An ad by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beverly Perdue attacks Republican rival Pat McCrory over his position on stem cell research.
What the ad says: Perdue speaks: "I'm Bev Perdue. I'm running for governor and I sponsored this ad." The ad shows images of Sarah Witt, a Raleigh woman who suffers from paralysis because of primary lateral sclerosis. Witt narrates through a voice box: "I used to run marathons, but not anymore. A motor neuron disease has already taken away my ability to walk and to speak, but it hasn't taken away my ability to hope. Hope that stem cell research will let me see my kids grow up. So when I hear politicians like Pat McCrory say he wants to ban embryonic stem cell research, I ask myself, how can he be against hope?" The ad ends with text that says "Pat McCrory: More extreme than you think."
The background: Embryonic stem cells are a type of cell derived from the inside of a fertilized egg, typically at a lab where they were prepared for in vitro fertilization.
Scientists consider embryonic stem cells to be a potential source of new treatments for Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries and Lou Gehrig's disease, which are currently incurable.
Opponents condemn the research because it requires the destruction of a human embryo, but supporters argue that the embryos used are those that fertility clinics are going to destroy anyway.
Congress banned the use of federal funds for any experiment that destroys a human embryo. Some states have also banned the practice, while others, such as California, are supporting it with state tax dollars.
The state of North Carolina currently does not subsidize embryonic stem cell research or ban it.
During the Republican gubernatorial primary, the N.C. Family Policy Council, a nonpartisan group that advocates for Judeo-Christian values sent a questionnaire to McCrory and other candidates.
One of the questions was about stem cell research: "Should the stem cells of a human embryo be used for research purposes when the act of obtaining the stem cells results in the destruction of the human embryo?"
McCrory answered "no."
He later said that he supports stem cell research using adult cells or amniotic cells, neither of which involve embryos, but scientists contend those forms of research, while promising, have not yielded nearly the same level of progress.
Is it accurate? It's a stretch. Perdue's campaign cannot produce evidence that McCrory ever said he would ban embryonic stem cell research. McCrory strategist Jack Hawke confirmed, only after Dome asked, that McCrory, as governor, would support legislation that prohibited stem cell research in which the embryo was destroyed. Perdue's campaign gambled on that being the answer, but had no proof when they produced the ad.
— Mark Johnson and Ryan Teague Beckwith
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Re: Adult and Amniotic Stem Cells Research
This is not a question of science. Scientific decisions are made by scientists informed by data. The question here is whether Fundamentalist religious fanatics --- who believe preposterous nonsense then insult all people of Faith who do not share their peculiar delusions --- should manipulate spineless politicians to restrict the liberty of scientists to make scientific decisions. I say that that Fundamentalists should not have that power to impose their delusions on all Americans. But they will take the power, unless decent people who believe in American values of liberty and freedom of conscience & inquiry stand up to stop them. It's your freedom. Say what you will about California, in our state we have collectively chosen to fund stem cell research in hopes of advancing the good of all people who believe in life. - Joey Tranchina