Whether red state or blue, when it comes to Michael J. Fox, we all see purple.
The Canadian-born American citizen is well-loved for his long time portrayal of young Republican Alex P. Keaton. The super conservative character born to Peter Max hippie parents via the comedy "Family Ties", easily translated to the sitcom "Spin City", where Fox portrayed Mike Flaherty, Deputy Mayor of NYC.
Fox worked for small change as a struggling young actor. When fame found Fox, he appeared almost apologetic-amazed-that such fortune had come his way. He never forgot the show that made him a household name, sticking with "Family Ties" until the air of the last show.
Michael J. Fox had character.
Television and movie audiences witnessed Fox become the person he is today:actor-husband-father-activist. We watched him do all well.
Americans took Michael to their collective hearts.
We like Mikey.
When his struggle with Parkinson's went public, when the symptoms of the disease grew increasingly difficult for Fox to keep private, many took the news as if our own son or brother had been diagnosed.
Parkinson's became personal.
Yet, with the same self-depracating humor and his family's support, fortified by his gut awareness his celeb could benefit Parkinson's research, Fox plunged ahead. He founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation and joined hands with Arlen Spector (R-PA) and Nancy Reagan in the fight for stem cell research, a political hot potato used by politicos to further polarize both red and blue voters.
Fox's political ad for Senate hopeful Missouri Democrat Claire McCaskill, was quickly condemned by Republican mouthpiece Rush Limbaugh, who expressed the opinion the actor was off his medication or possibly acting for the campaign spot.
Purple rain deluged Limbaugh. Red and Blue raged as one against Limbaugh's "blame the victim, doubt the symptoms" attitude. Fox had exhibited dyskinesia, a neurological syndrome characterized by repetitive, involuntary, and purposeless movements. Fox
indicated to Katie Couric, CBS News that, "At this point now, if I didn't take medication I wouldn't be able to speak." (October 26, 2006).
Fox is bipartisan regarding the search for a Parkinson's cure, having also campaigned for Republican Arlen Spector, citing "Arlen Specter is my guy."
The use of video this election cycle has impacted political campaigns as substantially as the Internet communications of Campaign 2004. YouTube counted over 1,000,000 views of Fox's campaign spot for McCaskill. With such instant visual access, people formulate immediate stark opinions and just as quickly, forward the video links to friends and family. An so on and so on.
People were talking about the McCaskill ad.
People were talking about stem cell research.
And people were talking about Parkinson's.
In fact, Limbaugh's formal apology aired only after the radio commentator himself was caught on tape mimicking Fox's muscle spasms.
No matter the voter's personal beliefs on stem cell research...
Limbaugh may have his base.
But Michael J. Fox...
He has our hearts.
"This is not about red states and blue states. This is not about Democrats and Republicans. This is about claiming our place as the scientific leader in scientific research and moving forward and helping our citizens. That's all it is. It's that simple."
--Michael J. Fox
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/26/eveningnews/main2128188.shtml
http://www.michaeljfox.org