Kerry abortion comment stokes fire on both sides

John F. Kerry's recent remark that ''life begins at conception" has brought confusion and criticism from both sides of the abortion debate, as well as from scientists eager to do more extensive research into embryonic stem cells.

While the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee vigorously supports both, he left the impression that he also believes both involve the destruction of human life. Kerry's advisers have declined to explain or clarify the impression.

The ''life begins at conception" comment particularly miffed stem cell scientists. Many of them support Kerry because of what they see as the Democrats' more open views toward this biomedical field, but they now voice concern that his comments on life's beginnings have given ammunition to opponents.

Stem cell research, which has been limited by President Bush, who opposes sacrificing embryos for science, requires destroying microscopic embryos, balls of about 100 cells that most scientists in the field emphatically view as nonhuman.

Kerry apparently believes otherwise, although he has indicated that as president, he would not impose this belief. But a logical conclusion from his statements might be that he would support policies that he privately abhors, that he may even consider to be murder, ethicists said.

''Senator Kerry believes that life begins at conception, and it's a personal belief for him," said Kerry's campaign spokesman, Michael Meehan. He added that Kerry would reverse Bush's restrictions on stem cell research. ''As a matter of policy, he believes that stem cell research is something enormously valuable and should be pursued."

The issue may prove politically thorny for the Massachusetts senator. Political analysts say his comments may give the Bush campaign another opening to say he lacks conviction, or to call him a ''flip-flopper," a label that even some Democrats associate with Kerry, according to polls.

Opponents of abortion have only occasionally dogged Kerry at his campaign events this year. Yet since Kerry began emphasizing ''American values" and ''family values" in his speeches this month -- including his statement that he shared the ''conservative values" of many Midwesterners -- Republicans have been increasingly scornful of his views on abortion and stem cell research.

Kerry made his comments on when life begins on July 4, while in Dubuque, Iowa, a heavily Roman Catholic and Democratic area. At the time, certain Catholic church leaders were saying he should refrain from taking Communion, the central sacrament of his faith, because his support of abortion and stem cell science was immoral.

''I oppose abortion, personally," Kerry told a reporter for an Iowa newspaper. ''I don't like abortion. I believe life begins at conception."

He continued: ''But I don't take my Catholic beliefs, my article of faith, and legislate it on a Protestant, on a Jew, or an atheist, who doesn't share it. We have separation of church and state in the United States of America."

Kerry added: ''There is something called freedom of conscience in the Catholic Church."

A stem cell specialist, Dr. Robert Lanza, the scientific chief of the Worcester firm Advanced Cell Technology, said Kerry's comments ''confuse things. You would have hoped he rephrased it."

Lanza is testing potential cures for blindness, using stem cells. He said his company has created five groups of stem cells to work with, each of which required the destruction of week-old embryos called blastocysts. Scientists obtain embryos in two ways: First, from those about to be discarded at in-vitro fertilization clinics, or second, through cloning, which enables them to make new embryos by manipulating adult cells.

Blastocysts have about 100 cells. The vast majority of these cells go on to form the placenta, which helps to feed growing fetuses but which is discarded at birth. Only 10 percent of the cells, the stem cells, go on to form a person.

Stem cells morph into all the tissues in the human body. Researchers seek to use them to regenerate damaged tissue in patients with Parkinson's disease, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, and a wide range of painful and potentially lethal conditions.

''It's the whole question if that microscopic ball of cells merits the same rights and respect as an adult or child or loved one who may need this technology to survive," said Lanza, echoing the view of most researchers. ''It's just this little ball of cells . . . it's hard for me to call it a human entity."

By making a specific ethical claim -- life begins the moment when sperm fertilizes an egg -- Kerry opened himself to charges of contradiction, some ethicists said.

''The problem is it isn't just fence-walking or waffling. What Kerry is doing is stating a core belief on what life is and then vocally advocating a contrary point of view," said Jack Marshall, president of ProEthics, a consulting firm based in Alexandria, Va., a suburb of Washington, D.C.

Marshall noted that former President Clinton managed to avoid such criticism while conveying both his distaste for abortion and his position favoring abortion rights by repeatedly saying he would make the practice ''safe, legal, and rare."

A Boston University medical ethicist, George Annas, said that Kerry should clarify his views: ''The question is: By 'life,' did he mean an embryo is a person? Does it have a soul? Does an embryo have the same status as a child?"

Annas said Kerry's use of the phrase ''life begins at conception" mirrored language frequently used by abortion opponents, many of whom believe that embryos are tantamount to children, and who equate abortion and stem cell research to murder.

''It is absolutely prolife movement language. He shouldn't have gotten into when life begins," Annas said.

When asked about this, Meehan, the Kerry campaign spokesman, said: ''He believes that life begins at conception, and it's a personal belief for him."

A University of Iowa political scientist, Peverill Squire, said that Kerry's comments may open him to more political charges of flip-flopping, such as those his opponents have raised on the Iraq war, free trade, and taxes.

''It may be a case of him accommodating too many points of view. It probably wasn't an astute political statement," said Squire. ''It may fit a larger picture" that Republicans ''are trying to draw."

Squire also said, however, that many Americans may interpret the comments as mirroring their own ambivalence about abortion and stem cell research, which polls indicate is widespread.

''I think his comments reflect the inconsistencies and ambiguities many of us have on these issues," Squire said. ''I think most Americans are muddled, and Senator Kerry has wandered into that."

Abortion opponents have seized on Kerry's comments about when life begins.

''John Kerry's belief that life begins at conception and his support of proabortion legislation shows that killing babies is OK with Kerry," said Janice Crouse of the Concerned Women for America, a conservative group.

Some abortion rights advocates, meanwhile, have privately expressed concern about Kerry's choice of words on when life begins, although they note that Kerry has been a firm supporter of abortion rights in the US Senate. Planned Parenthood of America gives him a 100 percent rating.

''We think there is room in the prochoice movement for a wide range of views," said Erin Rowland, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood's Massachusetts wing. ''You couldn't have a candidate with a stronger voting record."

Patrick Healy of the Globe staff contributed. Raja Mishra can be reached at rmishra@globe.com.