Les Jones: Ron Reagan's Convention Speech

July 27, 2004

News > Ron Reagan's Convention Speech

Democrats are crowing over having Ronald Reagan's son at their convention. Can't blame them, though it's not like the guy ever got elected to office or did anything particularly notable. His major accomplishment seems to have been being born to a former president. In contrast, the Republicans have lined up former Democratic Senator and Georgia governor Zell Miller to speak at their convention.

Reagan used his time to discuss stem cell research. For a while he sounded like Bill Nye the science guy. I have a degree in biology and my eyes glazed over a bit, but once he got past the specifics it was a welcome change, in my opinion. I thought he was effective at outlining and humanizing the benefits of what is a pretty difficult scientific subject. It's also an area where I part ways with Bush. It's worth noting that Nancy Reagan parted ways with President Bush on this same point. Stem cell research isn't somehow inimical to Republicans, but Bush has approached it as if it is.

LATER: Welcome, InstaPundit readers. Here's a transcript of the speech. Excerpt below.

Now, imagine going to a doctor who, instead of prescribing drugs, takes a few skin cells from your arm. The nucleus of one of your cells is placed into a donor egg whose own nucleus has been removed. A bit of chemical or electrical stimulation will encourage your cell's nucleus to begin dividing, creating new cells which will then be placed into a tissue culture. Those cells will generate embryonic stem cells containing only your DNA, thereby eliminating the risk of tissue rejection. These stem cells are then driven to become the very neural cells that are defective in Parkinson's patients. And finally, those cells -- with your DNA -- are injected into your brain where they will replace the faulty cells whose failure to produce adequate dopamine led to the Parkinson's disease in the first place.

MUCHO LATER: Manish points me to this news that the GOP is trying to get Nancy Reagan to speak at the Republican National Convention.

Mrs. Reagan might condition her appearance on a clear ability to demonstrate her support for stem cell research.
"She can have anything she wants," a former Reagan administration official said.

I hope it works out that she can rally Republicans for federal funding of stem cell research, and increasing the number of cell lines.

Posted by lesjones

Comments

I did not listen to Ron's entire speech but in the portion I did listen to, I thought he tried to obfuscate exactly what an embryo is. He spoke of implantation of material into an egg but neglected to mention that the egg is fertilized and becomes a unique individual with a genetic makeup different from that of the mother. His definition of humanity seemed to require fingers and toes.

Posted by: Melvin McDowell at July 28, 2004

So when is a human embryo a human? The first few days? Eight weeks? Thirty-Nine Weeks? I don't think there is a universally accepted time for this...it probably varies.

I believe most researchers want to work with cells...not half formed babies. Let's hope substanative research can begin, and with a respectful nod to nature.

Posted by: F-Stop at July 28, 2004

Zell Miller has probably been more of a reliable vote for Bush than several in his own party including Voinovich, McCain, Collins, etc. Though, you do have a point in that he's held elective office and Reagan, Jr. has not. However, outside of Georgia and the south, where Miller isn't as well known, it probably resonates with voters more that the son of former President Reagan was at the Democratic convention while some Democratic Senator was at the Republican one.

And lets face it, being the son of a former President can help your political career as we've learned extremely well.

Posted by: Manish at July 31, 2004

Nancy won't be speaking at the Republican convention. I don't think she likes what Bush has done with the Republican Party that her husband "created".

Posted by: Beatrice M at August 02, 2004

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