Limbaugh claimed "you need abortions to get" embryonic stem cells, "we need to re-examine" notion of "scientist" because "science has been so wrong about so many things"

Summary: Rush Limbaugh claimed that "the militant pro-abortion crowd" is "behind" efforts to legalize federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, "because you need abortions to get these [embryos]." In fact, embryonic stem cells "are derived from embryos that develop from eggs that have been fertilized in vitro ... and then donated for research purposes with informed consent of the donors."

On the July 19 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio program, Rush Limbaugh claimed that "the militant pro-abortion crowd" is "behind" efforts to legalize federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, "because you need abortions to get these [embryos]." In fact, as the National Institutes of Health webpage points out, embryonic stem cells "are derived from embryos that develop from eggs that have been fertilized in vitro -- in an in vitro fertilization clinic -- and then donated for research purposes with informed consent of the donors. They are not derived from eggs fertilized in a woman's body [emphasis original]."

Additionally, Limbaugh claimed that, in light of scientists' belief that embryonic stem cells could be useful in medicine, "we need to re-examine this whole term 'scientist,' " because "[s]cience is all about politics, and science has been so wrong about so many things."

During a discussion of President Bush's July 19 veto of a bill authorizing federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, Limbaugh stated that White House senior adviser Karl Rove "got in trouble the other day for telling the truth," when he told the editorial board of The Denver Post that research has shown "far more promise from adult stem cells than from embryonic stem cells." Noting that a July 19 Chicago Tribune article had cited "a dozen" stem cell research scientists calling Rove's statement "inaccurate," Limbaugh stated that "we need to re-examine this whole term 'scientist.' " He complained that "certain things in our culture ... are never questioned" and that "if a scientist says anything ... it's gotta be true" because "[s]cientists have this aura." He further stated that "global warming has become a scientific thing" merely because "nobody can question science." He added: "Science is all about politics, and science has been so wrong about so many things."

Media Matters for America has previously noted numerous examples of Limbaugh denying that humans have contributed to global warming, despite broad scientific consensus on the issue.

From the July 19 broadcast of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show:

LIMBAUGH: Myself, I personally hope Bush enjoys this. And I hope he makes the veto more of a habit with some of the asinine legislation that comes to his desk. Now, the controversy is not over. This stem cell research business and -- and using embryonic stem cells, there is so much demagoguery about this. There is no evidence of any of these claims. And the claims are that embryonic stem cells will cure everything -- Parkinson's, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, even protect you from carrots. But we are not -- we're not even years within human clinical trials on this. This is all nothing but speculation.

I'm telling you, and I have from the get-go, who is behind this -- is the -- the militant pro-abortion crowd, because you need abortions to get these. There are plenty of other stem cells that research is being done on -- umbilical cord stem cells, adult stem cells. Karl Rove got in trouble the other day for telling the truth. "When White House political adviser Karl Rove signaled last week that President Bush planned to veto the stem cell bill, the reasons he gave went beyond the president's moral qualms with research on human embryos. In fact, Rove waded into deeply contentious scientific territory, telling The Denver Post's editorial board that researchers have found far more promise from adult stem cells than from embryonic stem cells. Rove's negative appraisal of embryonic stem cell research, echoed by many opponents of funding for such research, is inaccurate, according to most stem cell research scientists, including dozens contact -- a dozen contacted for this story." The story is by Jeremy Manier -- or Manier, maybe -- and Judith Graham. It's in the Chicago Tribune. There's a great piece at National Review Online today by Michael Fumento called "Science's Stem-Cell Scam. It should change its name to Pseudoscience." I'm not gonna read his whole story. I gotta take a break here anyway. But it's at National Review Online, and you should go read it. We'll link to it later at RushLimbaugh.com.

Oh, by the way, we put -- did I -- did I mention we got the picture of the people cruising -- lounging on a cruise ship? OK, it's there. Did mention that. This -- the -- I think we need to re-examine this whole term "scientist." You know, there are certain things in our culture that are never questioned. They have instant credibility. If a scientist says anything, [gasp] it's gotta be true. Scientists have this aura. Another one is law enforcement: "Sources close to the investigation say." They're never doubted. Law enforcement is always believed. It's never questioned, particularly by the media, and by most of us. And this is not a political bias; it's just the way it is.

It is why global warming has become a scientific thing, because nobody can question science. Why, scientists, smarter than everybody else. And science is science. Science is not politics -- well, it's absolutely BS. Science is all about politics, and science has been so wrong about so many things. They're not infallible, and this is the context of Fumento's piece, because there is so much demagoguery about embryonic stem cells and how they're the only ones that will provide miraculous cures for all of these dreaded diseases that wipe us out.

—J.B.