People rightly ridiculed then Senator John Edwards when he claimed that if people voted for Senator John Kerry, “people like [the paralyzed] Christopher Reeve are going to walk, get up out of that wheelchair and walk again.” This was rightly criticized as the “Amen Moment,” and the clear oversell helped ensure that stem cell research would not be a significant issue in the 2004 Presidential campaign.
Now Senator Arlen Specter has managed to top Edwards in sheer hyperbole and advocacy spin. At a press conference today, he said: “It is scandalous that eight years have passed since we have known about stem cell research and the potential to conquer all known maladies, and federal funds have not been available for the research.”
All known maladies? Every single one? The common cold? Herpes? Tooth decay?
And as for “no federal funds” being available to fund ESCR: In 2005 the Feds put out about $50 million for human ESCR, using the Bush approved lines. But I guess to a senator, that is the same as no money at all.
Two whoppers in one sentence: Perhaps a new record.
HT: Kathryn Jean Lopez, The Corner
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