Call These Scientists Crazy

On August 18, a few days after Rick Perry went off on climate scientists as money-grubbing carbon cultists, Jon Huntsman had some craziness of his own to share.

"To be clear, I believe in evolution and trust scientists on global warming. Call me crazy," the presidential candidate and former Utah governor Tweeted on Thursday afternoon.

Huntsman's top strategist, John Weaver, got in a dig of his own at Perry: "We're not going to win a national election if we become the anti-science party," the Washington Post quoted Weaver as saying.

Perry's rap against scientists has all the hallmarks of playing to his brand as a regular guy who has more in common with plain Americans than pointy-headed elitists.

The other day, Perry devilishly contrasted himself with that other Texas governor, pointing out that he went to school at land grant Texas A&M – getting an animal science degree, in case you're wondering - while George W. Bush attended Yale. Presumably with his nose in the air.

Man-of-the-people Perry may have bones to pick with scientists, but his alma mater is a top-notch research institution. Just look at all those A&M Ph.Ds beavering away on climate change research.

Apparently, they've arrived at some conclusions. Nearly two dozen of them, including Texas State Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon, signed a statement stipulating that the climate is warming, it is "very likely" that human activities have a lot to do with it, and a do-nothing policy would result in a degree of climate change that risks "serious adverse impacts."

Call them crazy.