Republicans, Campaign Ads and Stem-Cell Research
I caught a little of Rush Limbaugh's show this afternoon as he attempted to gnaw his own leg off to escape the trap he stepped into by taking on television's Michael J. Fox.As medical experts continue to weigh in on the authenticity of Fox's symptoms, Limbaugh could only defend himself by creating an alternate universe in which he provided a dispassionate factual rebuttal to Fox's claims two days ago, not obscenely pantomimed mockery of a 45-year-old man stricken with a severe nervous system disorder.
One poll found a five-percent jump in support for the research after Fox's ad aired during the World Series.
The progressive 547 group Majority Action demonstrates the difference between Fox's personal, emotionally resonant plea and a crass attack ad on the same subject.
A lot can be said about Republicans during this election season, but I wasn't aware that Rep. Don Sherwood (R-Pa.) and other incumbents would visit paralysis, early-onset Alzheimer's and juvenile diabetes on suburban swing voters. Maybe if they cut back on their compulsion to inflict disease, there wouldn't be a growing need for universal health care.
Comments
Dunno, Rogers. I haven't been listening to Limbaugh, but I have seen the ads, and Fox's appearance this evening with Couric. It looks an awful lot like he went off his meds specifically for these slots - and he's admitted to doing so in the past. That's victimhood as a campaign strategy, and I find it fairly despicable. I don't have any well formed opinion on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, but I'm inclined to think less of it if it requires this kind of stunt.
There's no ban on such research - where's the VC funding?
Fox told Katie Couric he requires medication to speak. Assuming he fluctuates between good days and bad days, is he obligated to only film campaign spots that depict a good day? I don't see how a victim of a disease could show the world the effects of that disease and not be accused of "victimhood."
Though I wondered if the ad was emotionally exploitive when I first saw it, I also question the perception there's something unseemly about showing a disease sufferer's unvarnished reality.
I don't think there's anything unseemly about showing a disease sufferer's unvarnished reality. However, if only we had known that Ronald Reagan was in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease when he was first elected president, perhaps someone in the media might have been motivated to comment on the irony of his policies in office that caused thousands of inmates of what we may politely call 'sanitariums' to be discharged onto the streets, many of whom are still there, but instead of calling them mentally ill, now we call them the 'homeless'.
Rogers,
I think the real take away from this is: how you view Fox' ads depends mostly on where your politics were to begin with. meaning, I don't think it changes the game much, either way.
Let me be very morbid....imagine that Nancy Reagan allowed a 60 second spot with the beloved Ronald Reagan in the full throes of his Alzheimer's disease....
The so called Embryonic Stem Cell Research bill that Fox is pushing, is not even about stem cells. It's just called that so it will be passed. It's all about human cloning. Read the bill for yourself and make your on decisions. Fox as said repeatedly that he will not take his meds to show the affects of the disease. What makes you think he didn't do it this time? Just because he has this disease, doesn't make him exempt from scrutiny. He is backing political canidates, and the Dems would be responding the same way the Reps are.
Scarey - Nancy? The whole nation saw it for more than sixty seconds! It's called Second Term.
Chad - Per neuroscience, that IS THE effect of the medication, not the disease. And what's wrong with cloning? Imagine an endless supply of Ronald Reagans to fight in all our foreign adventures! Tehran and Pyongyang will be awash in The Gipper! Republicans shall be Legion! They already all think alike, so why the worry? Rove's already drafting the Clone Voting Act of 2012 (it's just the state constitution of Kansas with G-O-P in place of G-O-D). MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! *cough*
My God!! So the republican party, the ones who are supposed to represent compassion and love of a fellow human being, the party of "values", the party of charity and good will, sinking to such lows as to actually attack and besmirch the character of a man ravaged by a disease which could happen to any one of us. Have you no shame; at long last sirs and madams have you no shame!! I beseech those of you who are republicans, please do not view this through a prism of cheering for a football team, politics has an impact which goes further than who scores the most political points and who wins. The debates and issues impact human beings, not multi million dollar athletes that we all cheer for on any given Sunday. Please please realize that you are being used as pawns, up to a point we all are. I am not here to defend the honor of Democrats; they leave a lot to be desired for as well. Nonetheless, it is the Republicans who control the white house, both chambers of congress, and the supreme court for the past 6 years, and in that span, our beloved country has been led into a disastrous war in which both sides are bleeding slowly in the vice of politicians who tell little truths and sacrifice even less. Our homeland was attacked while those we entrust were asleep at the switch, only to have the same administration asleep at the switch while the worse natural disaster in US History destroyed a beautiful city. Millionaires become billionaires while the rest of us shmucks are lucky to get a raise that keeps up with inflation. Debt on top of debt to be paid by our children, and in the meantime, we are asked to be pissed off at some gay wedding. Wake up, I don't care what your political leanings are, but it is painfully obvious that a house ran by the dictates of only one voice leads not to democracy but to tyrannical subversion of our values and our republic. Vote republican, you are voting for the continued corruption, scandals, and a war which kills our children for the enrichment of the politicians' children. If the polls have it right, over 75% don't believe the country is on the right track, well the train conductor, the train, and the tracks are all operated by a monolithic republican party. You vote for a republican, you are voting for the continuation of that track...think long and hard before you vote, voting republican is the same as voting for a continuation of the status quo.
It looks an awful lot like he went off his meds specifically for these slots - and he's admitted to doing so in the past.
Yeah, ok, Dr. Dickweed, VCR MD. Has Bill Frist opened a medical correspondence school for witless wingnuts? What the hell is wrong with you people?
My father died of Parkinsons Disease. I watched as a strong, independent man who worked until his mid-70's, ended up in a wheelchair, having to eat pureed food because he could not swallow correctly.
Although my father took his prescribed meds, he knew--as did his family--that they become less effective over time.
If stem cell research will cure--or even significantly slow--a disease like this then I am all for it.
Although I am all for research and scientific breakthroughs to help cure disease, I feel like Fox is off target in his ad. While the adult stem cells show great potential for treating and helping cure many diseases, the embryonic stem cells have shown no such potential or promise for any kind of development, yet so many people continue to push to pump in more money. In his ad, Fox states that he is for stem cell research, but I feel like he should clarify exactly which part; otherwise the topic can be twisted either way. If there was promise in embryonic stem cell research, wouldn't logic provide that private investors would be all over it because of the chance to capitalize off the new breakthroughs as with any new drug or treatment? Instead, nearly all funding for this research is government funded because no one else will throw their money into a no returns situation. This demonstrates the distinct difference between the types of stem cell research and why it should be clarified as to which is to be supported. Instead, however, Fox is used by the DNC to promote their stance on ALL stem cell research, despite the given situation. This is why I feel as if Fox and his condition have been manipulated for political means which tie back to the abortion wars. I find it disturbing that the DNC would take someone who does truly suffer without proper meds, as demonstrated in the ad, and use them to support an agenda which gives false hope to many misinformed people.
Fox has campaigned for Republicans in the past. I think he decided to speak out and do the ads because of Bush's veto, and the fact that several states are voting on initiatives that would allow the research. So claiming partisanship simply reveals ignorance of the issue and Fox's involvement.
JBlack,
You're suffering from several misconceptions. First off, it is disengenious to claim that embryonic stem cells show no promise. Until penicillin was studied mold showed no promise as a medical cure, which is exactly the point. It needs to be given further study to determine if it is as promising as it seems. As to why the private sector doesn't address the issue, that is due to the de facto ban on such research. What I mean by this is that no lab that uses government funding for any research may not use the same equipment for embryonic stem cells. If there is any violation of this rule, funding is cut off. Imagine the expense of having to outfit an entire lab soley for one purpose knowing the equipment can never be used for another purpose. It is inconcievable and is a ban in all but name. While Mr. Fox may have stayed off his meds in the past, this clearly was not the case during this taping. The symptoms he displayed, called tardive dyskinesia, are a result of the meds themselves. Had he been off his meds he would appear stone faced and barely be able to move or speak. The whole issue of stem cell research is not some evil plot to legitamize abortion or anything else. While some may find it morally questionable the other arguments are completely without base.
How many of the people bad mouthing Fox and are against stem cell research have any of the diseases of which they are trying to find a cure? When you walk in those shoes you will have more credibility with me.
Money wasted on this research? I guess we could use that money to kill more brown people that were never a threat to us, but I'd like a brighter future.
Use embryonic stem cells to try to cure disease---or toss them in the trash. Gee--that's a toughie. For some.
Pre Embryonic Stem Cells were made available for research in 1998. you need to give Science some time to cure these diseases like Parkinsons and Alzhiemers and spinal cord injuries. Cures dont just appear over night, they may take a decade to cure. all the mor reason we need to start supporting ESCR Now!
Science has already saved you from Polio, smallpox,and other plagues that would have killed off populations in the past. The CEO and chief editor of Science Magazine sent a letter to every Senator in the US congress emploring them to support Embryonic Stem cell research. congress obliged with a well though out bill and George Bush used his first veto to stomp the hopes of all these suffering people. When it comes to issues of science I stand with the Scientists not George Bush!
What if Chavez is right and Bush really is the Devil? If we judged by the Devils mixing of lies and truth and inflicting death and disease on the world and then doing nothing about it other than telling more lies and diverting to smoke and mirrors or other psycho babble then he must be the evil one.
Actually Bush is a tool of the Devil and his left hand man and continues to lie cheat and make his rich richer while destroying mankind and creating hostility.
Is there an Exorist who can remove the Devil from Bush?
Actually it could be far more serious and we may need to use one to take the Bush out of the Devil as many felt even Lucifer was insulted by the Chavez comment.
As a Republican I can only say I am disgusted. We need to go full speed ahead with Stem-Cell
Research. The rescent dust-up with Limbaugh and Fox is a disgrace. Limbaugh should be ashamed...
Parkinsons is a degenerative condition. For you knuckle-dragging idiots defending Limbaugh that means as time goes on his condition will worsen. Eventually, the paralysis will cause his lungs to fail, he'll go on a resperator, and eventually die when his nervous system colapses and his heart stops beating. Fox will be lucky to see 50.
Some of these ads are more confussing than helpful. It appears some candidates are for Stem Cell Researcch while at the same time they are against Stem Cell Research. These ads are simply working to conguse the electorate. If a candidate confusses the voters enough he just might get elected. A sad testimony to the state of our Democracy.
The Republican Party will lose the House. I am a Republican and the Party deserves this loss.
We have the worst Congress in a generation right now.
There are some who would say that there is no real place for stem cell research. I am not one of them. I have seen too many people that have died of diseases that could have ben cured with such procedures had there not been opposition to it in the first place. Though I will concede that some viable human beings are being sacrificed to bring better health to one person, is it not the same with war? Where there are thousands, nay, millions of men and wmen that have and continue to die for one singular cause? Why not have those eggs that women produce in excess (there are over 40,000 eggs in the female ovaries). think on it.
--CRAWL--
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