Bush and Kerry Offer Their Views on Science

摘要

Politicians are fond of touting research and innovation as drivers for economic prosperity, keys to good health and environmental preservation, and pillars of national defense. Traditionally, these topics are included mainly to provide applause lines in stump speeches. But this year they have become campaign issues, too. The two major party candidates for U.S. president incumbent Republican George W. Bush and his Democratic challenger. Senator John Kerry, and their representatives have sparred repeatedly over issues ranging from embryonic stem celt research to global warming. But that discourse, played out across several months and thousands of miles, may have been hard for the average voter or international reader to follow. So as it has done in past elections, Science has consolidated the debate by inviting each candidate to lay out his views on a dozen important issues. Their unedited answers follow.