E Pluribus Unum

If you needed any reason at all to root for the Tigers tonight (who lost to the Cardinals last night to fall behind in the Series 2-1), you have it now: Cards starting pitcher Jeff Suppan will appear in a commercial, to be shown during the game, that comes out against the Missouri ballot initiative favoring stem cell research.

The ad, which will run during primetime, was quickly put together to counter another ad featuring Michael J. Fox -- the ad that Rush Limbaugh called a fake:

"He's moving all around and shaking and it's purely an act. . . . This is really shameless of Michael J. Fox. Either he didn't take his medication or he's acting."

So let's review: a private citizen, suffering from Parkinson's disease, becomes an advocate for a ballot initiative that might save his life. A famous celebrity, convicted of drug abuse, mocks his suffering and accuses him of playing politics with his disease. Got it?

So tonight Jeff Suppan, professional athelete, will take the field -- against Michael J. Fox. Suppan will appear in a commercial that is against the interests of everyone who feels that research money should be allowed to be used to find a cure for a disease that Suppan and Limbaugh are fortunate enough never to have been afflicted with.

Suppan will be joined by Jim Cavizel (star of Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ) and Kurt Warner, quarterback for the the Arizona Cardinals.

Go Tigers and go Democrats!