Mitt Romney will be giving a major health care speech tomorrow at the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center.
Two interesting tidbits about the Center: it’s affiliated with a university that provides abortions Planned Parenthood cannot do and it helped fund new embryonic stem cell lines — which requires the destruction of human embryos. From the University of Michigan Alumni Association [emphasis mine]:
The University of Michigan today announced the formation of a consortium to create new embryonic stem cell lines that will aid the search for disease treatments and cures.
The A. Alfred Taubman Medical Research Institute Consortium for Stem Cell Therapies is the first major embryonic stem cell research program launched in Michigan since the Nov. 4 passage of a state constitutional amendment allowing scientists to create new stem cell lines using surplus embryos from fertility clinic …
So far, funding for the project has been pledged by the A. Alfred Taubman Medical Research Institute, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs Dr. Robert Kelch, Medical School Dean Dr. James Woolliscroft, the Life Sciences Institute, the College of Engineering, the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, the Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, the Cardiovascular Center, the Department of Neurology, the Department of Pathology, and the Clinical and Translational Science Award consortium.
Romney opposes embryonic stem cell research and, after being pro-abortion for much of his political career, became pro-life in 2004.
It’s likely this is just a situation of bad vetting. But with many voters still considering the sincerity of Romney’s switch on abortion, it won’t be helpful that the campaign choose this venue for such a major speech.