Bush clone Green says he opposes cloning

While the US Senate prepares to pass a bill next week expanding federal support for stem cell research -- and George Bush promises to use his veto power for the first time if it passes -- Cory Liebmann reminds us that Rep. Mark Green voted against the bill in the House.

It passed with bipartisan support, but Green -- who continues his weasel words to make it sound like he supports the research -- voted with the hardliners who see red when someone uses the word embryo.

Green is clearly out of the mainstream on this one, and his standard line, which I've read in several stories, about not losing our moral compass, can't cover up the fact that he is out of synch with the people of Wisconsin.

Green tries to twist the issue to make it seem like he's against cloning, not research. That is simply not the issue, even though Green performs like a clone of Bush. He's voted with Bush 93% of the time, even on issues like stem cells when reasonable Republicans jumped ship and did the right thing.

His problem is that stem cell research will be a key issue this year, and could well be a deciding issue for independents and moderates who see the promise the research holds. If the race for governor is as close as many expect it to be, his opposition to embryonic stem cell research could be what retires Mark Green from public office.