Having witnessed too many conversations like this one on FR, today http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2819604/posts?page=42#42 I’m convinced that the whole embryonic stem cell mess was more about the need to prove that abortion is wonderful and that there is no Creator.
In fact, that’s exactly what one of the Clinton/Obama “bioethicists” said about cloning in at least one meeting I attended in July, 2006 http://lifeethics.wordpress.com/2006/07/18/endarkenment-and-humans-2/
http://lifeethics.wordpress.com/2006/07/16/politics-and-bioethics-conference-wrap-up-2/ More on that conference in 2006.