Required Reading:

Stem Cells: A Political History.

Some interesting stuff that I did not know in that article. For instance, did you know that President Bush was the first president to allow the use of federal funds for embryonic stem cell research? I knew he had allowed non-destructive ESCR, but did not realize that Clinton had not acted on that front.

It also makes President Obama look so much more the fool for diverting money from induced pluripotent stem cells—which are akin to embryonic stem cells but derived from adult stem cells—and adult stem cell (which both show tremendous promise) to embryonic stem cells (which have so far produced no cures or treatments).

So the relevant question here is: if you can produce iPSCs in two ways, one of which destroys a unique human life and poses ethical problems, and one of which has no such hindrance and as such poses no such ethical issue, why, Mr. President, do you chose the former?

The only options I can think of are: you are ignorant of the issue because it is "above your pay grade"; you are bowing to pressure from lobbyists; you are intentionally trying to devalue human life.

God Bless George W. Bush

It is fitting that he, whose first act in office was to block federal funding to foreign groups promoting abortion, left us with this as one of his last.  As Joe mentioned elsewhere, it will certainly be the last one for a while.

A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

All human life is a gift from our Creator that is sacred, unique, and worthy of protection. On National Sanctity of Human Life Day, our country recognizes that each person, including every person waiting to be born, has a special place and purpose in this world. We also underscore our dedication to heeding this message of conscience by speaking up for the weak and voiceless among us.

The most basic duty of government is to protect the life of the innocent. My Administration has been committed to building a culture of life by vigorously promoting adoption and parental notification laws, opposing Federal funding for abortions overseas, encouraging teen abstinence, and funding crisis pregnancy programs. In 2002, I was honored to sign into law the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, which extends legal protection to children who survive an abortion attempt. I signed legislation in 2003 to ban the cruel practice of partial-birth abortion, and that law represents our commitment to building a culture of life in America. Also, I was proud to sign the Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004, which allows authorities to charge a person who causes death or injury to a child in the womb with a separate offense in addition to any charges relating to the mother.

America is a caring Nation, and our values should guide us as we harness the gifts of science. In our zeal for new treatments and cures, we must never abandon our fundamental morals. We can achieve the great breakthroughs we all seek with reverence for the gift of life.

The sanctity of life is written in the hearts of all men and women. On this day and throughout the year, we aspire to build a society in which every child is welcome in life and protected in law. We also encourage more of our fellow Americans to join our just and noble cause. History tells us that with a cause rooted in our deepest principles and appealing to the best instincts of our citizens, we will prevail.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 18, 2009, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. I call upon all Americans to recognize this day with appropriate ceremonies and to underscore our commitment to respecting and protecting the life and dignity of every human being.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

GEORGE W. BUSH

More info about this tradition instituted by President Ronald Reagan can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Sanctity_of_Human_Life_Day.  Rapidly deleted from the White House website after President Obama took office, it can now be found here: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=85644.