Obama/Biden Position

In 2005, there was much debate over whether Terri Schiavo should continue receiving a feeding tube to eat and drink (which would continue to keep her alive) or to stop issuing the feeding tube. With the feeding tube discontinued, doctor's knew Terri would not have much of a chance to live on her own. Terri's parents did not want the "euthanasia" to be issued, so they made an attempt to stop the process of discontinuing the feeding tube, and have the doctors continue giving their daughter food and water thru the tube (keeping Terri alive). Terri's husband argued that Terri had suffered long enough, and wanted to take his wife off the feeding tube, so she would not have to "suffer" anymore (she would die). Terri's husband also believed that he had the right to make the decision of whether or not Terri would be euthanised or not; he did not believe Terri's parents should be the one's to determine Terri's future. Senate agreed with Terri's husband, and "approved a compromise bill, which the House eventually supported on a lopsided bipartisan vote and President Bush signed, to help the disabled woman" (help being taking Terri off of the feeding tube). Barack Obama was one of the Senate members that voted with the Senate; he agreed that Terri's husband should be allowed to decide whether or not she would be kept on the feeding tube. Terri's husband had the doctor's remove the feeding tube, and after 14 days, Terri died from starvation and dehydration.
In a recent presidential debate, Obama argued that his "biggest mistake was voting with a unanimous Senate to help save Terri Schiavo" (again, help being taking Terri off the feeding tube). Obama stated that he was uncomfortable about the decision, and should have stood up and stopped it from happening. This is the second time [in a debate] Obama mentioned this "big mistake" he had made. However, Obama, as well as his running mate Joe Biden, follow the Democratic party in being "pro-choice" and although Terri Schiavo's case has been an exception to their beliefs, Obama/Biden generally believe that euthanasia and physician assisted suicide is acceptable (the patient-or relative of patient-makes the decision of life or death).
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1977276/posts
Obama and Biden, as well as majority of other Democrats, have been very pro-choice in decisions such as abortion, so it not a surprise that they would have similar feelings in decisions such as euthanasia and physician assisted suicide. Thus said, it is not a matter of being "for" or "against" euthanasia with Democrats, but more of a matter of allowing the person/patient to have the decision on what to do (whether it be to decide to have an abortion, or decide to be euthanised). Overall, Democrats including Obama and Biden, are the party of socialized medicine, a system that assumes the right of the state to meddle in health care decisions. If a broad statement needed to be made about Obama/Biden's position with the choice of euthanasia and physician assisted suicide, they would be for the right to allow these act's.
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.usa/browse_thread/thread/271c93aaba48e21e