[robertpaulsen]

"You think that instead of empty generalizations the guy might come up with one example where Crichton's facts were actually wrong."

The liberals are much more comfortable when the footnotes support their theory, even when the footnotes are lies. Michael Bellesiles' Arming America as a case in point.

[75thOVI]

I think that the problem is in the basic elitist attitude of the left. Of course they can use foot notes and scientific studies to support their arguments. Such things are proper to the elite. However a person arguing against them is, by definition "not too bright." In short since they are secure in their own superiority, any one who disputes their ideas or theories is inferior. They see one of the the lower classes trying to use "science" as cute but it should be taken away from them before they hurt someone with it.