Nancy Reagan tackles Bush on stem cells

[kskiska]

Former president's wife to make public plea in support of extending research to include embryos

Nancy Reagan, the wife of the former president Ronald Reagan, is to make a public plea in favour of embryonic stem cell research in a growing bid to force the issue to the top of the agenda in a presidential election year.

Mrs Reagan will deliver a speech on the subject at a Beverley Hills fundraiser sponsored by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation this weekend.

While Mrs Reagan, whose husband has Alzheimer's disease, has never publicly contradicted Republican presidents while in office, she has made known her views on the subject and her disappointment with the current administration's policy.

(snip)

While he was contemplating the issue three years ago, Mr Bush was contacted by Mrs Reagan saying she hoped he would do what he could to spare other families what hers had suffered and this could be a great part of her husband's legacy.

Michael J Fox, who has Parkinson's disease and runs a foundation promoting stem cell research, will present Mrs Reagan with an award at this weekend's function.

more…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/genes/article/0,2763,1211237,00.html

[fujiyama]

1. Isn't one of their sons

a liberal? Ron Reagan I think...I've seen him on TV a few times.

Anyways, it's pretty bad when Bush makes Reagan looks good.

[Red_Viking]

3. Yes, I believe Ron is liberal

And a ballet dancer, to boot.

Sounds like Nancy has at least half a soul these days.

RV

[Lindacooks]

5. Well, I don't know

It seems like she's pretty anxious to embrace stem cell research because of the disease that's hit her husband. She didn't seem to care much about it benefiting hundreds of thousands of other people BEFORE Reagan got diagnosed with Alzheimers. Nothing like it hitting close to home to make certain people suddenly embrace a cause.

[belle]

24. Nancy was never particularly anti-abortion

Early quote I remember from her: "I don't give a damn about those pro-lifers." Laissez-faire blue-blood all the way. Still it's surprising that she's actually taking a stand these days.

[Darth_Kitten]

35. You hit the nail on the head!!!!!!

Bravo!!!!! Thanks.........my sentiments exactly. :D

[hyphenate]

29. And daughter

Patty Davis is another example of a liberal.

[gmoney]

2. Wow...

Nancy Reagan does two decent things in one week? Glad the media was alerted...

This and shooting down the "Ronald Reagan University" exploitation...

It's a National Day of Prayer miracle.

[stevedeshazer]

4. Did she consult with her astrologer?

Is next week a good time?

Sarcasm aside, I'm glad she is doing this.

I never thought I would say anything positive about Nancy. Never.

[mitchtv]

7. you must remember also

in the final days of the VA senate race, North vs Robb. She came out with a dagger about North being a liar , and almost certainly lost Ollie the seat

[aquart]

10. Okay, Nancy gets into heaven.

Seriously, that one deed would do it.

[Darth_Kitten]

36. LOL (for the last few posts)

:evilgrin:

[Mike Daniels]

22. Warner and Coleman are responsible for North losing the seat

Nancy may have spoken out but it was Coleman that drew enough votes to keep North out of the Senate. I think the margin of victory for Robb was 3-4 points and Coleman drew around 7 percent. Since Coleman was a Republican before running in that election as an independent I think he allowed Republicans to vote against Ollie w/o going voting for Robb.

I imagine that if Coleman hadn't been in the election that the Repubs who voted for him would have held their nose and voted for North. Robb was a damaged candidate due to some adultery and drug allegations that had some legitimacy and got lucky with that election.

[yardwork]

26. Hell, I miss Nancy. I'd trade Pickles for her any day.

I never thought I would say that I missed the Reagans, but compared to the hell we're living through now, I feel positively nostalgic for the 1980s.

[slinkerwink]

6. Bush stiffed Nancy Reagan on stem cells, and I'm glad she's speaking out

[Miss Authoritiva]

8. FYI: The US Defense Department is funding ($250,000) human

embryonic stem cell research at Lund University in Sweden. Go figure.

[jono]

9. Link? (nt)

[Miss Authoritiva]

21. Here are a few links to the DOD/Swedish research

www.genomenewsnetwork.org/articles/2004/03/19/stemcell.php

www.isa.se/templates/News____25234.aspx

www.biomedcentral.com/news/20040330/04

[jono]

23. Thanks (nt)

[aquart]

11. Outsourcing scientific research.

Thanks, George.

[catzies]

12. I do support her for doing this. The Reagans hate the Bushes.

And I agree with the issue at hand, and I'm glad to see her come forward on it. Only good can come of this, and it's one teensy step toward good karma in her next life.

[Arugula Latte]

13. The hypocrisy of these people makes me sick

Reagan is largely responsible for the poisonous, rabid, fanatic right-wing atmosphere we have to endure today. Had that stupid shithead Ronnie not been such a neanderthal we most likely would have been much farther along in research than we are today. Karma. Ain't it a bitch, Nancy?

[tkmorris]

14. I used to really hate the man

but lately I have come round to believing that Reagan was nothing more than a front man, even in the beginning. I think everyone was aware that by the end of his second term he wasn't in control, his mental state was becoming obvious. I don't think he really ever was in control though, lucid or not.

[Borgnine]

17. Reagan was an unwilling puppet.

He was nothing more than a moderate Republican who was used by the foundations of what would become the PNAC to take control in the '80s after their glorious leader H.W. Bush lost in the primaries. I still believe, and I think Nancy does too, that they were behind the Hinkley assasination attempt.

[murielm99]

20. I have seen this here previously, about Hinkley...

enlighten me!

[proud patriot]

15. Yayyyyyy Nancy

You were the bain of my existence when I was
a Teenager but I got to hand it to you .
I like your spirit .

[shanti]

25. yes

i've never liked nancy, but what's the old saying? the enemy of my enemy is my friend?

[Katha]

16. Who would've ever thought

I'd like something Nancy Reagan did?

[leanings]

18. God, it'd be great if

she got out front as pointman, er, pointperson on the issue of Alzheimer's in general. It's a terrible, terrible disease, and with an aging population and increased lifespans it's going to become more and more of an issue.

[flaminbats]

19. Republicans may damn the Democrats back into power

It is strange, but sobering to observe how the chain of events has driven two neoconservatives from the 80's to our side of this issue. The real question is who will they support in this election?

If Nancy Reagan and Michael J. Fox endorse Kerry, this shall make us allies of circumstance. I'm looking forward to her speech for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

[hyphenate]

28. Michael J Fox

is not a conservative--he only portrayed one on Family Ties. :)

From Opensecrets.org:

FOX, MICHAEL J
ENCINO,CA 91436
NORTHERN FOX PRODUCTIONS
5/13/2003
$2,000
Specter, Arlen

FOX, MICHAEL J
ENCINO,CA 91436
ACTOR
6/30/2002
$1,000
Kerry, John

FOX, MICHAEL J
ENCINO,CA 91436
ENTERTAINER
6/27/2001
$1,000
Biden, Joseph R Jr

FOX, MICHAEL J
ENCINO,CA 91436
NORTHERN FOX PRODUCTIONS/ACTOR
6/24/2003
$2,000
Kerry, John

FOX, MICHAEL J
ENCINO,CA 91436
ACTOR
10/29/2001
$1,000
Schumer, Charles E

FOX, MICHAEL J
ENCINO,CA 91436
ACTOR
9/19/2002
$1,000
Harkin, Tom

FOX, MICHAEL J
ENCINO,CA 91436
ENTERTAINER
6/28/2001
$1,000
Biden, Joseph R Jr


I think his contribution record speaks for itself. :)

[flaminbats]

30. Maybe so..

But these are all contributions made in the last three years! I said he was a neocon in the eighties...not now!

[RoyGBiv]

31. He's a Canadian

Ronald Reagan is supposed to have said at one time that Family Ties was his favorite television show, and his campaign handlers suggested using Fox's as a media spokesman during Reagan's reelection campaign. Fox replied that he didn't feel that was appropriate because he was still a Canadian citizen, and besides, his views and those of Alex P. Keaton weren't the same.

Bottom of first paragraph.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/f/familyties_1299001111.shtml

[flaminbats]

33. thanks for the info..

I'm glad to be wrong on this! :hi:

[SiouxJ]

27. Wow! Finally, a real compassionate conservative

I don't believe it! As someone who has a chronic disease that this type of research could help, I have to applaud her on this one. She's said and done a lot of things I don't agree with but this ain't one of them.

[truthisfreedom]

32. so has Kerry been verbal on this issue?

[NuttyFluffers]

34. Ironic Kharmic Retribution is a bitch ain't it, Nancy

though i find it good that she's working against this stupid 'edict' of king george, a la enemy of my enemy is my friend, i still have to smile savoring the richness of kharmic justice in this. granted it'd be better to go ahead with the research. but i thoroughly enjoy how it all fits together, just about seamlessly. some say there isn't a grand design and god doesn't exact revenge - but then i see things like this and smile and realize bit by bit we are given the thread to weave our own tapestry of woe.

it is true, it is best to leave revenge in the hands of god (universe/unknown force, whatever you wanna call it) for no one is more creative, precise, and subtle. though it would be nice if he just stopped us from damning ourselves in the first place...

[bushgottago]

37. Well it's about time!

Poetic justice I say. If he hadn't fought stem cell research he might not be in a living death right now with the best medical attention in the world to keep him in zombie hell. It's too bad that all the other people were also denied stem cell research.

It's easy to oppose stem cells and abortion until it comes down to your family. They are such hypocrites.