Kerry Calls Stem Cell Policy Unscientific and Political

[kskiska]

By Dana Milbank and Howard Kurtz

HAMPTON, N.H., Oct. 4 -- John F. Kerry charged Monday that President Bush has "turned his back on science" in limiting embryonic stem cell research financed by the federal government.

The Kerry campaign rolled out a television ad on the subject, saying that "millions of lives" are at stake, as the Democratic presidential nominee was joined by actor and activist Michael J. Fox at a town-hall-style meeting here.

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Joined by Fox, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, the senator from Massachusetts listened as people expressed their hopes that stem cell research could lead to cures for their afflictions. "We stand at the next frontier, but instead of leading the way, we're stuck on the sidelines," Kerry said. The president, he said, is "unwilling to change course."

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Bush campaign officials accused Kerry -- and many media outlets -- of inaccurately describing the president's decision as a ban on such research, although the ad does not use that word. They note that Bush is the first president to provide funding for the research, which became medically feasible only in recent years. "John Kerry's attacks on stem cell research are trying to mislead the American people by implying a ban that doesn't exist," spokesman Steve Schmidt said.

The invited New Hampshire crowd became emotional when a father, on stage with his diabetic son, held a large package of needles to show how many insulin injections the boy must have in a month.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6966-2004Oct4.html

[faithnotgreed]

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