August 1, 2005, - 9:27 am
Lance Armstrong, the New Anti-War Muhammad Ali
By Debbie Schlussel
As I always say, pillow talk is the most effective form of political speech. Since he’s been sleeping with Sheryl “F— Bush and Screw America” Crow, the lobbying of Tour de France champion cyclist Lance Armstrong has come to a head–in his disturbing new views on the terrorism war.
Recently, John Kerry hinted that Armstrong would make a great candidate for office, and–he feared–a Republican candidate. But while President Bush likes Lance (appointed him to commissions on cancer and fitness), keep Armstrong far away from politics–and the GOP.
Unfortunately, the anti-War on Terror Armstrong is vying to become this generation’s Muhammad Ali. Another egotistical athlete who thinks that since his body is at peak performance, his misguided mind is in equal shape. He’s WRONGLY claiming that Americans are more worried about cancer than terrorist attacks, and that less dollars should go for national security, in favor of cancer funding. Funny, I didn’t hear him complaining about those millions in tax-money the U.S. Postal Service wasted to sponsor him until recently. THAT’s the money that should have gone to cancer research, Lance.
Armstrong told both Time and USA Today, “Funding for cancer research is tough to come by these days. The biggest downside to a war in Iraq is what you could do with all that money. What does a war in Iraq cost a week ? A billion ? Maybe a billion a day ?…. The budget for the National Cancer Institute is four billion. That has to change. It needs to become a priority again. Polls say people are much more afraid of cancer than of a plane flying into their house or a bomb or any other form of terrorism. It is a priority for the American public.”
Pitting those fighting cancer against fighting terrorism is just plain wrong. Plenty of money (and resulting waste) has been spent on both.
I have many family members who’ve died of cancer, but Armstrong’s assertion is absurd. We spend plenty on cancer research (to the detriment of research on other deadly maladies), but ANYONE can be struck by terrorism at anytime. 9/11 and the attacks on Britain were lost on Armstrong, apparently.
If John Kerry wants Lance Armstrong for the Democratic party, he can have him.
Tags: Britain, Bush, cancer, champion cyclist, Democratic Party, egotistical athlete, France, great candidate for office, Iraq, John Kerry, Lance Armstrong, Muhammad Ali, National Cancer Institute, President, Republican candidate, Republican Party, Tour de France, U.S. Postal Service, USA Today
Not…quite-or Jane Fonda either. Ali said”I ain’t got nuthin’ against them Viet Cong.” And if
he’d gone into the military-all he’d have done is
exhibitions. I don’t follow bike racing-but I
think Armstrong is just wrong;it’s not possible to overrate him to the extent Ali has been.Armstrong,I don’t think would say,”I ain’t got nuthin’ against these mass-murderin’ towelheads…”
jaywilton on August 1, 2005 at 12:19 pm