Thought Theater

Rove: Bush To Veto Stem Cell Bill genre: Hip-Gnosis & Little Red Ribbon-Hood & Polispeak

President Bush has not vetoed a single bill since he began his presidency. Yesterday, Karl Rove indicated the President would use his veto power to kill any bill to expand funding for embryonic stem-cell research. The move, on the heels of ever increasing evidence of the potential for medical advances as a result of stem-cell research, seems to be more about signaling his far right constituency than about preventing the destruction of embryos.

In reality, large numbers of embryos are destroyed as a result of in vitro fertilization efforts whereby embryos are frozen for future use yet are often subsequently discarded. Proponents of expanded funding for the development of additional stem-cell lines have argued that including these embryos would merely be utilizing already available sources as opposed to creating new embryos specifically for use in stem-cell research. Read the full article here.

President Bush will likely cast the first veto of his presidency if the Senate, as expected, passes legislation to expand federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research, White House aide Karl Rove said Monday in Denver.

"The president is emphatic about this," said Rove - Bush's top political adviser and architect of his 2000 and 2004 campaigns - in a meeting with The Denver Post editorial board.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted 238-194 last year to pass the legislation, co-sponsored by Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., and Rep. Mike Castle, R-Del. If the Senate approves the bill, it will go to the president's desk.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., who backs the bill, has said he will try to bring it up for a Senate vote soon.

"I'm appalled that Bush would use the first veto of his presidency to veto a bill that could help 110 million people and their families," DeGette said Monday of Rove's remarks.

Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family is among many conservative and anti- abortion groups opposed to the measure.