Stem Cell research hits Missouri

Michael J Fox's campaign ad for Claire McCaskill, in which he cites her support for stem-cell research, was a little difficult to watch (you've probably heard that Rush Limbaugh accused Fox of either faking or being off his medication-- then apologized). But it was guaranteed to elicit howls of protest from the right, for politicizing politics and I suspect being in 'bad taste.' What that really means, of course, is that the GOP was scared shitless. And that meant putting together a hasty response ad filled with nightmarish sci-fi scenarios that had little to do with the actual legislation, but did feature an actor who played Jesus (and speaking Aramaic! Just like the movie!).

As The American Prospect notes, one of the celebrity(?) talking heads featured in the ad is Patricia Heaton. And the groups with which she allies herself have a fairly dubious record when it comes to protecting human life.

The ad, which falsely claims the amendment to be a veiled attempt to constitutionally protect human cloning, is sponsored by a group called Missourians Against Human Cloning, whose spokesperson is Cathy Cleaver Ruse. Ms. Ruse, currently a fellow at the Family Research Council, served until 2004 as the director of planning and information for the Pro-Life Secretariat of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). That post is now held by Deirdre McQuade, who came to the bishops from her position as spokesperson for Feminists for Life.

Working in coalition with Missourians Against Human Cloning is the Missouri Catholic Conference, a group that so cherishes the uniqueness of human life that it drafted the 1999 Missouri bill, later struck down in court, that would have categorized the killing of a doctor who performs abortion a justifiable homicide.