Tony Snow, the White House spokesman, said today that the president would veto the measure. Mr. Snow said Mr. Bush continued to believe that federal money should not be spent on research conducted on stem cells derived from human embryos, even if they were going to be otherwise discarded.
"The president is not going to get on the slippery slope of taking something that is living and making it dead for the purpose of research," Mr. Snow said. ...
Despite nearly 150 veto threats during his time in office, Mr. Bush has not previously sent a single piece of legislation back to Capitol Hill, where his Republican allies control both the House and Senate. House members were so rusty about how to handle the issue that Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the majority leader, was temporarily stumped on what the exact procedure would be when pressed by reporters. The last vetoed measure subject to an override vote was a water projects bill rejected by President Bill Clinton in 2000.
-- Where Bush Draws The Line
The Republican's War Against Science spells out the difficulties rational people have these days under the current regime, but this effort takes things to new lows. In 2004, I El Decider goes the extra mile. Why he is allowing even a dime to go to in vitro fertilization (destroying of actual embryos) is unclear.
The bill does not currently have a veto proof majority, though as a general matter, veto proof majorities do support stem cell research. Some dubious bs will be offered by a few key individuals to explain why this bill is somehow uniquely worthy of being rejected. The President's concern for "life" is well appreciated, except for those radicals like Nancy Reagan who support a different path. Meanwhile, Democrats wimped out after they were accused of cynically using flag draped coffins in their advertising:
The ad by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee called for a "new direction" and displayed a staccato of images, including war scenes, pollution and breached levees as well as a photograph of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay doctored to look like a police mug shot.
The President used such visuals (involving the dead of 9/11) in political ads as well. Called upon to respond, the House Majority Leader suggested there was some sort of difference involved. Well, they are a master of nuance. For instance, cynical use of a criminal war including all the needless dead involved for political ends: perfectly fine. But, only for supporters. It's all perfectly clear.
They are hypocrites.