Michael J. Fox's Passionate Political Plea

Oct. 24, 2006 — -- With two weeks until Election Day, actor Michael J. Fox is lending more than just his famous face to the issue of embryonic stem-cell research. He is transitioning from activist to almost a politico, and packing considerable political punch as he lends his emotional support for candidates who support the research he hopes might some day help cure his debilitating Parkinson's Disease.

Though he endorsed Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., for president in 2004, never before has he so passionately and aggressively crossed the line into raw politics.

"We need brave, smart energetic people to step up and lead right now," Fox said, addressing the assembled crowd of more than 300 at a rally for Democratic congressional candidate and Iraq War veteran Tammy Duckworth this afternoon. "And you couldn't have greater confirmation of that than Major Duckworth."

So far, Fox has endorsed four candidates in Maryland, Wisconsin, Illinois and Missouri. A source close to Fox says that he will endorse "a handful more." Fox is an unapologetic single-issue candidate, lending his support to candidates who support embryonic stem cell research and are running against those who oppose it.

In the home stretch of this campaign season, Fox has been sighted on the stump and on television, aggressively challenging candidates who oppose the research, like Missouri Republican Sen. Jim Talent.

In a 30-second television spot that debuted on Saturday night during Game 1 of the World Series in St. Louis, Fox spoke out against Talent and for Missouri's Democratic challenger Claire McCaskill, his body visibly shaking from tremors associated with his condition.

"Senator Jim Talent opposes expanding stem cell research," Fox said, in his emotional appeal. "Senator Talent even wanted to criminalize the science that gives us a moment of hope."

Exaggerations and False Accusations?

The political backlash of the Fox ad lasted well into this week.

In the thick of an already competitive race, Talent called the ad Fox made "false."

"Senator Talent supports medical research, including stem cell research that doesn't involve … destroying a human embryo," Talent spokesman Rich Chrismer said.

Both Fox and Talent had political and semantic arguments to make in their own defense. Fox may overstate the case by saying Talent opposes "expanding stem cell research," while not specifically addressing embryonic stem cell research -- the most controversial kind, which many scientists say has the most promise.

But Talent, too, uses wordplay, since his proclaimed support for stem cell research not involving embryos is something of a political ploy -- there don't seem to be any politicians in the United States who oppose the other kinds of stem cell research, those on adult and cord stem cells.

But Talent's comments were nothing compared to the accusations that reverberated through the political world after conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh proved to the actor that politics ain't beanbag and leveled a false and offensive charge against the entertainer.

"In this commercial, he is exaggerating the effects of the disease," Limbaugh said Monday on his radio show. "He is moving all around and shaking. And it's purely an act. This is the only time I have ever seen Michael J. Fox portray any of the symptoms of the disease he has."

Limbaugh said Fox "either didn't take his medication or he's acting."

After listeners contacted the conservative radio talk show host and told him it wasn't an act, Limbaugh apologized for his statements a tad, but by that time the television spot, as well as his own comments, had become the focus of a widespread, national discussion.

Studies say that roughly 60 percent of Americans support embryonic stem cell research, though it remains unclear how many voters will base their votes on the issue.

In this year's midterm election, it's become a political tool for many candidates and political groups -- a device through which to make a larger point or achieve political ends.

In at least seven competitive House races, Democratic candidates are favoring emotional appeals about the issue to paint Republicans as extreme.

Fox himself has cut emotional ads for Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle and Rep. Benjamin Cardin, running for Senate in Maryland.

A liberal group, The Majority Group, is running ads against four GOP House candidates painting them as callously disregarding the lives of a mom, a teenage boy, and a little girl relying on cures to come from the research. "How come he thinks he gets to decide who lives and dies?" a little girl says of Rep. James Walsh, R-N.Y., in one ad. "Who is he?"

Some incumbent Republicans, like New Mexico Congresswoman Heather Wilson, find themselves proclaiming their support for the research in order to distance themselves from President Bush.

In one of her television ads, Rep. Wilson herself says, "The president vetoed the stem cell bill and I voted to override his veto because it was the right thing to do."

Those who oppose the research -- on the grounds that they believe destroying embryos destroys human life -- are more targeted in their appeals and use the issue to drive anti-abortion voters to the polls through open letters to churches and radio ads that denounce the Missouri referendum in favor of the research.

At the Duckworth rally back in Illinois, Fox emphasized the need to face hard facts in the arena of stem cell research, and the opportunity politicians have to save lives with their votes in favor of research.

Fox wouldn't respond to Limbaugh's charge, but he did allude to it when noting that his tremors were relatively under control at his appearance.

"It is ironic, given some things that have been said in the last couple of days, that my pills are really working well right now," Fox said. "We all have our own reaction to medication depending on whether it is warm or cold, or humid or not humid, or we ate too much protein or we didn't eat enough protein … In my case it is a wonderful thing because you let go of vanity, you just are who you are that day, and you carry on with the fight. And so as I said, today is a good day but it could go to hell."