As the 2008 U.S. presidential race heats up, embryonic stem-cell research (ESCR) appears to be generating as much controversy as abortion. The latest remark by Democratic vice-presidential nominee Joe Biden, however, raises the question of whether the Democratic ticket is committed to the issue because they believe that ESCR shows promise or because they do not understand the science.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Columbia, Missouri, Biden (according to CBS News) said:
"I hear all this talk about how the Republicans are going to work in dealing with parents who have both the joy, because there's joy to it as well, the joy and the difficulty of raising a child who has a developmental disability, who were born with a birth defect. Well guess what folks? If you care about it, why don't you support stem cell research?"
The first sentence is a clear reference to a statement made by Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin in her acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention. Governor Palin stated that, as vice president, she would be an advocate for families who have developmentally disabled children. Palin also is on record as opposing ESCR (though her running mate, John McCain, has supported it in the past).
There are two problems with Senator Biden's remark—beyond the fact that the Catholic senator should know that the Catholic Church unequivocally opposes embryonic stem-cell research.
First, not a single viable therapeutic use for embryonic stem cells has been developed. In fact, all attempts have result in the growth of tumors in test subjects. Other, morally acceptable forms of stem-cell research (from adult stem cells, umbilical cord blood, etc.) have proved remarkably fruitful, resulting in dozens of therapies that are currently approved for use.
Second, Down Syndrome, the developmental disability that Sarah Palin's fourth child, Trig, suffers from is untreatable. No version of stem-cell research offers any hope for a cure for Down Syndrome, because it is triggered by the presence of an extra chromosome in every cell in the person's body. That's why the "treatment" used in approximately 90 percent of Down Syndrome cases in the United States today is abortion.
Senator Biden either knows this, in which case he's using ESCR as a political football rather than a serious issue, or he's discussing a subject that he hasn't bothered to research. Which do you think it is? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
More on Election 2008:
- Joe Biden and Abortion
- Should Politicians Who Support Abortion Receive Communion?
- Catholics for Palin?
- The Republicans and Embryonic Stem-Cell Research
- The Democrats and Embryonic Stem-Cell Research
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They are not for killing embreo’s,if they are going to destroy embreo’s anyway and very sadly they do,then they could and should be able to bee used for stem cell research,they have ways now to get and use stem cells without destroying any at all!!!!