Thomson, James A., et al. “Embryonic Stem Cell
Lines Derived from Human Blastocysts.”Science
282 (November 6, 1998): 1145-1147. The paper
announcing the crucial breakthrough in human
stem cell research, which prompted the contro-
versy.
Brian Stableford
See also Cancer research; Cloning; Genetics re-
search; Health care; Medicine; Reeve, Christopher;
Science and technology.
Stephanopoulos, George
Identification Senior political adviser and
communications director for President Bill
Clinton, political analyst, and author
Born February 10, 1961; Fall River, Massachusetts
One of the senior policy advisers for President Bill Clinton,
Stephanopoulos was partly responsible for Clinton’s elec-
tion in 1992 and 1996. After leaving the White House,
Stephanopoulos became a political analyst for ABC News,
offering insights into American politics, particularly dur-
ing the Monica Lewinsky scandal.
A graduate of Columbia University with a B.A. in po-
litical science, and a Rhodes Scholar with an M.A.
in theology from the Oxford University, George
Stephanopoulos was one of the primary members of
Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign, serving as
the communications director during the campaign.
As the communications director, Stephanopoulos
performed duties more traditionally assigned to the
press secretary. He was replaced both as the de facto
press secretary (returning those duties to Dee Dee
Myers) and as communications director six months
into the Clinton administration. He was given the
new title of senior adviser on policy and strategy, a
position he retained through the 1996 election until
his resignation shortly after.
In 1997, Stephanopoulos joined the American
Broadcasting Company (ABC) as a political analyst
forThis Weekon ABC News. These duties were ex-
panded, and Stephanopoulos began to contribute
to other ABC news shows, such asGood Morning Amer-
icaandWorld News Tonight. In popular culture, he
was discussed, though not seen, in an episode of the
first season of Friends, “The One with George
Stephanopoulos,” when a pizza meant for the pun-
dit was delivered to Monica instead. The character
of Sam Seaborn from the television seriesThe West
Wing(1999-2006) was also based on Stephanop-
oulos.
In 1999, Stephanopoulos released his memoirs,
focusing mostly on his years with the Clinton admin-
istration. TitledAll Too Human: A Political Education,
the book rose to the number one spot onThe New
York Timesbest-seller list. The book described the
constant stresses of working in the White House
and gave a candid look at the depression Steph-
anopoulos suffered during that time, which caused
the analyst to break out into hives, as well as giving an
inside look at the early years of the Clinton White
House.
Impact Given much of the credit for the election
of Bill Clinton to the White House, Stephanopoulos
helped guide U.S. policy decisions throughout his
tenure in Washington and helped the administra-
tion weather some of the early scandals, notably808 Stephanopoulos, George The Nineties in America
George Stephanopoulos.(AP/Wide World Photos)