There has been some evidence during the campaign that McCain;s position on embryonic stem cell research was softening. I was skeptical of drawing any conclusions having discussed it with McCain several times. But now the more optimistic prediction has come to pass.
We have Sen. Sam Brownback to thank for this, I am sure.
In response to a questionnaire submitted by ScienceDebat2008, the McCain campaign indicated a McCain administration would continue the present limitations on research instituted by President Bush and would seek to outlaw somatic cell transfer completely.
The scientists quoted in the article are not too happy with McCain's apparent shift on the issue.
My friend John Jakubczyk of Phoenix, who has known McCain a long time, had been bugging me about this all summer. I kept telling him, "No way, no way is McCain going to change on this." To which he replied, "But Sam [Brownback], I know, is talking to him."
I guess this is one case where I set my sights too low. . . . lesson learned.
Readers have left 8 comments.
Good, but now if only we could get some improvement on this (from last week):
http://tinyurl.com/stemcellsad
(Keep working on him, Senator Brownback)
http://tinyurl.com/stemcellsad
The [radio] ad does not specifically refer to embryonic research, which is opposed by most politicians and activists who, like McCain, do not support abortion rights.
The omission is NOT a signal that McCain is backing away from his record in favor of embryonic stem cell research, spokesman Brian Rogers said.
“Clearly, John McCain supports it,” he said, emphasizing that the ad is intended to refer to ALL forms of stem cell research, including experiments using human embryos and those using cells from adults.
The Obama campaign dismissed the radio spot, charging that McCain should have fought harder when President Bush twice vetoed stem cells legislation and that his choice of Palin signifies weak support for embryonic stem cell research.
— The HillThe omission is NOT a signal that McCain is backing away from his record in favor of embryonic stem cell research, spokesman Brian Rogers said.
“Clearly, John McCain supports it,” he said, emphasizing that the ad is intended to refer to ALL forms of stem cell research, including experiments using human embryos and those using cells from adults.
The Obama campaign dismissed the radio spot, charging that McCain should have fought harder when President Bush twice vetoed stem cells legislation and that his choice of Palin signifies weak support for embryonic stem cell research.
(Keep working on him, Senator Brownback)
Written by Christopher Like Christopher I wonder what the heck. The ambiguous McCain ad in support of stem cells and what his spokesman says certainly makes this confusing.
Originally I had figured that the ad was just using the same ambiguous wording that the media uses to put stem-cells in one lump. So do we just have a spokesman who misspoke?
Originally I had figured that the ad was just using the same ambiguous wording that the media uses to put stem-cells in one lump. So do we just have a spokesman who misspoke?
Written by Jeff Miller Actually, in looking at McCain's full answer to the question, I see nothing in there to indicate he's changed his position on this.
Here's McCain's entire response:
This is the same position he's always had: Throw some rhetorical comfort to the anti-ESCR camp, and then support embryonic research while saying you hope technology will eventually eliminate the controversy.
Unless there's more here, the Wired scientists have simply over-reacted. That's doubly true when you consider the pro-stem cell research radio ad released a couple days ago. As Christopher pointed out, McCain's official spokesman was clear that the new ad was created to plug the senator's support for all forms of stem cell research -- embryonic included.
Here's McCain's entire response:
While I support federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, I believe clear lines should be drawn that reflect a refusal to sacrifice moral values and ethical principles for the sake of scientific progress. Moreover, I believe that recent scientific breakthroughs raise the hope that one day this debate will be rendered academic. I also support funding for other research programs, including amniotic fluid and adult stem cell research which hold much scientific promise and do not involve the use of embryos. I oppose the intentional creation of human embryos for research purposes and I voted to ban the practice of “fetal farming,” making it a federal crime for researchers to use cells or fetal tissue from an embryo created for research purposes.
— John McCainThis is the same position he's always had: Throw some rhetorical comfort to the anti-ESCR camp, and then support embryonic research while saying you hope technology will eventually eliminate the controversy.
Unless there's more here, the Wired scientists have simply over-reacted. That's doubly true when you consider the pro-stem cell research radio ad released a couple days ago. As Christopher pointed out, McCain's official spokesman was clear that the new ad was created to plug the senator's support for all forms of stem cell research -- embryonic included.
Written by Brian Saint-Paul Some thoughts.
I had pretty much the same initial reaction as Brian that the first sentence of the statement seemed contrary to the last part of the paragraph until I recalled that McCain has stated last summer in our conversations that he never wanted to expand ESCR but use existing embryos. This of course is unacceptable to us and I have constantly reminded him of my concerns. Then as the conversation continued over the summer, fall and into this spring, the campaign became more appreciative of the science showing not only the promise but the success of adult stem cell research. It was this effort that I believe couches the current language and position as stated on the McCain website. With the success of adult and cord blood stem cells, ESCR becomes yesterday's news. It is unproven, speculative and a wasteful use of the limited taxpayer funds available for this type of research.
As for the ads, I think it plays to the confusion the media causes when it will falsely claim that we in the Pro-life movement oppose stem cell research. We do not. We oppose destructive embryonic stem cell research. The spokesman may have muddied the waters with his response or not. Efforts by the other side to attack us on this issue were only successful in upsetting potential support from the pro-life grassroots. With the selection of Gov. Palin, that worry has evaporated. The base is energized and ready to roll.
AS I was confident that Senator McCain would pick a strong pro-life vice president, I am reasonably comfortable that in a McCain Administration, there will not be funds used for destructive embryonic stem cell research and that federal research money will go to those programs that have shown success in treating disease and saving lives without compromising the ethical concerns we have addressed.
I had pretty much the same initial reaction as Brian that the first sentence of the statement seemed contrary to the last part of the paragraph until I recalled that McCain has stated last summer in our conversations that he never wanted to expand ESCR but use existing embryos. This of course is unacceptable to us and I have constantly reminded him of my concerns. Then as the conversation continued over the summer, fall and into this spring, the campaign became more appreciative of the science showing not only the promise but the success of adult stem cell research. It was this effort that I believe couches the current language and position as stated on the McCain website. With the success of adult and cord blood stem cells, ESCR becomes yesterday's news. It is unproven, speculative and a wasteful use of the limited taxpayer funds available for this type of research.
As for the ads, I think it plays to the confusion the media causes when it will falsely claim that we in the Pro-life movement oppose stem cell research. We do not. We oppose destructive embryonic stem cell research. The spokesman may have muddied the waters with his response or not. Efforts by the other side to attack us on this issue were only successful in upsetting potential support from the pro-life grassroots. With the selection of Gov. Palin, that worry has evaporated. The base is energized and ready to roll.
AS I was confident that Senator McCain would pick a strong pro-life vice president, I am reasonably comfortable that in a McCain Administration, there will not be funds used for destructive embryonic stem cell research and that federal research money will go to those programs that have shown success in treating disease and saving lives without compromising the ethical concerns we have addressed.
Written by John Jakubczyk I think there may be confusion re: somatic cell transfer - which is "cloning", NOT ESCR.
Written by Frederica
I think there may be confusion re: somatic cell transfer - which is "cloning", NOT ESCR.
— FredericaSuccessful human cloning is an integral part of ECSR's research goals.
Written by EK Pavlat
I think there may be confusion re: somatic cell transfer - which is "cloning", NOT ESCR.
— FredericaFrederica,
I think you're right. Most people who are not really educated on cloning and ESCR aren't aware of the distinctions, etc.
That would explain McCain's comments in the commercial, followed by the campaign confirming he still supports public funding for ESCR but wants to ban cloning.
John J is correct though in saying ESCR is yesterdays news. Not only because of advances in medicine, more importantly, infertile couples have refused to donate their embryos, so there's almost nothing to experiment with - which makes the argument moot.
Written by Anon
<i>he still supports public funding for ESCR but wants to ban cloning.</i>
This is a distinction without a difference. He may want to ban cloning, but he has never retracted his support for federal funding of destructive research on already-conceived embryos. Nothing's changed.
This is a distinction without a difference. He may want to ban cloning, but he has never retracted his support for federal funding of destructive research on already-conceived embryos. Nothing's changed.
Written by William Luse