Closer To God

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1

We've got a problem,

some things have been leaked.

I don't know how, I just got a phone call.

We've gotta get this on the plane

as fast as we can.

It's going to be hard enough

for them to accept Elizabeth

without confusing the issue

with gene therapy.

It's my advice that you don't talk

about it. Oh, and we should...

have the receptor removed from these pictures

before they're handed out to the press.

Leak or no leak, I don't think

we should be considering this at all.

We're not ready.

Elizabeth just started her treatment.

We're nowhere close to presenting

our work to the public.

I'm not prepared for anyone to see Elizabeth,

and I'm not prepared to release

- any of my research data.

- I'm not sure that you have to.

It's perfectly acceptable to announce it

today without having everything lined out.

They're going to want to see her.

Of course they'll want to see her,

but we have the pictures.

And it's still better than not

getting ahead of the story.

We're not prepared.

If we're not prepared to talk about her,

we're not prepared to talk about

their reactions to her, about any of it.

- It's my strong opinion that we wait.

- Well, we can't wait.

It's already out there.

It's a gaining momentum as we speak.

It's going to get more and more intense

unless you find a way to control it.

- You don't have a choice.

- Of course we have a choice.

This is our research. Okay?

This is our ten plus years of work.

What happens when they start distorting your

research or they start reporting hearsay?

Or for that matter,

they paint whatever picture they want?

Okay, gentlemen. Please.

Now, Sidney... What do you think?

Whether you go public now,

or a month for now,

you are going to be facing

potentially serious consequences.

- I thought we were covered.

- Yeah, we are.

In this state, what you did

would be considered felony.

But since you didn't conduct

the experiments you're within the law.

- That is not my concern.

- Then what is?

It's what we haven't prepared for

that I am most worried about.

This is all new territory.

We just don't know.

This state, the federal government,

local authorities,

religious groups...

you, my friend, are going to have

a big target on your back.

Hi, girls.

- Hi, Mary.

- Hello, ma'am.

Did Victor call?

No, not yet. Is he due in tomorrow?

I'm not sure.

Girls, will you go with Mary, please?

Mommy's not feeling very good.

I'm going to go lie down, okay?

Thank you.

Good morning. Thank you for coming.

My name is Dr. Victor Reed.

Over the past ten years,

through private financing,

I put together a state-of-the-art

research facility

and handpicked a team of scientists

from across the country in order to study

and implement groundbreaking genetic

and biological experiments.

I'm here to report that on December 2nd,

Elizabeth was born.

To my knowledge

she is the first human clone.

She's been alive

for a little over a month.

She will not be joining us today,

as she is not yet ready to leave

her controlled environment, but...

I have arranged for photographs

of her to be submitted to all of you.

I see this...

as a defining moment in science

and our progress as human beings.

It's my privilege and honor to share

this great news with all of you today.

We will be significantly closer to cures

for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's,

and so many other diseases

as well as leading to all kinds of incredible

advantages we have not yet imagined.

Okay, thank you.

I will now take questions.

- Dr. Reed, when can we see her?

- She will be ready in about a month.

At that point in time I will allow

my peers to examine her

- and independently report their findings.

- Who was Elizabeth's donor?

- Me. I was the main donor.

- Are you the father?

Yes, I suppose you can look at it that way.

I am also biologically her brother.

Was there more than one donor?

Yes, as I stated, the cell's DNA sequence,

my DNA sequence was altered

so she would not be an exact copy.

You probably already heard some of the

many problems associated with cloning.

Whose DNA was yours mixed with?

I'm not at liberty

to disclose that information.

I'm only at liberty to disclose

my own involvement. Like I said...

Dr. Reed, who is the mother

who gave birth to Elizabeth?

I'm not at liberty to disclose

that information.

As you know, most Americans believe

that human cloning is morally wrong

and it goes against God's will.

How do you respond to that?

Well, I would say that all life

is precious in God's eyes.

- Dr. Reed, where is she now?

- I'm sorry, I can't tell you that.

That's all the time I have

for questions right now.

Thank you all for coming. Thank you.

I don't want to.

- I love... do you think I like mine?

- Yes.

I ate all of it. You know what happens

when I eat a big meal like that?

- What?

- I go to sleep.

Thank you so much!

I thought I was going to fall in my food.

I hear something.

Somebody's home.

Daddy!

Hello, sir.

Where's Claire?

She wasn't feeling well,

so she went to bed early tonight.

Is there something wrong?

No.

So, they're taking care of the girls now?

Who?

Mary and Richard.

They're a lot to deal with.

I need the help.

Did you see them?

Listen, Claire.

I need to talk to you for a moment.

Sorry, I'm going to lie down

with the girls.

Now, Ethan is terminal.

He may last a week, he may last...

He may last a month, it's hard to say.

Do you know what hospice is?

Okay, I want you to think of it like that.

Okay, ready?

Say 'wake up!'

Wake up!

Good morning, sir.

Morning.

I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but...

we should... we need to talk about Ethan.

Is there a problem?

Yes.

He's...

gotten out of control.

We've been waiting for you to

come home to talk to you. It's just...

He's become...

He's getting worse.

If you'd just come see for yourself...

Yes. I'll look in on him.

I can't today, but maybe tomorrow.

That's fine.

Human cloning. What was once a debate

about a hypothetical possibility,

mow appears to be reality, and it's

reignited an intense ethical debate.

Dr. Victor Reed announced

in a press conference yesterday

that he cloned the first human being,

calling her Elizabeth.

Joining me now is a leading genetic scientist

from Darton University Dr. William Scott.

Doctor Scott, you're in the camp of disbelief,

why do you think this is a fraud?

Well, I'm not saying that it's a fraud,

per se, but it is hard to believe.

But let's just say that it is true

and that he's succeeded in the birth

the child will most likely be born

with severe abnormalities

and most likely not survive

for more than a few months.

You see, for a donor nucleus

to develop into a clone...

Mommy!

I'll be there in a minute.

- Why didn't you call me, James?

- Because there's nothing to worry about.

- There's nothing to worry about.

- It's infant eczema.

I've already treated it

with a simple skin cream.

You treated her?

Yes.

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