"I hear all this talk about how the Republicans are going to work in dealing with parents who have both the joy, because there's joy to it as well, the joy and the difficulty of raising a child who has a developmental disability, who were born with a birth defect. Well guess what folks? If you care about it, why don't you support stem cell research?" Biden, a six-term senator, said during a town hall meeting in Columbus, according to CBS.
Palin, a 44-year old mother of five, has been applauded by conservatives for staying true to her pro-life stance and committing to support her four-month old son who has Down Syndrome. She declared last week during the Republican National Convention, "To the families of special-needs children all across this country, I have a message: For years, you sought to make America a more welcoming place for your sons and daughters. I pledge to you that if we are elected, you will have a friend and advocate in the White House."
McCain, a maverick Republican who has been courting conservatives, supports repealing Roe vs. Wade, a landmark Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion in the nation. However, he has also voted to fund research on embryonic stem cells that has "ethical oversight" from Congress.
His campaign issued a statement Tuesday saying Biden's comments on stem cell research were "offensive."
"Barack Obama's running mate sunk to a new low today launching an offensive debate over who cares more about special needs children. Playing politics with this issue is disturbing and indicative of a desperate campaign," McCain spokesman Ben Porritt said, according to The Atlantic.
Biden's campaign event in Ohio on Tuesday is part of the Obama campaign bus tour in key battleground states including Michigan and Pennsylvania. The Buckeye State has 20 electoral votes.
