"Who will be the best president for America in a science-dominated world?"
That's the question posed by Science Debate 2008, a group of scientists, journalists and concerned citizens who wanted to engage Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain on issues that aren't normally addressed on the campaign trail.
Both candidates submitted written responses to 14 questions about science, technology, health and the environment, and some of their answers are excerpted below. Their complete replies are at www.sciencedebate2008.com.
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What is your position on government regulation and funding of stem cell research?
McCain: While I support federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, I believe clear lines should be drawn that reflect a refusal to sacrifice moral values and ethical principles for the sake of scientific progress. Moreover, I believe that recent scientific breakthroughs raise the hope that one day this debate will be rendered academic.
I also support funding for other research programs, including amniotic fluid and adult stem cell research, which hold much scientific promise and do not involve the use of embryos.
Obama: As president, I will lift the current administration's ban on federal funding of research on embryonic stem cell lines created after Aug. 9, 2001, and I will ensure that all research on stem cells is conducted ethically and with rigorous oversight.
. . . Hundreds of thousands of embryos stored in the U.S. in in-vitro fertilization clinics will not be used for reproductive purposes and will eventually be destroyed. . . . It is ethical to use these extra embryos for research that could save lives.
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What steps, if any, should the United States take during your presidency to protect ocean health?
McCain: Ocean health and policy requires better management focus; however, we also need a better scientific understanding of the oceans. In no area is this truer than in obtaining a better understanding of the interaction of climate change and the oceans. . . . Ocean science and engineering is a field that deserves greater attention and focus.
Obama: The oceans are a global resource and a global responsibility for which the U.S. can and should take a more active role. I will work actively to ensure that the U.S. ratifies the Law of the Sea Convention -- an agreement supported by more than 150 countries that will protect our economic and security interests while providing an important international collaboration to protect the oceans and its resources.
