Meet West Virginia's Science-Denying Gubernatorial Candidates

WASHINGTON -- The two front-runner candidates in the West Virginia gubernatorial race traded barbs in a televised debate Tuesday night, but they agreed to deny the science behind climate change.

"We’re in a cooling cycle," said GOP businessman Bill Maloney when asked by West Virginia MetroNews' Hoppy Kercheval if he believed humans are responsible for causing the world to warm.

Democrat Earl Ray Tomblin's answer wasn't much better, although it was at least factually accurate. "Once again, there are differences of opinion as to whether we’re in global warming now." (What he didn't mention was that 98 percent of scientists still accept the evidence for human-induced climate change.)

Those responses, first reported by Ken Ward Jr. in the Charleston Gazzette's Coal Tattoo, reflect a growing willingness among conservative lawmakers to reject the overwhelming evidence of global warming.

In a stump speech in August, Texas Gov. Rick Perry took his denial of climate change one step further when he told a New Hampshire business crowd that scientists have cooked up the data on global warming for the cash.

"We're seeing weekly, or even daily, scientists who are coming forward and questioning the original idea that man-made global warming is what's causing the climate to change," Perry said. "Yes, our climates change. They've been changing ever since the earth was formed.

Other climate change deniers on the presidential campaign trail include former CEO of Godfather's Pizza Herman Cain, former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) and Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas).

Tuesday's gubernatorial debate in Charleston marks the final debate between Maloney and Tomblin before the special gubernatorial election on Oct. 4.

 

 

Comments

[dbrett480]

02:25 PM on 09/18/2011

Who cares if they deny global warming or climate change. The real problem is their stance on vaccinations. They want to send us back into the Third World and cause hundreds of unnecessary deaths.

[greengrl]

09:24 AM on 09/16/2011

I just love how all these old guys keep saying that science has it wrong and you should ignore 98% of climate scientists. However, let them need medical attention and they all go running to their local doctors, cardiologists, and oncologists for help...you know medical scientists. If you think science is a lie then please stay out of the hospital and just pray the sick away.

I bet if they had cancer and 98% of oncologist said to take chemo they would listen!

[LaoShur]

11:36 PM on 09/15/2011

Let's see, people that couldn't pass a simple high school science exam are jockeying for positions of political power. I wish the Flat Earth Society would donate a few hundred million to campaign PACs, just to see how many of these corporate shills would deny the earth is round!!

[Linda Orr]

10:06 PM on 09/15/2011

The GOP - a new virus that might require one of those dreaded retardation vaccines. Oh wait, they're already intellectually challenged.

[lbsaltzman]

04:05 PM on 09/15/2011

That smirking face of the candidate for governor should be a poster child for the large number of scientifically illiterate politicians in this country.

[judesuper]

03:52 PM on 09/15/2011

Why is stupid so popular?

[Linda Orr]

10:07 PM on 09/15/2011

Bubba is what Bubba does...

[Cindy Bloom]

03:28 PM on 09/15/2011

These are the same people who want to crush our already declined education system. Why? Because you can scare and lie to stupid and uneducated people and they'll believe you.

[Derni]

03:21 PM on 09/15/2011

GOP=IQ deficit ..GOP is evidence there's evolution..when you compare the candidates that accept science and evolution you clearly see they lack the intelligence to understand the concepts.what a group ..so when is the date and time for the social revolution in this country??

[arecibo48]

02:43 PM on 09/15/2011

Can you believe this?

[Jamie Kowalski]

02:13 PM on 09/15/2011

Scientists are all sketchy liars with some sort of agenda or something. Well, except for that 2% that agree with my position. They are all upstanding citizens and remind me a lot of my good friend Galileo, who probably hated science.

Now watch this drive!

[tincup2005]

02:00 PM on 09/15/2011

Climate change in West Virginia is rotating your used underwear between wash cycles.

[ntr721]

01:50 PM on 09/15/2011

What i don´t understand is what is in the electability of a candidate who denies existing science.
Do they actually beleive they are more knowledgeable than 98% of the worlds scientist, or is this one more tool to attack the EPA.... Does´t Gov. Perry see it happening in his own state, Do any of them see the photos from space showing the melting of the Artic ice. What is their point?
It is like the old joke,,, "who are you going to believe,honey, me or your lying eyes"

[oceanye]

02:14 PM on 09/15/2011

"What i don´t understand is what is in the electabili­ty of a candidate who denies existing science". You should understand. The base followers of Republican candidates are extremely undereducated, and get their "news" from talk radio and faux news.Thats all they listen to or see. They are constantly told that global warming is a Democratic fraud, and because of the constant repetiveness of this idea by people whom they admiire, they now believe it.

There is another group - my guess about 3% of the population that are aware of the existence of global warming, but they go along and control the undereducated group. They are the owners of the media, and corporations that profit from restraints on an attempt to avoid correcting global warming. This group also includes Republican politicians.

BIG MONEY controls the weak and undereducated for their own benefit.

[GuddhaVonChuda]

02:19 PM on 09/15/2011

Please don't talk about someone being undereducated and then go on to incorrectly spell words. It just exposes your hilarious ignorance.

[GuddhaVonChuda]

02:15 PM on 09/15/2011

Glaciers have been melting for more than 10,000 years. New York was under a mile of ice. Thank goodness it's been warming. Libs want to use these facts to put more regulations on business and raise taxes to fend off the effects of our sun. Why does Al Gore buy carbon credits for his home from local businesses while flying around in his private jet telling people to ride a bike to work? This is a better question.

[Scribe57]

03:17 PM on 09/15/2011

What does Al Gore buying carbon credits have to do with the actual science?

[viking1969]

03:22 PM on 09/15/2011

Your understanding of climate science is the equizilant of believing the sun rises because the rooster crows at dawn.

[worldsam]

01:47 PM on 09/15/2011

These candidates are appealing to an electorate which is not bothered by any scientific evidence. They are asking for the votes of those who would rather have their cake and eat it too.

[squat6971]

01:38 PM on 09/15/2011

Never undersestimate the power of PUSHING stupidity in politics.

[ericwolfe574]

01:46 AM on 09/16/2011

yeah, after all, that's how obama got elected isn't it?!

[squat6971]

01:37 PM on 09/15/2011

How do these guys know which foot to put their socks on?

[nb7264]

02:11 PM on 09/15/2011

That's why they have handlers.