Posted on 02/13/2015 8:35:02 AM PST by Kaslin
At an event in London on trade policy, Scott Walker was asked about evolution. "It's almost a tradition now," the moderator said, to ask "senior Republicans" if they are "comfortable with the idea of evolution."
"I'm going to punt on that one as well," the Wisconsin governor replied. "That's a question a politician shouldn't be involved in one way or another."
It wasn't a great answer, though there have been worse ones.
But it was also a bad question, even though it's a favorite among liberal journalists in the U.S., and apparently across the pond, too.
That's not to say Walker is wrong. It's a pretty stupid issue to get worked up about when considering a presidential candidate. The number of public policies that hinge on whether you believe in evolution -- or which theory of evolution you subscribe to -- are few to none. A creationist can be brilliant on economics and foreign affairs, while a secular humanist atheist can be an addlepated nimrod on the same subjects.
That's because the evolution question really isn't about evolution at all. On the surface, it's about the culture war. To borrow a phrase from the campus left, Darwinism is used to "otherize" certain people of traditional faith -- and the politicians who want their vote. Many of the same people who bleat with fear over the dangers of genetically modified food, fracking, vaccines or nuclear power and coo with childlike awe over the benefits of non-traditional medicines will nonetheless tell you they are for "science" when in fact they are simply against a certain kind of Christian having any say about anything.
As my National Review colleague Kevin Williamson notes, "Everybody wants to know what Scott Walker and Sarah Palin think about evolution, but almost nobody is asking what Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama think about homeopathy, acupuncture, aromatherapy and the like." Even though such remedies have been given elevated legitimacy under the Affordable Care Act.
Presidents have become avatars in the culture war being fought across the Internet and the airwaves, and nothing gives secular liberal journalists more of a buzz than exposing the alleged backwardness of those they consider backward. It's a cultural wedge issue used by the very people who claim they hate cultural wedge issues.
Beneath the surface, the salience of evolution as a political football is ultimately about the status of man. Are humans moral creatures whose actions are judged by some external or divine standard, or are we simply accidental winners of an utterly random contest of genes? If it's the latter, does that mean we are only answerable to whatever ethical standards we invent for ourselves? Few people argue about astrophysics in the same way, even though it's as problematic a subject for biblical literalists as evolutionary biology, because astrophysics really doesn't touch on the question, Who (or What or Why) Are We?
When Barack Obama was asked when life begins, he responded that such questions are above his pay grade, even though a president is in fact paid to make myriad decisions which hinge on precisely that question. But liberal politicians are allowed such dodges precisely because liberal journalists know what the politician really believes. Indeed, as a state legislator, Obama fought against a law that would have offered protections to babies accidentally born alive after an attempted abortion. That may not tell you where Obama thinks life begins, but it does tell you where Obama thinks it doesn't.
Heck, we now know that Obama lied about opposing gay marriage on religious grounds, or at least that's what David Axelrod, his most trusted aide, says in his new book. Obama is forgiven by his admirers in the press and elsewhere on the left because they never believed that he opposed gay marriage in the first place and understood that he had to say he did to get elected. Noble lies for me, cynicism for thee.
Politicians have to deal with the press and the electorate as it is, and that means they have to answer bad-faith questions about their faith. Whether they lie is ultimately up to them. Whether they get away with it is up to the rest of us.
Still, I'd rather get the full truth. If you think evolution is wrong or flawed, I'm keen on hearing your arguments. "Punting" simply sounds like you're afraid to answer, which amounts to the answer the questioner was looking for. My own answer would be something like: "Not that it much matters for the job I'm seeking, but I think the evidence shows that all life evolves. Why is there life, and what are we supposed to do with it? Only God knows."
If is only NOT a great answer because “conservatives” agree with the media that is was not great.
Had nothing to do with trade policy.
Remember when Valerie’s man child protege lied to Rick Warren and answered a question about abortion being above his pay grade?
Great answer...
for anyone smart enough to know that by “punting” and articulating (well) why...he properly downgraded the topic as well as the gotcha attempt.
A thread on the subject.
“I believe in God as Creator of the Universe. Get over it.”
Because, do we really want someone in that job who doesn’t believe in God?
The funny thing is, even Obama claims to believe in God. Find me a politician, even a Democrat, who admits publicly that he doesn’t believe in God. And who is God if not Creator?
God created evolution too.
I agree that it was a great answer.
Think for a moment, it would be a raging story but for the fact that he gave the answer he did.
Now it’s nothing.
Do you think Cruz will be able to give as good an answer?
One that results in an irrelevant ‘gotcha’ question being all but forgotten?
I hope so.
I agree. More conservatives need to stop playing by the MSM's rules. Walker's response reminds me of the 2012 debate in which Gingrich showed how foolish the moderator's question was.
There is no reason for conservatives to answer these dishonest questions from the media.
Hillary never answers HONEST questions from the media and people think she's a smart politician.
This is being asked as a religious litmus test, not a question of education or intelligence.
It is never asked Democrats.
He should ask the questioner why he doesn’t ask his opinion on the chemiosmotic theory in cellular respiration.
I think we have room for confident conservatives to speak out. Young people like rebellion.
I don’t like his answer one bit; perhaps he believes in evolution; how am I to know.
I am a staunch Cruz supporter, I’m confident when asked he will answer directly, straight forward, with wisdom of the type that would subdue the “GOTCHA GUYS”.
Punting is for those who would play games; Cruz is not playing; he is leading as to war. IMO!
Cruz is totally ready for that question as well as the other common gotcha questions. There is no one on our side who handles debate, sound bites and back and forth as well as Cruz. It will be a joy to watch if he gets the nomination.
You have to throw that back at the questioner. What a stupid, irrelevant question. How does that affect one’s performance as a potential president?
These people need to stop setting up phony memes for the party of tyranny (i.e., “progressives”.)
Conservatives need to stop taking the bait or respond in such a way that as Walker did later on twitter
“Both science & my faith dictate my belief that we are created by God. I believe faith & science are compatible, & go hand in hand,”
Walker is in good company according to Pew. Only 32% believe that evolution occurs by natural selection driven by random mutations and such. This is indeed an element of the culture war. The left in particular and their dominance in academia is driven by strict adherence and litmus tests to these type of questions. The reason so few scientists dare stray away from leftist dogma is not because science supports leftist dogma its because you cease to have any career if you don’t support leftist dogma with your science. Whether you are looking at climate change, social science around sexuality, or evolution there is a big list of thou shalt nots which must be adhered to. The left like to admonish others concerning being open minded but they are the most closed minded tyrannical group on earth. 100 Million people weren’t killed in the rise of the communist left by accident.
Were I a candidate, my truthful answer would be that the real question is regarding how this issue is taught in our schools. I believe that to be a local issue and should be up to local communities. I will say, however, that our schoolchildren should be presented with more than one viewpoint on the origin of mankind in a non-judgemental fashion and allowed to make up their own minds as to what they believe without fear of ridicule.
Disagree. God created adaptation. Evolution is a fantasy.
Barney Frank and Pete Stark are both avowed atheists. Jesse Ventura as well, though he’s not a Dem.
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