Just about a week ago, Senate Majority leader and well-known nutbag Bill Frist split with President Bush, and declared his support for the recently proposed stem cell legislation. Admittedly, we didn't see this coming. From an AP article on ABC News:

Last month Frist, a prominent heart and lung surgeon, said he did not support expanded federal financing of stem cell research. He says he now believes the research is promising and deserves federal funding, if the embryos are collected in an "ethically considerate" way.

"I'm doing this as somebody who has convictions," Frist told "GMA." "This is not about politics. It is about policy. It is about principle. It is about human life."

Frist said he remains firm on his pro-life stance, and his support of stem cell research does not contradict his views on abortion.

"I give huge moral significance to the human embryo. It is nascent human life," he said. "What that means is that as we advance science, we treat that embryo with dignity, with respect."

Frist said only embryos that would otherwise be discarded should be used for the research. Those that could be adopted or implanted would not be used.

In 2001, Bush announced that the government should pay only for research of stem cell colonies, or lines, that were created by that date where the "life or death" decision already had been made. At the time there were 78 lines available, but genetic problems and other difficulties currently leave just 22 available for research.

Frist said even the remaining 22 lines were not fit for "human therapy," and therefore Bush's policy should be revised. He will support a bill sponsored by Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa, a version of which the House has already passed, which allows federal research on stem cell lines created after 2001.

"While human embryonic stem cell research is still at a very early stage, the limitations put in place in 2001 will, over time, slow our ability to bring potential new treatments for certain diseases," the Tennessee lawmaker said in his speech. "Therefore, I believe the president's policy should be modified."

Bush has said he will veto the bill.

We don't know what Frist's motives are for this move. Some have suggested that he is doing it in order to court the non-zealot moderate voters in his bid for the 2008 presidency, but the fact that he will piss off the religious whackjob contingent that ushered Bush into office in 2004 makes this seem — to us, anyway — like a pretty big gamble. As a good illustration of what we mean, you can see lots of moronic, reactionary stupidity over at WorldNetDaily. There's plenty there, but the one piece we want to repeat is the second paragraph below:

Pro-life leaders lashed back at Republican Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist today after his decision to break with President Bush and support legislation to remove some of the administration's limitations on funding of embryonic stem cell research.

Focus on the Family Action founder James Dobson, noting Frist is a possible 2008 presidential candidate, said that if the policy change is for political purposes, the senator has "gravely miscalculated."

While most of the crap in the article is your typical far-right diatribe, we tend to agree with Dobson's statement above. After all, if Frist was courting the non-zealot voter — that's us, and we still think he's a nutbag. After all he's done (Justice Sunday, anyone?) we wouldn't vote Frist for president of the Gilmore Girls Fan Club, let alone President of the United States.

Some might call Frist's motive a sudden fit of "intellectual honesty," but we're not buying it. This is the man who, despite repeated and incredulous questioning from George Stephanopolous, refused to confirm the simple fact that the HIV virus cannot be transmitted through tears — while pushing his views on abstinence only sex "education." Way to educate, there, Bill.

At any rate, based on Frist's shift of support, the Senate is speculating that they may be able to cobble together enough support to garner the 2/3 majority needed to roll past Bush's threatened veto. Overall, "veto-proofing" is still a longshot, due to lack of support in the House; but if by some stretch Frist's move leads to the passage of this stem cell bill, we'll be very thankful indeed that in one narrow area, his agenda (whatever it was or is) happened to coincide with ours.

But not thankful enough to vote for the freak.

No no no. You're supposed to lie. Wait, not lie, stretch the truth, at this point. You say, if this passes we'll have to reconsider if we would vote for Frist in 2008. And we'd have to share those considerations with our VAST readership.

Enough people say stuff like that and he's less likely to waffle.

Then when it passes (or doesn't), you reconsider and come to the same conclusion. He's a nutbag.

As far lefties and righties planning for the 2008 presidential election rush headlong to the center I'm hoping they collide and knock each senseful.

Damn! Where were you when we were writing this, Shawn?

Next time we'll remember — lie, bend the truth, and do whatever it takes to get the outcome we want, then once we've achieved our goals, just ignore everything we said to get there. Got it.

Of course, when we saw all this political maneuvering for the last presidential election, it was the far right angling toward the insane religious right. If the 2008 election at least includes some phony angling toward the center, perhaps some good will come of it before it's all said and done. Perhaps.

— while pushing his views on abstinence only sex "education." Way to educate, there, Bill.

The next elected official to wax poetic on utilizing the Joy of Masturbation as an educational tool in support of Abstinence Only Ed will be the first one I take halfway seriously. (Of course, they'll prob'ly be a member of a Green Party!)

Their problem is that they're so ashamed of being an animal that they can not see how destructive and reactionary their emotionalism actually is. There is no place for Faith or Shame-based initiatives in a rational and secular government. They are both peripheral tools of distinct, but very limited, value.

Kinda like Frist himself...

Now that would be a political platform worth getting behind — "A Vote for Smith is a Vote for Masturbation."

Fear and shame are the cornerstones of most religions, so denial becomes the preferred approach for such problems.

I remember my mom asking why I had a sock full of warm mashed potatoes.

Let me be the first to say:

"Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww."

The 'ew' part is when I explain it wasn't mashed potatoes.

Oh, I got that part. I should thank you in advance for the few pounds I will lose as a result of not eating mashed potatoes for at least a month.

My apologies, Mr. Tom. After 25+ years on the skeptic vs. bleever tour, I'm a little loose between the ears.

Please don't apologize on my account, Grendel. I found it funny, to be sure. Gross, yes, but also funny.