Republicans hit Biden over stem cell comment

Palin raised the issue of Special Needs advocacy in her convention speech so her record, including substantial reductions in state spending in Alaska on Special Needs education and her lack of support for stem cell research is certainly on the table. I didn't hear Senator Biden make any reference to her family situation and there was no more inference on his part than on hers.

This article is wrong -- Palin DOES support stem cell research, just not EMBRYONIC stem cell research. That's a big difference.

Do a Google news search for "stem cell research." Nearly every advance that is being made involves non-embryonic stem cells. And, we're not just talking about advances in the U.S. but advances all over the world -- where embryonic research is publicly funded. (In other words, you can't blame this on Bush.) In other words, even where embryonic research is publicly funded, it's not showing the same kind of promise.

So, we can say that Palin supports the only stem cell research that actually is working.

Well said, NShoreMike. If she didn't want to hear any of these jabs, she should not have mentioned special needs children during her speech. It was absolutely appalling the way that beautiful baby was "bounced" from person to person on that stage. She used him as a political lever, and that is sick.

As a researcher I can say that Michael comments regarding stem cells and where the greatest advances are coming from is totally inaccurate. The problem is without funding in the U.S. especially embryonic stem cell research is limited to whatever lines were left prior to the Bush administration denying the further advancement of this research. The possibilites using embryonic stem cell research are unlimited yet we are up against a wall due to another anti science chapter of the last 7 years.

The obvious response is "if Biden did not direct the comment at Sarah Palin then why did he use Palin's name in the remark?" This is just another filthy democrat attempt to hurt Ms.Palin personally, to drive a wedge in her family and to punish her for being a woman who is not on "the plantation". Perhaps what Biden meant to say is that he did not make the comment at all: Mr. Kinnock did.

Michael...
the article says "She opposes embryonic stem cell research"
You said "Palin DOES support stem cell research, just not EMBRYONIC stem cell research."

You may want to read the whole article before posting otherwise your comment makes no sense.

Can't you nuts see the irony in Embryonic Stem Cell research? Let's see, kill an embryo so that we can save a child..... Kudos to the advances of other stem cell research that is proving to be successful in early studies!

I thought elections were political....

Hey, no one is stopping anyone for stating their position on stem cell research, embryonic or otherwise...Joe has made his position clear, so let's hear the counter.

This is a very legitimate area for debate.

The only "low" is the McCain camp continuition of changing subjects.........Stem Cell Research is a much needed research (adult, embryionic) with all the miseries in this world and people waiting for kidney, heart, liver transplants . We need to explore all options, just like they want us to consider "Drill, Baby, Drill". He has a running mate who is a staunch pro-life (even in case of rape, incest) but would force Americans to disregard research that can save their loved ones. Palin can make choices for her family but I'll be damned if she gets to make them for my family. Ed Koch is 100% right this woman is SCARY and CRAZIER then BAT SH*T......................

I agree with the previous comment. Also, it's obviously OK for Palin to display her children as public "props" but her policies in relation to them are obviously off-limits.
I have a feeling I know what the VP debates will be like- everytime Biden questions Palin's policies, she is going avoid answering the question by simply attacking him for raising an issue or asking the question.
I have noticed that McCain keeps her on a short leash- no interviews, and he hasn't let her out of his sight since the convention.

Michael and Palin are completely wrong on the embryonic stem cell research issue. The stem cell lines allowed by W's 2001 proclamation are worthless. If W had allowed full research on all stem cell lines, who knows how far we could have come. All forms of stem cell research shouild be fully pursued - why take any option off the table. Let's stop putting our head in the sand and use the full research capacity this country has. I love

We all knew Biden was talking about Embryonic stem cell research. Picking nits is just that, nitpicking. I also think this is a completely valid point to be making in this election. Ignorance of Science has been endemic in the current administration and Palin has shown nothing but the same type of approach so far.

Embryonic Stem Cell research DOES show great advances. Creating stem cells from differentiated cells does not show the same potential yet. It may, it may never. But to say that the only stem cell research that shows advances is non-embryonic stem cells is a complete fabrication.

Michael and Palin are completely wrong on the embryonic stem cell research issue. The stem cell lines allowed by W's 2001 proclamation are worthless. If W had allowed full research on all stem cell lines, who knows how far we could have come. All forms of stem cell research shouild be fully pursued - why take any option off the table. Let's stop putting our head in the sand and use the full research capacity this country has.

We all knew Biden was talking about Embryonic stem cell research. Picking nits is just that, nitpicking. I also think this is a completely valid point to be making in this election. Ignorance of Science has been endemic in the current administration and Palin has shown nothing but the same type of approach so far.

Embryonic Stem Cell research DOES show great advances. Creating stem cells from differentiated cells does not show the same potential yet. It may, it may never. But to say that the only stem cell research that shows advances is non-embryonic stem cells is a complete fabrication.

NShoreMike - check your facts before posting. The claim or accusation, whatever one wants to call it, regarding Palin making substantial reductions in state spending in Alaska for Special Needs education has already been debunked. Facts.org has stated that rather than reduce it, she tripled it.

Michael, I'm guessing you are not a scientist? Some random blogger's impression on what type of stem cell research "actually is working" based on what, news headlines? is worth much less to me than the recommendations of the majority of the scientific community. Who knows what the worlds biggest research powerhouse would have produced had funding been available for this type of research?

This is a completely fair policy debate to be having, in my opinion.

Hit 'em where they don't have any answers, Joe, and that would be the issues. They can' t blame the media for everything!

LAG... facts.org? That website is Florida’s Academic Counseling and Tracking for Students web site. You think that by posting a bogus reference to an unrelated web site in support of a fabrication is going to fool any of us? You have got to be kidding.

It seems intellectual dishonesty is quickly becoming the trademark of Obama and Biden. They did direct it squarely at Palin because McCain does in fact support stem cell research...just another one of the "maverick's" break from the republican party's line. Of course nary a word mentioned of that in the press.

Apparently Joe Biden, and many posting here, doesn't realize that stem cell research is not, in fact, either illegal or unfunded. Some of us just don't like the idea of our tax dollars being used for the destruction of embryo's any more than we like our tax dollars being used to pay for abortions.

Many ministries have help the unfortunate in many countries through out the world, many more than stem cell research ever will. Yet how many of you hypocrites would be willing to provide federal funding for such projects?

The first thing you would do is scream no way and claim separation of church and state as a reason to deny helping the unfortunate...even knowing thousands that are dying every day...could be saved right now...with medicine we already have.

Here is an idea, Obama is raising about 40 million a month from his supporters...why don't these same supporters send an equal amount to the foundations that fund stem cell research? That way you can prove your are not using this simply a political stick? I thought not...like I said hypocrites.

So let's see. The Democrats can't touch women's issues, teenage pregnancy, or children with special needs JUST because McSame's pick has to deal with all three on a personal level.

WHATEVER! This is a lame attempt by the Rethugs to cry the victim at every turn. Give me a break. If you can't stand the heat get the hell out of the 5-kid kitchen.

This entire subject just proves one thing to me. Palin was chosen not for her experience or qualifications, but because anything can be called an attack because she is a "mommy." If Obama or Biden addressed the issue of teen pregnancy, does that mean they're talking about Bristol?

If a woman cannot be treated just like a man in politics, then she doesn't belong in the White House.

Remember - the only President to ban stem cell research was Bill Clinton. The only president to allow Federal Funds for stem cell research was George Bush by overturning the Bill Clinton ban. But he did put some conditions on the research -i.e he reached a compromise. Everyone asks for more compromise in DC, but why when if you do compromise, you are so viciously attacked by the left.

If stem cell research is the hot item it seems to be, there will be no lack of private funds for research. I don't support the government paying for it. Remember, polio was all but wiped out by private means, not a government program.

So far, treatments for some fifty plus diseases have been developed using stem cells derived from adults. These treatments are documented in the "New England Journal of Medicine", "The Lancet" and other reputable medical journals. Embryonic stem cell research is going on completely unabated in Europe and Asia. To date, no treatment for any disease has been found that is successful. Most have ended in tumour formation or other problems.

We would be extremely chauvinistic to denigrate the work of British, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Indian and many other scientists. Those countries and many more have capable scientists as I learned from involvement in an international scientific organization. These scientists are perfectly free to use whatever embryonic cells they choose. Their numbers are probably greater than the aggregate number of US scientists interested in this issue as the scientific world is a very large place. None of the treatments attempted to date has had positive results from embryonic stem cells.

It seems a straw man has been set up. I would suggest that embryonic stem cell research has so far failed as a medical treatment even in countries where there is no restriction on the use of embryonic stem cells. Opposed to that, we have the beginnings of successful treatments for some fifty diseases from adult stem cells.

I have the option to invest in embryonic stem cell research it unrestricted as in Japan and other countries. I also have the opportunity to invest in other stem cell research, I know what I have chosen. I researched the results and keep up with the technology. My investments are growing at a rate of some 30% since May. I invest in technologies that work. As patents are issued and medical practice adopts the new methods, my investments make money.

Palin can obviously can take the heat. Not necessarily to "take it like a man", she does just fine in her own gender. It doesn't take muscle or brawn to be intelligent. She has an incredible computer of a vast knowledge of information and wisdom she has gathered from birth. As far as, embryonic stem cell research goes, I don't believe taking one life to save another justifies anything. Many pro-horts of embryonic stem cell research think because an embryo hasn't made it's mark in society it's not worth any more than a bug. Yet, we can't see atoms, quarks, photons, etc with the naked eye, but we are beginnig to realize how important they are! Go embryo's!

The whole stem cell debate is a red herring, the only prohibition on embryonic stem cell research is Federal support via grants and other funding. There is nothing to stop pure research on its own, you just need to secure your own money, instead of the public's.

If you who support this research are such devotees and believers in the concept, go out and secure private funding for your research, if it is so promising, you should be able to convince a few billionaires of your prowess. Try starting with George Soros, he's probably your guy.

The whole ESCR debate is about getting federal dollars fro projects that do not stand up to private funding scrutiny.
Fro the pro-abortion liberals, it is about demeaning human life.

Martin is correct. The research using adult stem cells is having a positive effect in medicine today - now - as we speak. ESCR has produced nothing. In fact many scientists are now backing away from the research and beginning to strictly focus on what new breakthroughs are occurring with adult stem cell and cord blood studies. The future is bright concerning adult stem cell research.

As for Sarah Palin,

Geeze, everyone knows the GOP only cares about babies when they are still in the womb. Afterwards? Kid, you are on your own.

Biden spews ignorance of current stem cell knowledge. Embryonic stem cells cause cancer, according to Scientific American. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 1000+ recruiting using other stem cells, though. Limbs/organs regenerated. Organs made and replaced - all in people (see videos at CureMI.com ) The 'fathers' of embryonic all agree 'the future of stem cell research' is induced pluripotent, not embryonic. Created from a patient's cheek swabbed cells, they are biologically indistinguishable from embryonic, allow ways to study disease embryonic doesn't, and wouldn't be rejected by subjects (in animals already treated sickle cell & Parkinsons). It's sad he's so uninformed - but disgusting he would use sick children and their family's pain to try to score political points.

Mary, Please re-read the facts. Embryonic stem cells can be created w/o the cancer causing gene. Argue away, I've worked in this field for 24 years.