CNN's Blitzer twice falsely asserted Limbaugh "apologized" for Michael J. Fox attacks
On the October 26 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, host Wolf Blitzer falsely asserted that nationally syndicated radio host Rush Limbaugh "apologized" for recent comments he made about actor Michael J. Fox, who has Parkinson's disease. Moments later, Blitzer again claimed Limbaugh "apologized," adding that Limbaugh "said he wasn't aware that he had that serious of a problem from the Parkinson's disease." In fact, Limbaugh has stood by his comments, stating that "I was right" and that "I wouldn't rephrase it any differently."
As Media Matters for America noted, Limbaugh declared on October 23 that because Fox was "moving all around and shaking" in an ad in which he endorses Missouri Democratic Senate candidate Claire McCaskill for supporting embryonic stem cell research, Fox's physical appearance was "purely an act." Limbaugh then added that Fox "[e]ither didn't take his medication or he's acting." But while Limbaugh also stated on October 23 that "I will apologize to Michael J. Fox if I am wrong in characterizing his behavior on this commercial as an act," Limbaugh not only did not apologize, he defended his comments on his show the next day. Pointing to Fox's statement in his book, Lucky Man: A Memoir (Hyperion, April 2002), that he testified before Congress in 1999 "without medication," Limbaugh declared on his October 24 show that "all I said yesterday was: 'He's either acting or he's off his meds.' I was right. He was off his meds." On the October 25 broadcast, Limbaugh again defended his comments about Fox, stating: "I stand by what I 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 have found to be true."
From the October 26 edition of CNN's The Situation Room:
BLITZER: This Michael J. Fox commercial had generated an angry reaction from Rush Limbaugh, for which he later apologized. Let me play this again to remind our viewers what's going on.
FOX [video clip of ad]: Senator Talent even wanted to criminalize the science that gives us a chance for hope. They say all politics is local, but it's not always the case. What you do in Missouri matters to millions of Americans -- Americans like me.
BLITZER: I -- -- Rush Limbaugh -- we had that response but, unfortunately, it wasn't queued up. He then mimics -- shows what Michael J. Fox was doing. He later apologized. He said he wasn't aware that he really had that serious of a problem from the Parkinson's disease.
He should be a fill-in for Rush Limbaugh. Just like Tony Snow used to be when he was an "objective" anchor at the "Fair and Balanced" FOX NEWS CHANNEL.
THANK YOU. njguy93@yahoo.com
Thanks again for more troll like statements. You offer no substance. Maybe you should get together with JLyon
As for Rush Limbaugh, he doesnt owe Michael J Fox an apology. Fox owes the people of Missouri an apology for misleading them with this ad.
>>>"As for Rush Limbaugh, he doesnt owe Michael J Fox an apology"<<<
By all means, do not call for an apology, and do continue to attack victims of Parkinson's and any other disease of your choice. For as the public's stomach turns over those tactics, and turns against the likes of you and Limbaugh, it will help Democrats and people like Fox who suffer from this disease come election day.
Please also be a booster for Bush's misbegotten fiasco in Iraq, his tax cuts for the rich, and his illegal torture of detainees and spying on Americans. Doing that will help Democrats in November as well.
Although Rush and his drug addict voice makes me puke, and his hate toward Michael J Fox is disgusting if he keeps saying these outrageous things it will continue to only help defeat the Republican haters.
As for Daveblaze- This is the most hateful person I have seen post on MMFA. His defense of Rush the druggie makes him borderline insane.
You said that Limbaugh doesn't owe Fox an apology. Well let's turn back the clock to when he made his original asinine remarks on this ad. He said:
"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, especially since people are telling me they have seen him this way on other interviews and in other television appearances."
Hmm. Now I've seen a number of doctor's appearing on the news claiming that there is no way that he is faking it and that the tremors he displays in the ad are a side effect of his medication. I do not recall the his name, but just yesterday on CNN I saw a neurologist say that he had no doubt in his mind that any neurologist that saw the ad would recognize those tremors. In fact, the only people I've heard say that Fox was perhaps faking it are other conservative media personalities.
So where's this clown's apology? He promised that if he was shown Fox wasn't faking it he would apologize. But he can't apologize because it will hurt the cons. He will continue to attack Fox and claim that this ad is negative while the rest of the media covers Limbaugh by claiming he did apologize thus making him seem less heartless.
limbaugh said coming close to an apology. these guys like blitzer need to quote this so called apology.
Meanwhile, according to Fox (Michael, not FOX News), he actually took extra medication to increase control of his systems, and he wouldn't even be able to speak if he didn't take his meds.
[link to www.cbsnews.com]
I love the fact that not only does Blitzer ape an apology for Limbaugh, but he then proceeds to put words in his mouth as to what it entailed! Where did THAT come from?