Quick comment about Frist

I must say that I was caught off guard by Republican Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.  He decided yesterday to oppose President Bush's ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cells.  This is coming from a politician that has been pandering to the far-right of the political spectrum on all social issues -- especially the Terry Schiavo case and his threats to change Senate rules by preventing the Democrats from using the filibuster to block radically conservative judicial nominees.  Now he is breaking ranks with the right-wing to support funding for embryonic stem cell research.

It is very impressive that such a conservative ideologue would decide instead to use what he learned as a doctor that embraced the opportunities of science instead of pandering to right-wing interest groups.  There is little doubt that he will take a hit from all this politically, especially since he will almost surely run for President in 2008.  The Republican Party are much farther to the right today than in 1996 or 2000.  In other words, taking such a mainstream moderate stance on a sensitive issue that involves faith could backfire on him during the GOP primaries in early-2008.

Nonetheless, my hat goes off to Bill Frist for taking such a moderate stance on a matter that could result in breakthroughs for millions of Americans with Parkinson's or other diseases that can be treated by using embryonic stem cells.  The Tennessee Republican Senator is making the White House look further out of touch from modern science than ever before.