Wash. Post: "Bush Moving to Bolster Stem Cell Alternatives"

Michael Fletcher and David Brown reported in yesterday's Washington Post:

President Bush, under increasing pressure to relax his restrictions on embryonic stem cell research, plans to issue an executive order today to encourage government agencies to support research that offers the promise of creating medically useful stem cells without destroying human embryos, according to senior administration officials.

The order, which Bush plans to outline in a speech at the White House today, would require the Department of Health and Human Services to develop guidelines for funding alternative approaches over the next three months.

Bush is to issue his order as he vetoes legislation that would loosen his six-year-old restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. The bill passed by comfortable -- but not veto-proof -- margins in the House and Senate. Bush has opposed research with stem cells derived in a process that destroys human embryos, which he calls immoral.

Immoral (because it destroys "innocent human life"), but not murder (because, please, that sounds too radical).  (In Bush-Administration-Speak, "destroying innocent human life" is to "murder" as "faith-based" is to "religious.").

See also: House Votes to Expand Stem Cell Research