Today Show Goes On the Campaign Trail with Michael J. Fox

On this morning's Today show NBC's David Gregory interviewed Michael J. Fox in what was essentially a campaign ad for Democrats and embyronic stem cell research. Gregory went "on the trail," with Fox in Columbus, Ohio in a segment that, with the exception of a very brief soundbite from the President, played like one of those Democratic Convention PR videos.

Gregory let Fox preach for embryonic stem cell research without contradiction as Fox declared: "By most polls 70 percent of Americans are in favor of this issue so, in a way it's put up or shut up time. I mean if you really believe this, we're waiting for you." And while it's perfectly fine and expected to have sympathy for Fox, it's quite different for Gregory to cheer on Fox's agenda, as NBC's White House correspondent seemed to do when he left viewers with these final words:

Gregory: "And Fox believes this is such an important time and important election because, Meredith, he thinks they're getting closer in the community to getting the kind of support in Congress to actually override the President's opposition to expanded stem cell research using embryos."

Vieira: "But does he worry, at all, that the focus is too much on him and not enough on the issue?"

Gregory: "Well he does and he's tried to deflect some of that attention. I think we found this week that he's actually speaking out and responding to critics a little bit more specifically. But the bottom line is that people are paying attention and a week out from the election and that's a good thing, he thinks."

The following is the full segment that aired in the 7:30am half hour of the October 31st, Today show:

Meredith Vieira: "If Michael J. Fox didn't know it before he does now. Politics is a take no prisoners business. Conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh accused him of exploiting his Parkinson's disease as he campaigns for Democrats who support embryonic stem cell research. Well on Monday NBC's chief White House correspondent David Gregory caught up with the actor turned activist on the campaign trail. Good morning, David."

David Gregory: "Good morning, Meredith. You're right, Michael J. Fox knows just a week before the election that he has become a lightning rod in this campaign but for all the hits he's taken over the past week he tells us he simply hopes voters are listening to his message."

[Michael J. Fox shaking hands with Gregory: "How are you?"]

[Gregory: "David, good to see you."]

[Fox: "Yeah good to see you."]

Gregory: "Monday morning, Columbus, Ohio. Week two in the political crossfire for Michael J. Fox. You feel like you've been roughed up?"

Fox: "The only thing that [inaudible] is you know you bring the message and you hope to discuss it on its merits but considering American politics it's not gonna happen."

Gregory: "At an event in support of expanded embryonic stem cell research for Democratic Senate candidate Sherrod Brown, Fox announced that being in Columbus was a homecoming of sorts."

[Fox: "Columbus is the home of Alex Keaton and the Keatons of Ohio."]

[Clip from Family Ties]

Gregory: "On Family Ties Fox was Alex Keaton, a conservative poster boy. Now, however, it's conservatives taking aim at him over his support for candidates who back stem cell research."

[Fox in ad: "What you do in Missouri matters to millions of Americans, Americans like me."]

[Rush Limbaugh in studio: "He is moving all around and shaking and it's purely an act."]

Gregory: "In his most pointed rebuttal yet Fox answered those critics, including Rush Limbaugh, who later apologized for suggesting that Fox was faking his tremors."

Fox: "I guess I'm, I'm not supposed to speak with you until my symptoms go away or maybe I'm just supposed to go away but I'm not gonna go away."

Gregory: "Later Fox argued it would be wrong to hide his symptoms. The symptoms are part of the message right?"

Fox: "The reaction is almost appropriate, in a way, because that's the point. The point is here we are, we're doing this and, and we're dealing with these, these illnesses and the, these symptoms and these conditions and we, you know, we have two choices. We can either, [be] ourselves, or we just go away. And we, we send polite notes."

Gregory: "Fox explained that the symptoms, critics claimed he manipulated by going off his medication, were actually the result of his medication. The drugs make him shift in his chair but they prevent the tremors."

Fox: "Well I want comfort. I just want to be comfortable. I don't want to be bouncing around, I don't want to be, you know, spilling my drink. I don't want to be, you know, driving myself to the point of insanity trying to tie my tie or, or, or shave or, you known, any of that stuff."

Gregory: "But it looks like it's exhausting."

Fox: "Well it is exhausting."

Gregory: "At times so is the politics of stem cell research. Opponents of using embryos left over in fertility clinics for stem cell research, including the President-"

George W. Bush: "It crosses a moral boundary."

Gregory: "-argue it's wrong to take a life in order to save lives."

Fox: "But still hundreds of thousands of these, of these potential lives are being destroyed routinely and have been for years."

Gregory: "This is a wedge issue now and you are a lightning rod."

Fox: "By most polls 70 percent of Americans are in favor of this issue so, in a way it's put up or shut up time. I mean if you really believe this, we're waiting for you."

Gregory: "We see your optimism, we see your courage, your commitment, your activism. What don't we see?"

Fox: "I get scared and I guess that's about, about it. I've, there's not much people don't know."

Gregory: "For people who look at you and they say to themselves, he looks like he's gotten worse, have you?"

Fox: "Sure, it's a progressive disease. I'm not getting any better. For me, unique to my situation it's a gift. It's a gift that keeps on taking but it's a gift."

Gregory: "And you wouldn't go back?"

Fox: "I, no, I wouldn't go back. It's, it, the path it's put me on has been so amazing."

Gregory: "And Fox believes this is such an important time and important election because, Meredith, he thinks they're getting closer in the community to getting the kind of support in Congress to actually override the President's opposition to expanded stem cell research using embryos."

Vieira: "But does he worry, at all, that the focus is too much on him and not enough on the issue?"

Gregory: "Well he does and he's tried to deflect some of that attention. I think we found this week that he's actually speaking out and responding to critics a little bit more specifically. But the bottom line is that people are paying attention and a week out from the election and that's a good thing, he thinks."

Vieira: "David Gregory, thanks so much."