Hannity: Stem cell research advocated by "the Michael J. Fox wing of [Pelosi's] party"

On the January 4 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, host Sean Hannity declared, in a discussion about the agenda of "San Francisco [House] Speaker Nancy Pelosi [D-CA]," that Pelosi "wants to expand federal funding of stem cell research, in a clear bow to the Michael J. Fox wing of her party."

Hannity's mention of actor Fox was an apparent reference to Fox's appearance in campaign advertisements for pro-stem cell research candidates during the 2006 midterm elections. Although Fox made ads for several Democratic candidates in 2006, as Media Matters pointed out, in 2004, Fox also made an ad for Republican Arlen Specter (PA). Indeed, far from being a narrow issue advocated by a fringe of the Democratic Party, as Hannity suggested, federal funding for embryonic stem cell research is supported by a majority of Americans, according to polling. A December 19-21 Associated Press/AOL poll asked the question, "Should the government ease the restrictions on use of federal money to research embryonic stem cells, or not?" Fifty-six percent of respondents answered "should," 41 percent answered "should not," and 3 percent answered "unsure."

From the January 4 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes:

HANNITY: But first, the clock is ticking. The San Francisco Speaker Nancy Pelosi took office today as Democrats started pushing their agenda without Republicans being allowed to voice their dissent. Now, among the things that Pelosi is trying to push through is a PAYGO legislation that would force Congress to adopt budget cuts or, you guessed it, tax increases to cover any new spending.

And there's a raise of the federal minimum wage which, of course, would threaten business and business owners across the country. And she wants to expand federal funding of stem cell research, in a clear bow to the Michael J. Fox wing of her party.

—K.D.