Obama: Well, keep in mind the way the stem cell legislation, that was vetoed by the president, was structured: what it said was you could only use embryos that were about to be discarded, that had been created as a consequence of attempts at in vitro fertilization. So there were very tightly circumscribed mechanisms that were permitted.

I think that that is a legitimate, moral approach to take. If we're going to discard those embryos and we know that there's potential research that could lead to curing debilitating diseases -- Alzheimer's, Lou Gehrig's disease -- you know, if that possibility presents itself, then I think that we should, in a careful way, go ahead and pursue that research.

Now, if in fact, adult stem cell lines are working just as well, then, of course, we should try to avoid any kind of moral arguments that may be in place.

But I want to make a broader point, Pastor Rick, on an issue like stem cell research. I mean, it's not like people who are in favor of stem cell research are going around thinking to themselves: 'you know, boy, let's go destroy some embryos.' Right? I mean, that's not the perspective that I think people come to that issue on.

I think what they say is: we would not tolerate a situation in which, you know, we're encouraging human cloning or in some ways diminishing the sacredness of human life and what it means to be human. But that in narrow circumstances, you know, there is nothing inappropriate with us pursuing scientific research that could lead to cures so long as, you know, we're not designing embryos for that purpose.

But for your edification, I'll state it again.  I don't care one rat's behind "pledges" made during the campaign in regard to this subject. As BTD is so fond of saying, "pols will be pols".  I care about the actual results--and that includes the end result not being subject to political whims.  

Putting it into law is most preferable outcome.  I have no desire to see someone wingnut like Palin to come along in 4 or 8 years from now and over-turn Obama's overturning of Bush's executive order or issuing their own EO banning ESCR.    

Do you really think the new research is going to start up overnight?  Where's the money to get the expanded research funded?  Without the funds its like a car without gas--it ain't going nowhere.

Since only Congress has the authority to allocate funding, we're going to be waiting on them in the end anyway.  And even if Obama reverses the EO, those who oppose ESCR will still fight tooth and nail to shoot down any legislation.  The fight will probably be that much more nasty if it has his stamp of approval.  Not to mention the issue of the ever-tightening competition for and availabity of Federal funds in the crippled economy.