July 31, 2005

Where Frist Really Stands on Stem Cell Research

Matt White has a long, detailed and very thoughtful postabout Sen. Bill Frist's stem cell research announcement. You'll be shocked to learn that the mainstream media's portrayal of Frist's announcement was not quite as nuanced, detailed and thoughtful as Frist's announcement was...

Talking heads have been all over every media outlet in America handicapping how this decision will affect Sen. Frist's presidential future. Perhaps my idealism is getting the best of me, but I can't see how risking alienation from an important segment of Republican primary voters makes for good presidential politics. Bill Frist made this decision as a physician; as a leader. And isn't that the absolute best we can ask of a politician? For four years, he has debated with scientists, ethicists, advocates and anyone else who had a viewpoint. He applied his training and his instincts to heal to a problem of enormous signficance and difficulty. In the end, he made a hard decision that, if anything, will be a tall hurdle in the run to the White House. To my friends who would change their view of Senator Frist in light of his announcement, I ask you, since when did we ask our leaders to check their intellect at the door in favor of blind ideological purity? Forgive me if I don't join in as you try to throw him under a bus.

That's good advice, especially with an issue as complicated as this. The media - newspapers and broadcast - are rather unable to fully convey the complexity of the issue or of Frist's remarks, so they focus mainly in the political implications for Frist's 2008 presidential run, and the conflict between his position and that of the president. Doing what bloggers do well, Matt delves much deeper into the issue.