Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson visited Fox's Your World show yesterday to talk about a United Way program to combat childhood hunger. But host Neil Cavuto seemed intent on using the discussion to malign Michelle Obama. Unfortunately for Cavuto, Wilson thwarted the effort.
As TPM reported, Cavuto started using the segment to swipe at Mrs. Obama right in the teaser, saying, "Can this Seattle Super Bowl champ do what Michelle Obama could not?"
Cavuto introduced the actual interview by saying, "A Kentucky school district the latest to flush a federal school lunch program down. Turns out the kids just wouldn't eat the healthy meals no matter what Michelle Obama said. Maybe they need this guy to beat a little bit of eating sense into them."
Wilson gave a brief explanation of the program and noted that one in five children are hungry in this country. Instead of probing for specifics about what United Way is doing and why so many American children are hungry, Cavuto chose to highlight criticisms of Mrs. Obama. He asked, "Well, Russell, what are we doing wrong then, as a nation, though, with this urging them to eat healthy or set up these school lunch programs where they're urged to eat healthy. I mean, Michelle Obama's trying. Many argue that she's getting to be too much of a food police mommy. Be that as it may, whatever she's doing isn't working and I'm wondering what you're doing that is working. What's the difference?"
Wilson proved he's a classier act than Cavuto. "Well, the first lady, I have so much respect for her,” Wilson said. “I was able to meet her and the President. Obviously, you know when we went to the Super Bowl, we won the Super Bowl and got to go to the White House. But you know, I think at the end of the day, you know the kids - it's tough to eat healthy.”
I can just imagine how Fox would have howled if an MSNBC host had tried to use a football star promoting such a non-political cause to smear Laura Bush.
Watch Cavuto shamelessly try to politicize efforts to improve the health of chidren below.
(H/T reader Eric J.)
:^)
[with apologies to Bill Cosby]