Quote:
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Hollywood star Michael J. Fox is finding out just how ugly US politics can get, facing claims he played up tormenting affects of Parkinson's to puff up Democrat candidates in mid-term elections.
The "Back to the Future" star faced conservative fire after taking his crusade for embryonic stem-cell research -- which sufferers hope holds the key to curing the disease -- onto the campaign trail ahead of November 7 polls.
In a heart-wrenching television commercial, the once fresh-faced Canadian-born star writhes and twitches, struggling to hold his head still to look into camera.
"What you do in Missouri matters to millions of Americans. Americans like me," Fox tells voters in an ad for Democrat Senate candidate Claire McCaskill.
Democrats have made embryonic stem-cell research a hot-button issue in the elections, after
President George W. Bush used his first veto in July to block expansion of federal funds for such experiments.
Critics charge Bush and fellow Republicans are holding back science to placate religious conservatives who argue the practice involves destroying human embryos and is immoral.
Fox's intervention angered outspoken conservative radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh, who claimed Fox was simply playing out his latest role.
"He is moving around, and shaking, and it's clearly an act," Limbaugh said, on his popular hard-hitting show.
Limbaugh stepped back slightly Tuesday, apologising to Fox for accusing him of acting -- but insisted the actor was exploiting his disease.
"Now, people are telling me that they have seen Michael J. Fox in interviews and he does appear the same way in the interviews as he does in this commercial," Limbaugh said.
"All right, then I stand corrected .. 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."
But Limbaugh added : "Michael J. Fox is allowing his illness to be exploited and in the process is shilling for a Democrat politician."
On Tuesday, campaigning with another Democrat, maimed
Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth in Illinois, Fox referred to the controversy, saying that day, his symptoms were under control, but could get worse.
"Today is a good day, but it could go to hell," he said.
Limbaugh's fellow conservative talk-show host Sean Hannity told ABC's Good Morning America Wednesday Fox was fair game.
The actor, who also starred in political drama "Spin City" had "a right to speak up, but he also has a right to be criticised," Hannity said.
"What's unfortunate and deceiving about the ad is that this is about the federal funding of embryonic stem cells," Hannity said, arguing members of Congress had no jurisdiction over the issue.
Bush set rules in 2001 that banned federal support for work on stem-cell lines derived from human embryos and allowed research only for a small number of stem-cell lines that existed at the time.
Researchers want to use embryos -- consisting of a handful of cells -- left over from in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures to help create cures for some devastating diseases, like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
Missouri voters are being asked to vote on a ballot proposal which would amend the state constitution to protect stem-cell research, including the embryonic variety.
It is not the first time that Fox, diagnosed 15 years ago, has climbed the campaign hustings.
In October 2004, Fox joined Democrat presidential candidate
John Kerry in New Hampshire to lambast Bush over embryonic stem cell research, reducing some voters to tears as he shook perceptibly.
Kerry also campaigned on the issue with Dana Reeve, widow of paralysed "Superman" star Christopher Reeve, who herself died of lung cancer this year.
The "Back to the Future" star faced conservative fire after taking his crusade for embryonic stem-cell research -- which sufferers hope holds the key to curing the disease -- onto the campaign trail ahead of November 7 polls.
In a heart-wrenching television commercial, the once fresh-faced Canadian-born star writhes and twitches, struggling to hold his head still to look into camera.
"What you do in Missouri matters to millions of Americans. Americans like me," Fox tells voters in an ad for Democrat Senate candidate Claire McCaskill.
Democrats have made embryonic stem-cell research a hot-button issue in the elections, after
President George W. Bush used his first veto in July to block expansion of federal funds for such experiments.
Critics charge Bush and fellow Republicans are holding back science to placate religious conservatives who argue the practice involves destroying human embryos and is immoral.
Fox's intervention angered outspoken conservative radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh, who claimed Fox was simply playing out his latest role.
"He is moving around, and shaking, and it's clearly an act," Limbaugh said, on his popular hard-hitting show.
Limbaugh stepped back slightly Tuesday, apologising to Fox for accusing him of acting -- but insisted the actor was exploiting his disease.
"Now, people are telling me that they have seen Michael J. Fox in interviews and he does appear the same way in the interviews as he does in this commercial," Limbaugh said.
"All right, then I stand corrected .. 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."
But Limbaugh added : "Michael J. Fox is allowing his illness to be exploited and in the process is shilling for a Democrat politician."
On Tuesday, campaigning with another Democrat, maimed
Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth in Illinois, Fox referred to the controversy, saying that day, his symptoms were under control, but could get worse.
"Today is a good day, but it could go to hell," he said.
Limbaugh's fellow conservative talk-show host Sean Hannity told ABC's Good Morning America Wednesday Fox was fair game.
The actor, who also starred in political drama "Spin City" had "a right to speak up, but he also has a right to be criticised," Hannity said.
"What's unfortunate and deceiving about the ad is that this is about the federal funding of embryonic stem cells," Hannity said, arguing members of Congress had no jurisdiction over the issue.
Bush set rules in 2001 that banned federal support for work on stem-cell lines derived from human embryos and allowed research only for a small number of stem-cell lines that existed at the time.
Researchers want to use embryos -- consisting of a handful of cells -- left over from in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures to help create cures for some devastating diseases, like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
Missouri voters are being asked to vote on a ballot proposal which would amend the state constitution to protect stem-cell research, including the embryonic variety.
It is not the first time that Fox, diagnosed 15 years ago, has climbed the campaign hustings.
In October 2004, Fox joined Democrat presidential candidate
John Kerry in New Hampshire to lambast Bush over embryonic stem cell research, reducing some voters to tears as he shook perceptibly.
Kerry also campaigned on the issue with Dana Reeve, widow of paralysed "Superman" star Christopher Reeve, who herself died of lung cancer this year.
Gee, the bold didn't make me immediately think of Brownback and his 'snowflake kids.' Oh and how about the candidates using the ol' 9/11 backdrop.
Anyhow after Fox's Couric interview, I bet Rush felt pretty salty.
If it's even possible for political talk show hosts to experience human emotions.