Could Michael J. Fox Shake Up The Election?

A new poll from Muhlenberg College and HCD Research has found a small but positive effect from Michael J. Fox's stem cell ad.

* Among all respondents, support for stem cell research increased from 78% prior to viewing the ad, to 83% after viewing the ad. Support among Democrats increased from 89% to 93%, support among Republicans increased from 66% to 68% and support among Independents increased from 80% to 87% after viewing the ad.
* The advertisement elicited similar emotional responses from all responders with all voter segments indicating that they were "not bored and attentive" followed by "sorrowful, thankful, afraid and regretful."
* Republicans who indicated that they were voting for a Republican candidate decreased by 10% after viewing the ad (77% to 67%). Independents planning to vote for Democrats increased by 10%, from 39% to 49%.

That's a small shift, but Republicans who were already five feet under don't really need anything else pushing them further into the dirt.

I'd be curious to see polling on the other Missouri ad, the one mustering B-list celebrities and athletes to talk about the evils of egg donation. It certainly seems like a stink bomb. I'm a Christian, I enjoyed The Passion, but watching Jim Caviezel say "you betray me with a kiss" in Aramaic made it hard for me to hold down my soda. It doesn't help that Caviezel is shot from below with a smug look on his face: It looks like he's getting head from a Pharisee.