Clinton, Sputnik and science

Posted: Thursday, October 04, 2007 11:17 AM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC/National Journal’s Athena Jones
If elected president, Clinton will rescind the ban on "ethical embryonic stem cell research" and appoint an assistant to the president on science and technology policy, she said today in a speech at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Sputnik.

"Everyday, we are learning more about the opportunity this kind of research offers,” Clinton said, calling the limits President Bush has placed on stem cell research a "ban on hope." “Within these cells may lie the cures for Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, spinal cord injuries, diabetes, Huntington's and more.”

The pledge, which she laid out under a banner that read Reclaiming Our Commitment to Science & Innovation, was part of an agenda Clinton laid out to end what she called the Bush administration's "war on science." She promised to invest more in scientific research, increase funding for NASA and expand studies on climate change and proposed a $50 billion Strategic Energy Fund to find ways to increase U.S. energy independence and reduce the threat of global warming.

She talked about creating new jobs by focusing on renewable energy and highlighted successes Germany has had in the field. After the speech, while posing for pictures with members of the audience, Clinton chatted with two German graduate students, telling them she was very impressed with what Germany is doing and called Chancellor Angela Merkel a "good woman leader."

The Soviet Union launched Sputnik I, the world's first artificial satellite, on October 4, 1957, jump-starting the space race and leading American educators to call for a greater focus on math and science courses in schools.

Clinton reminisced about her father buying binoculars so she and her siblings could try to spot Sputnik in sky and the fascination space held for her as a child.

"What America achieved after Sputnik is a symbol of what America can do now as we confront a new global economy, new environmental challenges, and the promise of new discoveries in medicine," Clinton said.

Clinton added that the Bush administration had ignored or manipulated science and said with new policies and a "renewed commitment to scientific integrity and innovation, America is ready to lead in the 21st century. "

She joked, paraphrasing Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert, "This administration doesn't make decisions based on facts; it makes facts based on decisions."

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Comments

The money is coming from all those Iraqi oil fields, remember, the ones that were going to pay for the war. Well since we have been paying for the war, the oil is owed us.

Larry, Albuquerque (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 2:26 PM)

I believe the Wal-mart thing did have a date, time and place put on it.

"From the LA Times:

'..At Wal-Mart, Clinton didn't upset any carts

As a board member, she touted women and the environment but didn't fight anti-union efforts.
By Stephen Braun, Times Staff Writer
May 19, 2007"

I believe the reason that was posted was to show what kind of leader Clinton really is. Never look at the promises, look at the past. That's where all the answers about how well of a President anybody will be is at.

Hey Van...what's with all the "We will" stuff? Are you on the committie for good old HC? And personally, look at how our goverment is funded, you CAN'T take anything away from taxes, it all has to go to pay off the banks that loan us the money we use anyway.

She's already stated that she has no intention of taking troops away from Iraq, so how are we going to save money on that?

Medicare? Oh please, everybody and their sister has had an idea on that, and it has NEVER gotten fixed. Mainly because nobody can come up with a clear idea of what "fixed" is.

Kevin from Boston, I salute you. Keep looking at her past. Also note that "the embarrassing randiness" was mainly a ploy to keep the general public from looking at his polocy.

Claud, Fort Wayne, Indiana (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 2:32 PM)

This is the first time I have seen all this. What a joke! Right after this submission i will switch my home page. These people are wacked. First i have to respond to the person with the zipper comment. Why is it the right immediately goes there on the Clintons. Ask yourself just how did this personal mistake afect you. Then ask how the multitude of Bush bluders have hurt this country and the generations to come. Oh I suppose i am going to hear how they are a Christian, well so am I. I just follow Jesus's teaching of let he without sin cast the first stone. Maybe this person with the comment would like to line up all the people who have extramarital affairs and send them to Iraq.
Thanks to the person who outlined the massive money will can save after duhbya is out of our lives. Won't it be a shame when we get back to spending our kids money on things that matter like health care. Finally these people afraid to pay a little more in taxes are the stingy ultra wealthy that have time to sit at home and write this garbage. Try and remember the people who work hard and support this country are too busy working. MSNBC you dissapoint me.

Dan, St. Louis Mo (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 2:34 PM)

I love the chickenhawks on the right who now want to question spending...blah blah blah...you clowns to the right of me had your chance and you blew it by being more concerned with our sex lives than economic lives...off to war with you chickenhawk spendoholics

Rick, WS, NC (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 2:39 PM)

Wonderful statements, RH. The rightwing conservative definition of integrity is "everything we like, good; everything they like, bad". No matter how many neo-cons are proven hypocrites, there are those who continue to drink their kool-aid. As for your gay-bashing slur... why do you people continue to believe that homosexuals choose their orientation, when the laws against such were struck down relatively recently, and you could still be legally fired in 3/4 of the nation for such a "choice"? Pathetic.

As for Lemming (who always provides such rich fodder for rebuttal), Hillary plans to pay for these new programs the same way Bill did, the same way all politicians who actually know how to run a budget plan to: by repealing Monkey Bush's ludicrous tax cuts, and again imposing Bill's tax increase that led to eight years of unprecedented prosperity. Ending the trillions of dollars poured down the Iraq money pit will help too.

Liam SoCal (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 2:39 PM)

Jerry, your global warming response is nonsensical. Luckily, there's more people out there enlightened over the subject than you are. My own father, a registered Conservative, read an Inconvenient Truth, and was converted to a believer of global warming because of the hardcore, indisputable science behind it. He's scared of the future his granddaughters face. Of course, you, someone who probably still believes that the world is flat and surrounded by vast oceans filled with serpant like sea-monsters, will never truly grasp the concept.

As for the others, Hillary's stance on this issue is refreshing...it moves us forward, as opposed to backwards into the dark ages of creationism and witch hunts and beliefs that dwarfs inside a person's stomach is the cause for disease. Just think of all the possible technological breakthroughs that a renewed commitment to space and science will bring. And yes, perhaps we will get that warp drive or hyperdrive if we go to Mars. If so, then we can put people like Jerry in a space ship, and send him back to the planet from whence he came.

Pat, Huntington, NY (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 2:48 PM)

Jeffersonian Don: '...Sierra , I would love to read some of the info. you have ,but its worthless unless you leave a spource for such ....'

It's right at the top, the LA Times !!
Feel free to read it at Latimes.com
It might open your eyes

'...The fact is that we as Americans are possed with a very serious choice of 2 ,and it may not be pretty ,but people better decide if they want more of the same or some kind of reform....'

Wrong !!
We have multiple choices, Obama, Edwards, Biden, Richardson ....
Two of these choices actually represent reform, Obama and Edwards
Both of them are anti-war candidates
Hillary won't commit to being out of iraq BEFORE Jan. 2013 !!
THAT'S NOT ANTI-WAR !!

There are many choices, Jeffersonian Don
Even the Republicans have an anti-war choice, Ron Paul !!

So Jeffersonian, if you're anti-war you have 3 choices: Obama, Edwards or Paul
I prefer the first two

Sierra, SF (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 2:50 PM)

I too am warming up to Hillary. Shes by far the best candidate out of both partys. Shes tough and knowledgable and, like her husband does exceptionally well dealing with the swiftboaters. Those guys are rotten fellows, vets or not.

Deirdre (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 2:52 PM)

the REAL Pat from, Huntington NY: '...Sierra SF, what does Hillary's past experience with Walmart have to do with the subject of the article at hand......'

Nice weasel,Pat
You're afraid of Hillary's record
You're afraid of Hillary's stands because you don't even know where she stands.
Why did she vote for the Lieberman-Kyl 'Bomb Iran' bill ?............

So the REAL Pat from, Huntington NY is supporting the phoney Hillary Clinton from Illinois ? Arkansas ? New York ?

GET REAL !

Sierra, SF (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 2:55 PM)

I really LOVE that science will be back under a Clinton administration.
George W. Bush seems to be allergic to facts regarding science. (Well, and maybe a few other topics...)

Has anyone noticed that none of us care about the crap that the Clinton Haters care about?

It's always some sick comment about sex, or a list of things that the GOP has ALREADY made us spend millions and millions and millions and millions of taxpayers dollars on, while at the same time coming up with zero, zilch, nada, nothing.

Clinton Haters are just getting BOR-RING. Go away. The adults are trying to discuss scientific research. You're intent playing with your friggin' zipper.

Jan, Nashua, NH (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 3:02 PM)

More science. Faster development of a new spacecraft. No mention of additional funding needed to do either.

Wow, what a bold statement.

JD in DC (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 3:09 PM)

The questions are all Conjecture, conjecture, conjecture. Until I see source material this is all so drivel! Van Can you help these illiterates? Jerry I noticed you have not mentioned a single viet nam era vet slur today . I am impressed!

Jeffersonian Don (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 3:13 PM)

Sierra you are as cracked as Jerry, if not more. So write in Ron Paul, who cares!

G (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 3:15 PM)

One thing you have to say about Jerry and Sierra - they never let facts get in the way of their "arguments".

Meanwhile, those of us looking at this clearly know that Hillary is the best candidate in the race.

ch, IL (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 3:24 PM)

To those of you who think that the low approval of Bush among Republicans and Independents will translate into votes for Democrats, you are mistaken.

Remember, his low approval rating is not all about the war in Iraq. It's about lack of border security, amnesty for illegal aliens, tremendous growth of gov't spending, whole new entitlement programs to do what other programs have failed to do and mostly his lack of engagement in debate about the things that conservative Americans care about.

It's pretty frustrating. But to go from a frustrated Bush voter to Hillary or Obama requires a lobotomy.

Who said "Right Wing-controlled Media"? What? Maybe if your TV only gets one station - Fox News.

It's a tough argument that the NYT, LA Times, Time Magazine, NewsWeek, US News Report, CNBC, CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, HOLLYWOOD, etc... are right wing or even balanced.

Now maybe someone like Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez or Vladimr Putin might consider US media to favor the right. Makes me wonder just how far left wing you are.

Kevin Maguire - Boston, MA (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 3:25 PM)

Sierra, dems certainly don't need or want people like you. Go away and vote for anyone you want.You remind me very much of Joe Lieberman, pretending to be a dem when you're not.Talking about a PHONEY!

F StLouis (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 3:31 PM)

Hey Van...what's with all the "We will" stuff? Are you on the committee for good old HC? And personally, look at how our government is funded, you CAN'T take anything away from taxes, it all has to go to pay off the banks that loan us the money we use anyway.
Claud, First of all the reason the GOP fought so hard and spent so much on smear toward the Clinton admin. Was due to the fact he decreased the national deficit to a budget surplus. Who owns the Federal Reserve Bank? I will give you a hint; it is not the federal government. The FRB is owned by individual elite business men with names like Rockefeller. How does a bank make money? Answer: interest. Why did the GOP who represent the elite in this nation, want him out? You guessed it! No deficit and no interest = no money flow in their direction.
Sierra:
The reason I insist there is no real choice, look to Texas where they had a choice of Bush clone Perry or Kinky. Now Kinky knew he was splitting the vote, but instead of giving it up he continued the race. Perry won re-election with only 30% of the Texas vote! A vote for Kinky was a vote for Perry, even if kinky claimed to be a Dem. To continue a good race is not always about the race, but about the horse.
I hope you can understand the statement I made, but it is simple where there is money there to shall your vote go.

Jeffersonian Don (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 3:32 PM)

Kevin you obviously NEVER watch anything else but Fox news. Stop blowing hot air, you are clueless.

G (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 3:33 PM)

jerry wrote, "Her husband lied through his teeth about a middle class tax cut in 1992, why should anybody believe what she says?"

The premise "Her husband lied through his teeth," supports the conclusion "No one should believe what HE says." It does NOT support the conclusion, "No one should believe what SHE says." You need to take a course in logic jerry. Quit subjecting us to your drivel.

Peter, Pittsburgh, PA (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 3:33 PM)

Liberals can't answer a logical question if they don't have access to "source documents". Conjecture? Do you even know what that word means?

To you, that may seem as good as a thoughtful answer. To the rest of us, we think it's weak.

Poor excuse. Hillary is married to Bill. Bill was the prez. The prez has a very high security clearance. There were dozens of news reports in the last 6 months about the terrible conditions of Walter Reed Hospital. It is located about 6 miles from the WH and Capitol Hill. Use google maps if you are suspicious. I don't have the sources. This is called "common knowledge". Jamie Gorelik (SP?) was the #2 person in Justice under Reno and wrote the rule about sharing terrorist data between CIA and FBI - see 911 Report.

I suppose that's why many of you are happy hearing Hillary's rehearsed and scripted say-nothing answers.

Kevin Maguire - Boston, MA (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 3:37 PM)

There are 2 types of Democrats.

The vast majority are those who aren't very bright. Let's face it. Look at the demographics. The uneducated, unmotivated and illiterate are a huge segment of Democrat voters.

The other type of Democrats are those who think that if they were in charge of gov't (and had an endless supply of taxpayer money), they would be able to help the stupid and unmotivated people (see Democrat type 1) be successful - despite the lack of any socialist/communist success stories.

Kevin Maguire - Boston, MA (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 3:42 PM)

Hey G,

Maybe in your circles, calling someone a name is just as intelligent as making fact-based counterpoints. Many of us see that as a lack of intelligence.

Yes, I watch Fox. OOOhhh... I must be evil. I watch everything else also - even former Clinton aide Stephanopolous. So according to you, Stephanopolous is part of the righ wing - controlled media?

What is the "G" for? G, I was going to make a point, but I forgot?

Kevin Maguire - Boston, MA (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 3:47 PM)

Peace my fellow DEMS. Let's not argue among ourselves. Don't forget it's the Capitalist pigs and Corporate America that are destroying this country. Leave the fighting to the Jews and Neo Cons who have forced the Muslim fighters upon us. Vote for Edwards and bring our troops home!

Hanoi Sally Madison, WI (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 4:07 PM)

Kevin, my God man have you actually read your statement. Source material is relevant in any case where conjecture is used. Without source material one cannot hope to discern the truth from fiction. Logic dictates that to come to a decision of reasonable thought one must use all venues of material at ones disposal. I am very sorry that some of the words I am using are too large for your vocabulary ,but the choices we make today will most certainly benefit or bite in the future .You had better start your research soon or reap the whirlwind.Is that logic enough or shall I quote Occam's razor.

Jeffersonian Don (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 4:25 PM)

So Hillary is going to pay for all of her new programs with the money from Iraq? So your saying she is going to take the money being spent in Iraq that you says is going to put our grandchildren in debt and spend it on Universal Healthcare at $110 Billion a year (increasing every year); plus pay for all her other programs too. So like bad credit card debt she is just going to switch it from one card to another plus open up another credit card account. Mean while we won’t ever have to spend anymore money on defense or overseas because everyone is going to love America and not want to hurt us. Now I see how you Liberals think.

Really Scary (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 4:38 PM)

So Hillary is going to pay for all of her new programs with the money from Iraq? So your saying she is going to take the money being spent in Iraq that you say is going to put our grandchildren in debt and spend it on Universal Healthcare at $110 Billion a year (increasing every year); plus pay for all her other programs too. So like bad credit card debt she is just going to switch it from one card to another plus open up another credit card account. Meanwhile we won’t ever have to spend anymore money on defense or overseas because everyone is going to love America and not want to hurt us. Now I see how you Liberals think.

Really Scary (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 4:51 PM)

That's right Hanoi Sally. We deserved 9/11 because we brought it on ourselves.

I wonder if your "fellow DEMS" will agree with you?

Kevin Maguire - Boston, MA (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 5:04 PM)

Jerry - Free speech has nothing to do with the GQ situation. Bill (and Hillary and Chelsea and any other members of their family) are not required to give GQ or any other magazine ANY access to them. Period. It's perfectly legitimate for Bill to refuse to give a magazine access to him when said magazine has trashed his wife. Do you give business to people who trash your spouse?

Yes, he couched it in terms of "If you do this, then I won't give you access." Big deal. He was giving GQ a choice. They chose access to Bill over trashing Hillary.

By the way, in case you didn't realize it, Bill is not the government anymore...so there is no free speech issue even involved here.

Carrie, Eastern Iowa (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 5:13 PM)

The questions are all Conjecture, conjecture, conjecture. Until I see source material this is all so drivel! Van Can you help these illiterates?

I made a point-by-point rebuttal that hasn't been posted, working around the less than fact based assertions of the questions posed. Maybe it will show up, or maybe it has been caught in the filter that allows racist, sexist and ad hominem attack posts to slither through.
It doesn't matter in the long run, as there will be many other chances; This board often resembles the movie, "Groundhog Day", in the senseless repetition of the same questions and assertions.

Van

vanreuter, NY NY (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 5:15 PM)

RH Oregon There have been homosexuals since biblical times. The American Indians had homosexuals they laughed at them and had them ride on horses facing the tail rather than the head. I don't think there were a lot of left wing liberals back then. If all the closet gays in the republican party were replaced by democrats we would have a veto proof congress'

Rufus Gibbons, DC (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 6:42 PM)

I don't believe anything that woman says or the pandering she does that is so obvious.
Yet, you guys go on with your propaganda supporting her even when she refuses to sign a pledge to not torture.
I cannot believe that the media ignores something this important and keeps it from the mass of people while touting the shallow stuff that promotes your girl.

diane (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 7:24 PM)

AOW, I agree alot with Sierra. She is usually spot on with her information about Hillary.
And if you ask her why she hates Hillary so much you will have to ask half the democrats, myself included, the same thing.
And believe me, we have our reasons. They are long and many. But, let's just start off with Hillary is Bush in a pantsuit.
And if you don't agree then, ask your girl why she supports torture.

diane (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 7:28 PM)

Man, this B*itch can spend money.

Thomas Henderson, Plano Texas (Sent Thursday, October 04, 2007 11:03 PM)

just like all the Republican programs it will pay for itself. Increased investment in science, medicine and energy independence will generate increase commerce, reduced medical bills and reduced energy bills and pay for itself 10 times over. Unlike the Republican scams (Laffer curve will bring in more revenue when taxes cut, war will pay for itself, business will invest the tax cuts, etc.) and will really pay for itself.

nuanced (Sent Friday, October 05, 2007 12:15 AM)

TYPICAL HEADLINES:
"Hillary Vows To Win War on Science"
"Hillary Wins Campaign Finance Victory"
"Clinton Renews Health Care Reform, Assures Victory"
"Hillary Way Ahead in Poll"
"Edwards Takes Jab at Clinton"
"Obama Lashes Out at Clinton"

Good for what Hillary is saying about science but her comments are obvious. Edwards and Obama certainly concur with her.
The problem is the media is so slanted and out to manufacture a Clinton victory that it is ridiculous. The reporting on policies proposed by Edwards'or Obama's often ignore content and take blurbs out of context in order to generate controversy.
Clinton sings the songs of change but we need to beware. If she gets the nomination her running mate will probably be Lieberman.

jdr (Sent Friday, October 05, 2007 1:13 AM)

Hillary's just doing Bill here, for once. Say what sounds good (yeah, Monica, that's great, I love cubans) and worry about the consequences later. Get what you want now and who cares who you screw later, or don't have sexual relations with later, whatever.

Go Hill Rodhim/O'Doddobama!

Carrie: We already do that.

Richard, Washington State (Sent Friday, October 05, 2007 1:28 AM)

Richard, Washington State (Sent Friday, October 05, 2007 1:29 AM)

Oops. Might have done a J. Merlstan redundancy there. Sorry!

Richard, Washington State (Sent Friday, October 05, 2007 1:31 AM)

Kevin,Iraq was Bush and the neocons war and they conned lots of people, including you into believing there was a reason for it. Therefore, Mr Kevin s----forbrains Maguire, go have another pint of guiness to soak your alcoholic Irish brain some more and stop posting your foolishness boy!

FStLouis (Sent Friday, October 05, 2007 8:28 AM)

Hillary is by far THE best candidate out of all of them. Many men can't stand it that a female will be our US president. Well, tough. Shes going to win..

Students at UNF (Sent Friday, October 05, 2007 8:30 AM)

We agree with Sally...as a country all of the morons who voted for the moron Bush(Kevin), and so I guess we Americans brought it on ourselves in a sense.

G (Sent Friday, October 05, 2007 9:07 AM)

FStLouis-- Kevin,Iraq was Bush and the neocons war and they conned lots of people,

Wouldn't so much call it conned. More like abusing the retarded.

Fran Mertery (Sent Friday, October 05, 2007 1:09 PM)

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