Alter was a fierce critic of President George W. Bush, emphasizing what he considered Bush's lack of accountability and his position on embryonic stem cell research. Alter, a cancer survivor, has written about his own bout with lymphoma and experience with an autologous adult stem cell transplant.
Alter's criticism of President Bush stemmed from his views on accountability and embryonic stem cell research, which he felt were lacking. As a cancer survivor, Alter has used his personal experiences to advocate for stem cell research.