GOP ticket sends mixed signals on stem cells

Speaking of Palin . . .

I'm a few days late in noting this item from the Washington Post:

Republican presidential candidate John McCain's campaign today released a radio ad that four times trumpeted his support for stem cell research but never mentioned that his vice presidential pick opposes it.

The ad, which the campaign said is running in "key states,'' says that the "original mavericks'' will work with congressional allies to improve America's health and mentions the use of stem cell research to, among other things, "help free families from the fear and devastation of illness (the full text is below).

But, unless she has changed her opinion, McCain's running mate opposes stem cell research because of her opposition to abortion, which she condemns even in the cases of rape or incest.

In a gubernatorial debate in 2006, Palin said, "With a pro-life position, and it's interesting that so many questions revolve around this centeredness I have for respecting life, and the potential of every human life, but no, stem-cell research would ultimately end in the destruction of life. I couldn't support it."

The ad, without being specific, attempts to show McCain as opposing his party, since Senate Republicans helped sustain President Bush's veto of legislation that would have advanced stem cell research, and the recently adopted Republican platform calls for a ban "on all embryonic stem-cell research, public or private."

The Obama campaign responded with a statement from Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.), who was paralyzed at age 16 while working with the Warwick, R.I., police department. "While it's good that that Senator McCain says he supports stem cell research, It would be far better for the millions of Americans awaiting new cures if he had shown leadership when it really mattered: when he chose his running mate and when he failed to marshal his allies to override the President's veto," Langevin said.