President Obama’s remarks on stem cell policy today were disappointing. Not because of the policy change – that was expected – but because the president missed an opportunity to have a serious discussion about the issue, instead opting for tired, dogmatic attacks.

Serious people understand that many Americans appreciate the enormous healing potential of stem cell therapies, but also have concerns about the manner in which those therapies are developed.

President Obama claimed to understand this dilemma, too. He referred to a “difficult and delicate balance” in pursuing research responsibly. He also said, “We must respect [the] point of view” of people who oppose embryonic stem cell research on ethical grounds.

And yet, just moments before, the president dismissed the notion of any real dilemma, claiming that the previous Administration “forced … a false choice between sound science and moral values.” How can he expect people to respect a false choice?

Listening to the president’s remarks today, you would think the last eight years have been a scientific black hole, rather than a period of remarkable advancement in the field of stem cell science.

He made only a passing reference to the progress made in adapting adult and pluripotent stem cells – two areas of research that have almost universal support. Why? Because acknowledging that progress might undermine the political arguments supporting the decision he made today.

By contrast, when President Bush issued his stem cell decision in August 2001, he gave a fair and honest assessment of the potential benefits of stem cell research, and discussed the difficult ethical considerations and his believe that science could one day overcome them.

Bizarrely, President Bush’s faith in science – a faith that proved remarkably prescient – was turned into a “war on science” by his critics. President Obama reinforced the message today by declaring the return of “scientific integrity” to government. That comes right after “fair share” in the pantheon of hollow Democratic talking points.

The president had a chance today to engage in a more serious discussion about science and ethics. He whiffed. What President Obama delivered today wasn’t a scientific victory, it was a political victory.