Fox headlines fund-raiser, says politics are not local

Michael J. Fox headlined a campaign fund-raiser for Democratic Senate candidate Claire McCaskill, but his message was broader than one Senate race.

"Contrary to what (former House Speaker) Tip O'Neil said, politics is not local," Fox told McCaskill supporters Thursday at a restaurant in Maplewood, Mo. "What happens here does affect my three girls, my son, my wife and me, and the 100 million Americans living with a disease that could be helped by stem cell research."

The actor, who has Parkinson's disease, is a strong advocate of embryonic stem cell research. McCaskill has made support for the research a key part of her campaign to unseat Republican Sen. Jim Talent.

Talent opposes the research.