NYT, p.1: Her Home Silent, Nancy Reagan Found a Voice (stem cell)

[DeepModem Mom]

Her Home Silent, Nancy Reagan Found a Voice
By BERNARD WEINRAUB and ELISABETH BUMILLER

Published: June 7, 2004


....Mrs. Reagan, whose early White House years were marked by her interests in designer clothes and social events, turned into nothing less than an advocate for Alzheimer's causes and stem-cell research. Supporters say such research could aid the fight against Alzheimer's, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries and other serious health problems. The Bush administration has limited how government money can be spent on embryonic stem-cell research because it involves the destruction of human embryos....

***

(A Reagan friend, Casey) Ribicoff said that Mrs. Reagan's involvement with stem-cell research led to meetings with doctors and researchers, motivating the former first lady to call Republican leaders and others in Washington over the last two years to press the case for research behind the scenes. "She made calls without hesitation," Mrs. Ribicoff said. "She would ask, `Why are you not supporting this?' "

Betsy Bloomingdale, one of Mrs. Reagan's closest friends, said Sunday that the stem-cell issue had in essence given Mrs. Reagan, 81, a meaning to her life. Beyond this, Mrs. Bloomingdale said, Mrs. Reagan and her daughter, Patti Davis, reconciled after a strained relationship. "The wonderful thing that has come into her life is stem cell," Mrs. Bloomingdale said. "Her life has been that, and she's had the children around, which is a wonderful thing, because Patti is in the fold. That's been very special for her, and that's been helpful."

Though Mrs. Reagan never publicly criticized President Bush on the issue, several friends of hers said Sunday that Mrs. Reagan had been especially disappointed that Mr. Bush, and the Senate majority leader, Bill Frist, were not as supportive on stem-cell research as she had hoped. "It angered her," Mrs. Ribicoff said. "And I think when Nancy gets her body and heart back together, she's going to work feverishly for stem-cell research and the Ronald Reagan library."...


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/07/politics/07NANC.html

[slinkerwink]

1. I sure hope she speaks publicly about the opposition of the right-wing to

stem cell research.

[blm]

2. Well, the Brady's turned on the GOP because of opposition to Brady Bill.

It would be quite plausible for a Nancy Reagan to do the same because of the GOPs opposition to stem-cell research.

Plus, the Reagans were never really against abortion or gun control and never really religious. So, I imagine that the religious right are about due to have their balloons popped.

The wingnuts always projected their own religiosity onto Reagan, but the facts always told a different story. Reagan was just political enough to USE religion without believing it in the way the fundamentalists were led to think.

[klook]

3. Good for Nancy

Although I disagree with most of what her husband stood for, I'm glad that Nancy Reagan has chosen to deal with his tragic illness by becoming active in support of stem-cell research. I hope she can be an effective advocate for sensible science in this case.

While the conservative morAns in Congress will probably use Reagan's death to once again push for the Reagan dime, a much more meaningful legacy would be to support stem-cell research to help millions of Americans.

[Fovea]

4. I support the Reagan Dime!

But only if if is made of Depleted Uranium.

[Tellurian]

5. Kerry should be a proponent of Stem Cell research...

"On Sunday, Betty Adams, a Los Angeles friend of Mrs. Reagan's for nearly 50 years, said of the stem-cell work: "She's going to work for that very hard from now on."

I don't think Bush or Frist understand, the stem cells are unfertilized eggs. That, or they haven't found a pharmaceutical company to partner up with yet.

[JI7]

6. he is, he is a big supporter of it

michael j fox who also considers stem cell research an important issue for him endorsed kerry in the primary. and kerry's statement on reagan's death mentions something about finding a cure for alzeimers.

[Tellurian]

7. Well then, the timing is perfect..

I'm thrilled he is supporting "stem cell". It's the wave of the future. IIRC, I believe MJFox's wife conceived another child, in a concerted effort to use the cells contained in the umbilical cord for the same therapeutic reasons. The umbilical cells may help stall the progression of the Parkinsons, but I don't believe the treatment is as beneficial as the stem cells could possibly be..

Nancy, could very well become a huge asset to Kerry..one can only hope.

[wryter2000]

8. Front page, no less

Go, Nancy, go.

[Mz Pip]

9. "Not as supportive

as she hoped"????? They aren't supportive at all.

Stay angry Nancy, stay very angry.

MzPip
:dem:

[jukes]

10. as always

her only interest is a vested interest. she only cared because she stood to gain by it.

she'll probably display a brief "grief crusade", but i doubt she'll have any sig impact. nobody takes her seriously, on any subject, y the republican pandering to the fundies won't go away because of her.

so sad; she'll be ever-so-lonely w/ only 1 ass to wipe, now.