Mike Pence Won't Say Whether He Believes in Evolution
Matthews: You want to educate the American people about science and its relevance today. Do you believe in evolution sir?
Pence: Um...do I believe in evolution? I embrace the, the view that god created the heavens and the earth and the seas and all that's in them.
Matthews: Right. But do you believe in evolution as the way he did it?
Pence: The means Chris that he used to do that...I can't say, but I do believe in that fundamental truth.
Matthews: Did you take biology in school? Did you take science which is all based in evolutionary belief and assumption. The reason I'm asking this is not to pick a fight. If your party wants to be credible on science you've got to accept science. Do you?
Pence: I always wanted to play in Inherit the Wind but on the global warming issue I know that in the main stream media...
Matthews: See how you're hedging? This is why people don't trust Republicans.
Pence: In the main stream media Chris there is a denial of the growing skepticism in the scientific community about global warming.
[....]
Matthews: I would argue you have a very split position on the issue of science. You have people in your party who don't believe in stem cell research and Federal funding of that, who don't believe in evolution..
Pence: Oh come on Chris...
Matthews: Well let me ask you this does your party agree on stem cell (crosstalk)
Pence: Science is an exploration of demonstrable facts. Isn't it? I think in our schools we should teach all of the facts about all of these controversial areas and let our students, let our children and our children's children decide based upon the facts.
[.....]
Matthews: Here's the ludicrous part. You're obviously as educated as I am Congressman. I'm not challenging your bona fides to have this argument, but there are people on your side of the argument who believe that all the prehistoric bones we've discovered in the world, all the dinosaur bones and all that stuff was somehow planted there by liberal scientists to make the case against the Bible. There are people that really are against science in your party who really do question not just the science behind climate change but the science behind evolutionary fact that we were taught, you and I in our biology books. They don't accept the scientific method. They believe in belief itself and and once you hold that truth that I'm not going to be busted here on science, I'm not going to lose the argument on science some people say I don't think your party really believes in progress, in human progress.
Pence: You know it's an interesting straw-man you put up. I don't know too many Americans that actually think that way Chris. I think most Americans are serious and study science.
Matthews: I think you're afraid to say so because your conservative constituency might find that offensive.
Pence: No I've said to you Chris that I believe with all my heart that god created the heavens and the earth, the seas and all that's in them. How he did that I'll ask him about some day.
Good job Chris Mathews.
From MSNBC Hardball May 5, 2009.
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