Limbaugh said Fox was simply playing his latest role. "He is exaggerating the effects of the disease," he told his 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."
The Herald Sun reports that he later apologized:
One of America's leading talk show hosts has apologised to actor Michael J. Fox for saying he was shamelessly faking his Parkinson's disease symptoms.
But high-rating conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh said he still believed Fox was a biased spruiker for the Democrat party on stem cell research.
But, in a classic case of political doublespeak, Limbaugh also defended his slurs:
"I stand by what I said," he said. "I take back none of what I said. I wouldn't rephrase it any differently. It is what I believe. It is what I think. It is what I found to be true."
The Guardian reports that Limbaugh was "forced" to issue the apology:
Limbaugh was forced to apologise to the actor after he accused Fox of exaggerating the symptoms of his illness in an election television advert. "He's either off his medication or acting. He is an actor after all," Limbaugh said in his broadcast on Monday.
Hours later the talkshow host was forced to retract. "I will bigly, hugely admit that I was wrong," he said.
They do not say how they know he was "forced" to apologize, but it seems likely that it was not a sincere apology.
In any case, Limbaugh's remark was not only rude; it was irrelevant. It contributes nothing to the debate on stem cells, for Limbaugh to make a personal attack on Mr. Fox.
Comments
It's not an apology unless he both expresses remorse and admits wrongdoing. Without the both, you can say you are apologizing all you like, but it doesn't make it so.
Posted by: brian | October 27, 2006 1:28 AM
"In any case, Limbaugh's remark was not only rude; it was irrelevant."
Ah, but that's where you're wrong. If you understand how the biggoted minds of Limbaugh and his kin work, you see that Fox faking his symptoms implies that he has some ulterior motives for supporting stem cell research, something which must be true of other stem cell research supporters as well, by association. These motives presumably have something to do with the pleasure attained by butchering those defenseless snowflake babies.
I bet thinking such thoughs makes Limbaugh shiver with orgasmic rage.
Posted by: Flaky | October 27, 2006 2:40 AM