During the 5 a.m. broadcast of KDVR Fox 31's Good Day Colorado on October 25, reporter Ken Clark reported that a campaign advertisement for Missouri Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Claire McCaskill featuring actor Michael J. Fox was under attack by “some people, including Rush Limbaugh” as being “exploitive.” As Clark noted, Limbaugh claimed that Fox, who has Parkinson's disease and visibly shakes and rocks during the ad, “was either off his medication or acting to make him look sicker.” In the ad, the actor endorses McCaskill because of her support for embryonic stem cell research. Without assessing the validity of Limbaugh's comments, Clark announced Fox 31's Question of the Day: “Is this [the ad] an impassioned political plea, or is it all an act?”

Later, during another segment about the Michael J. Fox ad on its 6 a.m. broadcast, Fox 31 played a clip from Limbaugh's radio show: “This is really shameless of Michael J. Fox. Either he didn't take his medication or he's acting, one of the two.” Co-anchor Shaul Turner added, “Well, Limbaugh also points out that Fox shakes less in other interviews.” She then repeated the Question of the Day:

What do you think? Do you agree with Rush Limbaugh? Do you feel that maybe Michael J. Fox didn't take his meds or is even acting just to prove a point here? Or, even if he is, does it really even make a difference? We know this man has this disease and he's just trying to get his point across. Let us know what you think.

On its website, Fox 31 posted the Question of the Day, calling it “the buzz of the nation” and inviting viewers to email their opinions on the matter. The station also invited viewers to call and leave voice messages.

In contrast to Fox 31's coverage of the story, KUSA's 9News Daybreak anchor Gary Shapiro reported, “One expert on Parkinson's called the talk-show host's claims 'ludicrous.' ” According to an October 25 New York Times article, "[a] spokesman for Mr. Fox said his tremors were caused by his medication." A Washington Post story by David Montgomery quoted neuroscientist Elaine Richman as saying, “Anyone who knows the disease well would regard his movement as classic severe Parkinson's disease. ... Any other interpretation is misinformed.” USA Today also reported that neurosurgeon John Boockvar “called Limbaugh's claim 'ludicrous' ”:

Conservative radio commentator Rush Limbaugh claimed Fox was “either off his medication or acting” during the ad.

Others defend Fox's aggressive campaigning for a Parkinson's cure. Dr. John Boockvar, a neurosurgeon and assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical Center at New York's Presbyterian Hospital, called Limbaugh's claim that Fox was acting “ludicrous.” Boockvar said those with Parkinson's have “on” and “off” spells.

“If there is one single disease that has the highest potential for benefit from stem cell research,” Boockvar said Tuesday, “it's Parkinson's.”

As Media Matters for America has noted, on the October 23 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio program, Limbaugh accused Fox of “exaggerating the effects of the disease” while filming the ad in which Fox endorses McCaskill for supporting embryonic stem cell research. McCaskill's opponent, incumbent Republican Sen. Jim Talent, has opposed embryonic stem cell research. Noting that Fox is “moving all around and shaking” in the ad, Limbaugh declared: “And it's purely an act. This is the only time I have ever seen Michael J. Fox portray any of the symptoms of the disease he has.” Limbaugh then added that “this is really shameless of Michael J. Fox. Either he didn't take his medication or he's acting, one of the two.”

Later in the broadcast, Limbaugh stated that “I will bigly, hugely admit that I was wrong, and I will apologize to Michael J. Fox if I am wrong in characterizing his behavior on this commercial as an act, especially since people are telling me they have seen him this way on other interviews and in other television appearances.” However, Limbaugh then returned to criticizing Fox, insisting that “Michael J. Fox is using his illness as a way to mislead voters into thinking that their vote for a single United States senator has a direct impact on stem cell research in Missouri. It doesn't, and it won't.”

From the October 25 broadcast of KDVR Fox 31's Good Day Colorado at 5 a.m.:

CLARK: The political story that many are talking about this morning is an ad with actor Michael J. Fox in it. Fox appears in an ad backing Senate candidate Claire McCaskill in Missouri. Fox suffers from Parkinson's disease and is a proponent of stem cell research. So is McCaskill. But some people, including Rush Limbaugh, say that this ad is exploitive. He claims that Fox was either off his medication or acting to make him look sicker. So our Question of the Day: Is this an impassioned political plea, or is it all an act?

STACEY DONALDSON [meteorologist]: Yeah, we'd love to hear what you think. And you can go to our MyFoxColorado website and log on there and give your opinion. Or you can leave a phone message at 303-566-7601. And we'll hear responses right before 7 and right before 8.

[...]

TURNER: Rush Limbaugh accusing Michael J. Fox of shaking on purpose to emphasize the fact that he has Parkinson's disease for a campaign ad.

FOX: They say all politics is local, but that's not always the case. What you do in Missouri matters to millions of Americans, Americans like me.

TURNER: In the commercial, Michael J. Fox supports candidates in three states who support embryonic stem cell research, which could be used to find a cure for Parkinson's.

LIMBAUGH: This is really shameless, folks. This is really shameless of Michael J. Fox. Either he didn't take his medication or he's acting, one of the two.

TURNER: Well, Limbaugh also points out that Fox shakes less in other interviews. Fox gave up his acting career because of the disease and has become a powerful pitchman for politicians and stem cell research. So, our Question for the Day -- and you can send us your response at MyFoxColorado.com -- What do you think? Do you agree with Rush Limbaugh? Do you feel that maybe Michael J. Fox didn't take his meds or is even acting just to prove a point here? Or, even if he is, does it really even make a difference? We know this man has this disease, and he's just trying to get his point across. Let us know what you think. You can also call us: 303-566-7601. We'll take a look at what you have to say at around 6:55 and 7:55 this morning.