GENE WILDER - WILDER ROOTS FOR DEMOCRATS

WILDER ROOTS FOR DEMOCRATS

Hollywood star GENE WILDER hopes the next US president is a Democrat, so millions of Americans can benefit from the stem cell surgery that saved his life. The actor underwent a non-embryonic stem cell transplant in 2000 after being diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Although that treatment was available to him in the US, under George W. Bush's Republican regime, Americans can't undergo embryonic stem-cell therapy. Wilder, who has donated money to Democrat candidate Barack Obama's 2008 election campaign, says, "I had a stem-cell transplant. It saved my life. "I saw Christopher Reeve at the US Open tennis championships in 2004. "I told him 'I had a stem-cell transplant.' He was going to have an embryonic one in two months time, in another country and he died six weeks later. "It's insane. The lives that could be saved." But Wilder admits America may not be ready to elect a black president. He says, "I like Barack Obama. I think he has a chance. It'll be difficult. It would be a great move forward for the US. But he isn't being guarded for no reason." The 73-year-old, meanwhile, insists he'd never be tempted to try his hand at politics. The actor-turned-author says, "I'm quietly political. I don't like advertising. Giving money to someone or support, but not getting on a bandstand. I don't want to run for president in 2008. I will write another book instead."