for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR) to change Bush’s position on stem cell research. She still serves as liaison to the organization.

Harvard was the “only university voice” among the founding members, which included “physicians, patient groups, and scientific societies,” Corlette says.

Harvard also made the largest financial contribution out of all the founding members—$10,000—according to Corlette.

CAMR launched its campaign with a simple lobbying tool—conference calls put in to Congress staff.

Although the effort began as a grass roots attempt to educate policy makers, the national media quickly made stem cell research into a nationally debated topic.

“[It] engaged people even in small towns,” says Tom Etten, CAMR member and director of federal relations at Johns Hopkins University. “President Bush

then felt it was necessary to study the issue. He threw himself into it.”

CAMR’s campaign forced Bush to grapple with the stem cell issue in his first prime time address, according to CAMR president Michael Manganiello, who also serves as senior vice president at the Christopher Reeve Foundation.

The strategy of “classic, face-to-face lobbying” with Congress and their

staff was “extremely successful,” according to Corlette.

But CAMR’s behind-the-scenes efforts in D.C. were hardly the catalyst for the media blitz that ensued.

“CAMR had a fair amount to do with the media attention [last summer], but

we’re not responsible for it,” Corlette says. “We were lucky that

reporters found the stem cell debate so interesting.”

Part Hope, Part Hype