Was Biden Talking About Palin During Stem Cell Research Reference?

By: Ryan Corsaro
Topics: Joe Biden

(CBS)

From CBS News' Ryan Corsaro:

(COLUMBIA, MO.) - Was Joe Biden referring to Sarah Palin, a mother of a child with Down syndrome, when he made this comment?

"I hear all this talk about how the Republicans are going to work in dealing with parents who have both the joy, because there's joy to it as well, the joy and the difficulty of raising a child who has a developmental disability, who were born with a birth defect. Well guess what folks? If you care about it, why don't you support stem cell research?"

Biden received a thunderous ovation when he made the remark at a town hall style meeting this morning in Columbia.

When asked for if this could be interpreted this as being about Palin, Biden's press secretary, David Wade, issued this statement.

"This is a clash of policies not a clash of personalities. We've heard not a dime's worth of difference between the McCain-Palin ticket and the Bush Administration on medical breakthroughs that millions of parents and doctors believe could save lives and transform the quality of life for countless Americans."

18 Comments Have Your Say
Email Story Send to a Friend
Share This Tell Your Friends
Tweet This Tweet This
More Share It

Add a Comment

See all 18 Comments


by PCHess September 10, 2008 4:49 PM EDT: to vgirl11

Stem Cell research is not illegal, nor was it banned by George Bush, as noted in several other posts.

The debate is over public funding of certain types of stem cell research. It''s laughable that you point to Jonas Salk as an example of what can be accomplished. Salk''s research was funded by NFIP and volunteers who ran the "March of Dimes", money donated by individuals toward the research.

Perhaps you should move to California, where in spite of budget deficits their political leaders choose to spend billions of dollars of taxpayer money on stem cell research.; Reply to this comment


by gekkobear September 10, 2008 4:37 PM EDT: Ok, so Biden agrees that life starts at conception; when last asked that question...

But we should willingly kill off those lives, to aid other more desired lives.

Can we do this with homeless people too? Round them up and harvest their organs? Or is that too much?

If you really think life begins at conception, then how is denying a human life a chance different that deliberately killing person X to save person Y; and if that''s ok, why don''t we do that with "less useful" members of society?; Reply to this comment


by vgirl11 September 10, 2008 2:48 AM EDT: All stem cell research should be allowed. Restricting research when what is restricted could possibly be the cure is an absurdity. Just because a cure has not yet been found from embryonic stem cells does not mean one won''t. If Salk or Pasteur or other scientists had been predisposed to deciding what would and would not work, we might never have had vaccines for polio or a way to make preserving and drinking milk safer.

A true scientist never precludes valid research by first deciding something will not work. Of course, intellectually challenged Repugnants would not understand that!

Biden''s remark was on the money and he should continue such attacks on the issue.; Reply to this comment


by browns4s September 9, 2008 11:59 PM EDT: Embryonic stem cell research has never been shown to produce any positive results, no wonder the Liberals love it. After 2 years of controlling congress they finally found something they can relate to.; Reply to this comment


by nylawyr September 9, 2008 11:46 PM EDT: When asked if Sen. Biden was referring to Sarah Palin, David Wade said, "Yes." (Just kidding, this didn''t really happen.); Reply to this comment


by jncarlos007 September 9, 2008 11:01 PM EDT: "Maybe stem cell research will be able to locate the malfunctioning gene, and possibly yield a cure for Republicans that continue to vote against their own better interests!"

maybe liberals will abort themselves into a permanent minority; Reply to this comment


by dpw57 September 9, 2008 10:27 PM EDT: ADULT stem cells have shown promise of saving lives and "McBush" is all for that. They don''t approve of embryo stem cell research, which has not been proven effective. What millions of doctors and parents believe doesn''t make it so.; Reply to this comment


by cacatua08 September 9, 2008 8:49 PM EDT: Isn''t it just interesting that Mr. Corsaro has made two posts about this in 15 minutes, both of which are titled in such a way as to be accusing Joe Biden of something inappropriate? Talk about media manipulation of the facts! And the Conservatives are always calling the media LIBERAL!; Reply to this comment


by bretster7 September 9, 2008 8:24 PM EDT: Just last week it was reported that Japanese scientist were able to grow stem cells from adult bone marrow. This is just what we on the right have been saying for the past several years. Don''t be fooled, this is not about a breakthrough in fighting disease, it is all about unlimited free access to abortion and the money that is made from it.

Biden is so well spoken, and so frsh and clean.; Reply to this comment


by bpdmburton September 9, 2008 7:11 PM EDT: Bush said research on the stem cells of murdered babies should not be paid for by Taxpayer $. If this research was worthwhile every drug company out there would be pouring $$$ into it. So far the best results have been realized from adult stem cells which Bush does not object to spending federal $ on!!! He also said it was OK to use already existing lines of infant stem cells just does not want to kill/abort any more infants for research.; Reply to this comment