 

I notice a similar talking point in use again, with the right-wing punditry
united as one in their dismissal of Rep. Nancy Pelosi as among "the most
disliked" in Congress, although rather obviously she is more than usually
popular with her own party. 

One way to dismiss her is to call her "a San Francisco Democrat," which I
suppose means she's not prejudiced against gays. But with Reps. Foley and
Kolbe in the news, it's not a good year for Republicans to take that line of
attack. 

And elsewhere, former Food and Drug Administration chief Lester Crawford,
who resigned two months after his confirmation, has just pleaded guilty to
hiding his ownership in food and drug companies "regulated" by his agency. 

I realize it is difficult to keep up with the degree of Republican sleaze
around these days, but I did like President Bush's celebration of National
Character Counts Week. He went to Pennsylvania to support Rep. Don Sherwood,
who is being sued for repeatedly beating his mistress. 

C 2006 Creators Syndicate 

###

 

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