Outrage sparked over Michael J. Embryo ad at YouTube

Via Scrappleface:

(2006-10-25) — Claire McCaskill, the Democrat candidate for U.S. Senate from Missouri, expressed outrage today over a political ad produced in response to a TV commercial run by her campaign featuring actor Michael J. Fox, who has Parkinson’s Disease.

The response ad, entitled ‘Michael J. Embryo’, which quickly became one of the least-played videos on YouTube.com, features a still photo of an infant in the womb with a voiceover apparently recorded by the child himself.

Mrs. McCaskill said her use of a writhing and twitching Mr. Fox to highlight her support of expanded funding for embryonic stem cell research was “fair play”, and simply meant to show that incumbent Sen. Jim Talent “while talking about the importance of family ties, actually wants Alex P. Keaton to suffer and die.”

However, she said the Michael J. Embryo ad “absolutely crosses the line” by using a fetal actor to “stir up the irrational compassion of voters who should never be forced to think about the implications of stem cell research.”

Perfect.

Thanks to the brilliant Scott Ott for outshining us all when it comes to getting to the heart of the issue. Sometimes the best way to do so is by satire, and no one is better at it than Scott.

Update I – 9:28 AM: Dean Barnett takes another look at the absolute moral authority tactic Democrats routinely use against Republicans.

Update II – 9:32 AM: Yet another Democrat is painting another Republican’s position on stem cell research as one where if you don’t vote for the Democrat, people will die! This time, it’s Democrat Doris Kelley, who wants to get elected to the Iowa state house. Check out a screencap of the ad. Here’s the write-up on the controversy.

Shameless.

Update III – 9:51 AM: Brian at Iowa Voice has a must-read post that covers the controversy swirling about the stem cell research issue, the Fox ad, and what Democrats are trying to do. (Hat tip: ST reader PCD in the comments)

Update IV – 10:45 AM: Wow – check out this piece from Dr. Mary Davenport, described at American Thinker as “obstetrician and gynecologist, and a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.” She slams the Fox ads and the misinformation they – and Democrats – are using to try and sell stem cell research to the American people. (Hat tip: K-Lo)

Prior:

• Washington Post writes about Rush’s statements on MJ Fox ad, but doesn’t note that he apologized “bigly” for his remarks later in the show (Update: They added the info that he had “backed away” in an updated version of the story)
• MJ Fox records another ad, this one for Michael Steele’s opponent Ben Cardin (Update: Cardin actually opposed stem cell research)
• Missouri’s Jim Talent: Your typical heartless and cruel conservative
• Harry Reid: Major-league *edited* (re: stem cell research issue)