The results are in on the House vote on funding embryonic stem cell research, and for the second time in as many days, President Bush, James Dobson and the Republican leadership of the Congress suffered a highly symbolic loss. The AP's Laurie Kellman reports:

Ignoring President Bush's veto threat, the House voted Tuesday to loosen limits on embryonic stem cell research, approving a measure supporters said could speed cures for diseases but opponents viewed as akin to abortion.

Bush called the bill a mistake and said he would veto it. The House approved it by a 238-194 vote, well short of the two-thirds majority that would be needed to override a veto.

[...]

Majority Leader Tom DeLay said the embryonic research bill would force taxpayers to finance "the dismemberment of living, distinct human beings."

The rhetoric didn't sway many Democrats.

"I don't need a lecture from the majority leader on moral and ethical leadership," said Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., referring to questions that have been raised about DeLay's travel, fundraising and associations with a lobbyist now under federal criminal investigation.

Any hope that the fringe right will be able to rebound in the Senate is misplaced.

In the Senate, Arlen Specter, R-Pa. and Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, asked Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist to immediately bring the stem cell issue to the Senate floor. Backers of embryonic stem cell research said the measure was supported by 60 senators, enough to break a filibuster by opponents, and could even get a two-thirds majority to that would be enough to overpower a presidential veto.

The business interests that make up one of the pillars of the Republican Party are quickly growing tired of the GOP's sharp move to the right on social issues in this Congress, and embrynic stem cell research is supported by a majority of Republicans. Nevertheless, the President seems poised to veto the bill to appease the most Christianist elements of his party.

If this the way the President believes he will be able to regrow his lagging poll numbers, I'll make no complaints. The more he and the Republican Congress pursue unpopular policies, the better the chances of the Democrats making significant gains come November 2006.