A second version of an ad by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beverly Perdue stresses her support for 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. I know Bev Perdue supports stem cell research. She believes in hope, and I believe in her."
The background: Witt says in the ad that she knows Perdue supports stem cell research, but it would have been hard to tell before the commercial was made.
Perdue's campaign could not produce any evidence that she made a public statement regarding stem cell research prior to her campaign for governor.
The campaign's proof that she was engaged in "activity" regarding stem cells included: a September 2006 policy briefing paper that was distributed among Perdue's staff and a copy of the agenda from a meeting two months later of a special legislative committee examining the issue, indicating that a Perdue staffer attended.
N.C. Rep. Earl Jones, a Greensboro Democrat, said Perdue played no role in the drafting of his bill for stem cell research funding that passed the House in 2007, even though the money would come through the N.C. Health and Wellness Trust Fund that she chairs.
Jones said Perdue did call after the House passage, offering to help in the Senate, where she serves as president and presides over the daily session. The bill, which arrived near the end of the legislative session, never got out of committee, and there was no evidence offered of Perdue speaking out, writing a letter or otherwise publicly advocating for the bill.
Is it accurate? Yes.
— Mark Johnson and Ryan Teague Beckwith
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Shame on Perdue & the N&O!
A true stretch by you all to say the ad is accurate. You essentially implied that she had no involvement. Oh yea, a staffer attended a committee session. But does mean that she knew about it? Just yesterday, Beverly told a reporter that she didn't even know that she had a fundraiser this week that was hosted by one of her main fundraisers, who appears to be real questionable character (we know that is a lie!)
If this is an example as to how Beverly gets behind and/or speaks out on an issue, our state has a major problem if she is elected Governor. She didn't even demonstrate any clout in the Senate by getting it out of committee.
What a fake she is. She will say or do anything to gain her power (she apparently doesn't have any now) and that of her status quo power elite!
Come on N&O, you can do better than this as she had absolutely no passion or knowledge around this issue prior to a month or so ago.