CNN has reported that on her first day back on the campaign trail after disclosing she had bone cancer, Elizabeth Edwards promoted human embryo experimentation. Speaking at a Cleveland fundraiser, she said:

"I think that we're foolhardy to not be engaging in federal funding of stem-cell research in the most aggressive way we possibly can"....

The reason the issue has become so controversial is largely because people don't understand it, she said.

"If people think that you're throwing babies out, dissecting children, to do stem-cell research, I'm not for that," [she] said....

Edwards noted that stem-cell work uses blastocysts containing clumps of 16 or 32 cells that were collected by fertility clinics but are no longer needed and would otherwise be thrown away.

"We're talking about using something to save ourselves and our children," she said. "Instead of throwing it away, don't we want to use it in a way that's productive?"

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Edwards' statement was wrong on a critical point, which is that the only human embryos being experimented upon are fertility clinic leftovers. In fact, only 2.8% of all embryos in IVF clinics are available for research, not nearly enough to meet the demand.

It was also bizarre of Edwards to say she opposed "dissecting children," although I guess it's a plus.

Those aside, the ironies are profound. In addition to supporting the embryo experimentation, both John and Elizabeth are pro-abortion.

Yet, of all people they should revere the sanctity of life more than most. They lost a son at age 16 in a car accident. Following that, Elizabeth underwent fertility treatments to give birth at the age of 48 and 50.

Now Elizabeth has incurable bone cancer. Bone. Bone is where blood cells are made. Bone marrow is just another term for a certain type of adult stem cells. Bone marrow transplants have provided the most successful adult stem cell cancer treatments – for decades. Leukemias, lymphomas, anemias, sickle cell – the list is very long.

Elizabeth could convert the tragedy of her bone cancer into educating about life-giving bone marrow donations and transplants. She could face death with a change of heart on her abortion position.

Instead, sadly, she has compounded her support of the culture of death by promoting another of its aspects.

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