Galileo and Rick Perry

MoonHowler

Ari Melbor (Huffington Post op-ed)

The most striking part of the first full-blown debate in the Republican primary was the total rejection of science.

In a surreal scene near the night’s end, Gov. Rick Perry likened the people denying global warming science to Galileo. To observe that he has that history exactly backwards — it was the Church that accused Galileo of heresy in 1633 for scientific theories which were on the right track — is merely to observe that Perry’s substantive errors come with their own stylistic snafus. Perhaps that is fitting. More consequential, however, was the answer that Perry failed to provide.

The original question asked him to name a single scientist that supported his views. None of his opponents seized on the gaffe, since apart from the exception-of-the-night, Gov. Huntsman, every other candidate was aiming for the same conservative turf on which Perry stood. And unlike Gov. Palin’s famous inability to name her sources, the media is likely to put Perry’s problems aside, in order to focus on the “fireworks” that finally broke out between top tier candidates.

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Is Bachmann getting the squeeze?

MoonHowler

First off, let me say that I cannot ever see myself voting for Michele Bachmann.  Her world view is so far from mine, I would probably just stay home from the polls. I could never vote for an anti-science president.  However, I am going to defend Bachmann against Rick Perry, who spews just about the same nuttiness, in my opinion, as does Bachmann. 

You have to respect Bachmann for her work ethic.  She has been out there since day one, preaching her message, rain or shine.  She makes a gaffe, she picks herself up and moves forward.  She is spunky.  At first I thought Palin was going to come roaring in, in all her glitz and glamour, and kick Michele aside.  To her credit, I think, she did not do so.  Palin has never seen a spotlight she didn’t like.  And no one has ever accused Palin of waiting in line or playing by the rules.

It isn’t Palin pushing Bachmann aside, it is Rick  Perry.  He came roaring in to town, in all his male glitz and glamour, and basically shoved Bachmann aside.  He might not even have noticed.  Huge egos rarely notice who they step on.  I feel badly for Bachmann.  She is a true work horse.  She isn’t afraid of getting her hands dirty and she has been out there for months, socking it to the world and giving her message to anyone who will listen.  She has done the work.  Now in swoops Perry to claim his prize.  The little woman has prepared the way.  I hope Bachmann is furious.  I hope the base notices.  Bachmann should not be slighted.  She has done the work, not Perry.