(CNN) - President-elect Barack Obama named his science and technology team Saturday with a pledge to ensure that “facts and evidence are never twisted or obscured by politics or ideology.”
“It’s time we once again put science at the top of our agenda and worked to restore America’s place as the world leader in science and technology,” he said in his Saturday radio address, in an apparent offhand swipe at President Bush.
“It’s about listening to what our scientists have to say, even when it’s inconvenient – especially when it’s inconvenient,” Obama said, adding that government support had been essential for the greatest scientific breakthroughs of recent history, like the development of the Internet. “Because the highest purpose of science is the search for knowledge, truth and a greater understanding of the world around us."
Obama announced that Harvard University professor John Holdren will serve as assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Environmental scientist and marine ecologist Jane Lubchenco of Oregon State University was his pick for administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The president-elect also named Nobel Prize-winning Harold Varmus, a former Director of the National Institutes of Health, and Eric Lander of MIT and Harvard, a leader of the Human Genome Project, as co-chairs of the Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
From CNN Politics
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Thank goodness we will have a president who is not afraid of science and what it can teach us and what we can use from it rather than relying on dogma, fear, myths to explain things.
Holdren is a poor choice – but we're used to that kind of 'change' by now.
“Facts and evidence are never twisted or obscured by politics or ideology.”
That would be a refreshing change after eight years of "my mind is made up–don't confuse me with the facts."
If we really wanted "science" that wasn't twisted by ideology, we'd allow supposed man-made "global warming" to be rationally discussed. But that's not what the green lunatics want to do. And Obama, like Clinton, Gore, McCain, etc. doesn't know any better.
Bravo! Mr. Obama,
I couldn't agree more
Well Said.
Finally, someone who deals with facts. America can't wait for January 20. We should have an abort clause added to every officials term so we can reboot them out of office to make way for new ideas!!!
Well this will set the Jesus freaks into a frenzy. Imagine them having to accept the earth is not flat and is more than 6,000 years old and dinasaurs existed millions of years ago.
Lets hope this will help the U.S. progress towards the 21st Century.
This is change folks. A President who actually believes in science.
I think if people realized just how blatantly the current administration rewrote scientific evidence to deny global warming and protect their self interest, most would be appalled.
Every action he has taken so far proves that we have a very wise man taking over.... a very wise man.
Can't be a leader in science with 'religion as historical fact' in the way. It probably won't be next year, but many people will wake up to this within a decade. The faster we get there, the better off we will all be.
Nice shot, Messiah! Back to the future – change I can believe in. Change back to the impeached Clinton Admin! Give a wink and a nod to yor buddy Blagojevich for me.
Finally, a person who values results and accomplishments over ideology! After 8 years of people who question Darwin and promote ideologically correct science, we finally have brilliant individuals in place whose main accomplishments do NOT include cooking science to suit the path of least resistance(otherwise known as kissing the behinds of the industry lobbyists).
In other words, the creationist wackos and other psuedo-scientists at on the way out. Good riddance to the Flat Earth Society people and those who think the Flintstones and the X-Files were documentaries.
Straight up, Mr. President-elect! I may not agree with everything you do (see: self-aggrandizing blowhard and hypocrite Rick Warren), but I remain convinced that the "reality-based community" will soon take charge. It can't come soon enough. Bravo!
Finally. It's bad enough the social conservatives think the earth is only 6000 years old, and dinosaurs and man roamed together, starting day 6. I'm glad to see that we now have a president that cares about things like "facts" and "the truth," and things that have been ignored for the last 8 years.
Yes Obama. thanks for being a champ! You are bringing change, change that is desperately needed.
Thank goodness.
As we enter into a time of change please make a note to your editor – the conflict in this piece does not exist. The swipe, jab, or dig is just not there about Bush.
It is your opinion, not the news.
Even in these darkest times of our history, I am hopeful that we will prevail when I hear the voice of reason, Barrack Obama. We are well into the 21st century and have been living in the 20th and even the 19th century with the backward thinking bush people. But bush kept saying that to curb emissions and take measures for global warming would hurt the economy and look where we are now. It was the bush administration that has devastated this country from every way possible. This New Year is a year of hope.
I am so impressed with Obama's choices. He has put together an outstanding team in all areas especially national security and energy policy. Let's not this Illinois senate thing get in his way of these important appointments.
Thank you Pres. Elect Obama for restoring sense to the American science world – a welcome change from the barbaric medeival policies of the last 8 years.
Hooray! Science can once again prevail, without the constant fear of violating "Biblical Law".
I've never quite understood why some people of faith view science as a threat to that faith. As Jimmy Carter writes, science helps us to better understand creation and is not threat to one's faith. Yet for 500 years scientists have been persecuted and prosecuted for making such outrageous statements as the Earth orbits the Sun. I'm glad we finally have a thoughtful, intelligent leader who will take us into the future without mindless superstition.
Obama is the first President to actually take the lead on scientific and climatological issues. If he retains a conviction to the ears of his peers, namely the Harvard and MIT professors, he may set a new precident for following Presidents. We can only hope that Obama has the courage to implement legislation that will help us follow the leads of those countries that legitamized the Kyoto Protocol and maybe set our own precident. I beleive that he has the courage to do just that.
Bravo!
Thank you Barack, for restoring sanity.
NO! NOT SCIENCE! AHHHHhhhhhhhhh....
As a former government scientist I find this refreshing news. Thanks Barack for leading us out of the dark ages 2.0
(This is in reference to the current top story on CNN about prop 8.)
OK, as I see it, Marriage = between a man and a women. Why not let gays get "narried"? Let the "straight" people "own" the "marriage rights". It's just a word on paper. The gays can have narried because that means "not a:no" which equates to "not a man AND women may enter into." Situation fixed. Case closed. Now everyone is equal.
How fitting on this Solstice eve to usher in the season of reason.
First of all, what on earth does he mean? I guess using the word "inconvienient" has something to do with science now(thank you Al).
He just can't help himself, can he. Has to look good at the expense of others.
I am looking forward to how he feels after "being" president for awhile instead of "playing" one on TV.
I think Obama is going to get the record as the most arrogant president ever........he has had a news conference everyday; sometimes twice a day since becoming president-elect. I think he just likes seeing himself on TV. He acts like he is already president. He is so disrespectful to the current president. No matter how bad Bush has screwed things up; he deserves a graceful exit but Obama is going to make sure that does not happen because he knows the limelight is the only thing that will feed his protruding ego....
Back of 'bama til you've walked a mile in his shoes. At least back off til you are called "Mr. President" for real. You won the election. Name your people without comment and move on. (This won't be posted.)
Does that mean that Obama will admit that the idea of man-made global warming is scientifically untenable? That would be inconvenient for him politically, but scientifically responsible.
–“It’s about listening to what our scientists have to say, even when it’s inconvenient – especially when it’s inconvenient,” Obama said–
Unless it has anything to do with "global warming", then you'll be compared to Hitler.
It is leftist groups like the so-called Union of Concerned Scientists that were truly politicizing science. I know this for a fact. I do have a Ph.D. in physical chemistry, from Columbia University and can opine on these matters more competently than all these peaceniks and eco-maniacs.
CNN: Where is jab at Bush? Stop seeking news that is not there. If your reporters want news so bad, they can find good or bad ways to become news themselves.
Bravo Obama....
Thank god America chose a brilliant and urbane leader over the likes of that Wal Mart Hill Billy Sarah Palin, who thinks the earth is 6000 years old.
BTW Sarah Palin and her whole family belong on Jerry Springer (you guys hear about the drug bust? LOL
CNN – you all are downright disgusting.
A "jab" – A "swipe" -
You're nothing more than troublemaking gossips. Stop it. We don't need it. Your ratings will go further down in this continues.
our president-elect is like rain after an 8 year drought;
a scientist
It's only when the glaring rightness of our President-elect's statements come to light that we fully absorb the awful wrongness of the Bush administration's actions. Our leaders should do what is right because it is RIGHT, not because it is politically expedient. Thank God we are finally on the right track again as a country.
THE man got brain,heart,and balls.i LOVE it.
It's amazing what can happen when one elects an intellectial person who can make decisions on brain power.
This makes me bet on this president as one that can bring America back to the standing that it used to have.......
See what we get when we elect someone with a brain?
Progress.
Yea, lets not let ideology twist facts, like the fact that the global temperature DROPPED last year. Keep up the global warming ideology Obama, you hypocrite.
Will Obama support/extend the current NASA mission to return to the moon and Mars? Or will NASA's budget be used to support other causes not related to outher space. Will Mike Griffin still be the administrator?
We need leadership at NASA, not policitcal bueruecrats. The new administrator must have a well respected technical background in science and engineering. Please tell obama not to chose a former press secretary or professional horse-holder to lead the wonder people of NASA. They deserve better. Also, tell Obama not to outsource our space jobs to other nations just to make nice with the Europeans, chinese, ete.
-Carlos
This is exactly why I supported and continue supporting you. Thank you Mr. President Elect! This is exactly what this country needs, more science and education support (and no, I am not a scientist myself)
it's about time we recieve the none watered down version of scientific studies. What we do about the information is where the tire hits the blacktop. We can only hope for better men with more than their own personal agenda at the wheel. Time to do what is right...not what is self serving.
Given his insistence on allegedly seeking knowledge and truth, it's that much more appalling that Barack Obama, having used our support to win this election, has betrayed the public trust by selecting a dismal nutbag like Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration. This is the first truly stupid thing I have seen Obama do, and I find it extremely disturbing, especially as an indicator of what is to come in this administration. Rev. Warren is a hate-filled charlatan preacher and I still cannot believe that a highly intelligent (I thought!) man like Obama would fail to notice the horridness of this man.
Facts and evidence are twisted by every pollitical persuasion.
Facts are twisted by animal rights and environmental advocates to promote policies when evidence does not support their viewpoints.
Facts are twisted when reporting health and food issues by both sides.
Statistics and studies are slanted for advertising purposes.
Global warming is likely based MORE on solar activity than man-made pollution. Yet this fact which is becoming more appearent is conveniently ignored.
Even a title on the pollitical section of CNN "Transition TO Power" is a twist on the American phrase Transition OF Power. Our system reliese on a TRANSITION OF POWER. Again someone TWISTS the truth and even a old american pollitical saying.
President elect Obama is doing an excellent job in selecting the best for each job. He will be a president truly looking out for the people and providing sound advice and counsel.
P. E. Obama is Tony the Tiger... he grrrrrrrrrrreat!
Wow CNN....what a swipe at President Bush
It seems that a great majority of the appointed officials by the new prez are Harvard grads. I'm optimistic with the new government and hopefully, these Einsteins' will perform better than the last bunch.
Happy Holidays!
Wow - scientists in charge of the science and technology team - a totally unfamiliar concept over the past 8 years. Sad, though, as the McCain/Palin transition team would surely have found a spot on this team for Levi'smom. After all, she ran her own lab for years...
yes, but its also about understanding that just because science allows us to do things doesn't mean we should.....just because something is permissible does not mean it is beneficial for us and society.
Finally!!
save the economy, drpo all congress salary to 100,000 a year.
After all, they are a public service and they all claim they are doing it for the cause. If they can't deal with it someone else will step up !!
Maybe this new science and technology team can do something about Obama's dopey looking ears!!
It is time to declare middle east oil irrelevant, we are ready to put Natural Gas in our cars anything but the middle eastern oil.
Just goes to show what a world we live in now (thanks Bush) when a headline is about the president (elect) believing in scientific research. It is, however, refreshing that the next leader of our country has cracked a book in the last few decades.
Fortunately, Barack Obama is far beyond taking swipes at George Bush, the worst president in history.
I support Obama 100% but when will people without connectiions get a chance, like myself?
I wanted to become to one who recited a poem at the inauguration but didn't even get a call. I am not happy with that although I still support my President. I just feel that people without the contacts and networking capability should get an opportunity as well.
Please visit youtube and search for "thinkverybig" and watch all of my videos.
Also, please check out http://www.thinkverybig.com and http://www.besomeone.org
Jab at Bush? Really!? Where?
I think that the headline at the jump does not match the content of the story. I think that CNN is trying to find controversy and scandal where there are aren't. Another MSM low... d
Amen Brother Barry! Time to run the screechers and zealots out of Dc and return the US to a law abiding FREEDOM to have or to care less about religion and its selective values.
Let's hope that his science team will truly make sure that "facts and evidence are never twisted or obscured by politics or idealogy." The fact is that over the last 10 years the earth has been COOLING, not warming. These changes are cyclical; in the 1970's, scientists were warning us about the earth getting COLDER and what we needed to do to stop it. Let's hope they are truly honest and not just listen to Al Gore and those followers who say that the "debate is over" about global warming. The earth is millions of years old and Gore and his crew only analyzed data over a few hundred year time span.
Yes, since 1994, when the ELEPHANTS took over Congress and until now, science has been underfunded. We are, according to the scientists, 15 years behind. EU now has CERN, the most advanced subatomic research center. Science fueled the developments of MRI Scan, the internet and your microwaves. Our national security depends on being #1 and being on the forefront of understanding the evolutions of science. Hopefully, we can beat the race again.
Let's hope they understand that maybe it's not such a good thing that the US allows its corporations to lay off their scientists, engineers, IT talent in order to give those jobs to people in foreign countries.
you go, Obama . . . but where are the funds coming from?
Wow...real life science and facts.
About time.
Thank God we're getting rid of the NO BRAINER George W. Bush come January 20, 2009 and his cronies.
This group of idiots in the last eight years have done more harm not only to our country but the rest of the world.
How refreshing to have a president who believes in knowledge and reason!
why aren't we hearing this! This is on the US labor board. Unemployment rate is not bad! Media are making it worse not telling the accurate news!! Shame on you.
In November, nonfarm payroll employment rose in 9 states and fell
in 41 states plus the District of Columbia. The largest over-the-
month gains in the level of employment were recorded in Washington
(+17,400) where some 27,000 aerospace workers ended their strike and
returned to payrolls, Texas (+7,300), Oklahoma (+3,000), and Alaska
(+2,500). Alaska reported the largest over-the-month percentage gain
in employment (+0.8 percent), followed by Washington (+0.6 percent)
and Hawaii, North Dakota, and Oklahoma (+0.2 percent each). The larg-
est over-the-month decrease in the level of employment was recorded
in Florida (-58,600), followed by North Carolina (-46,000), California
(-41,700), Michigan (-36,900), and Georgia (-30,000). North Carolina
reported the largest over-the-month percentage decrease in employment
(-1.1 percent), followed by Michigan (-0.9 percent), Idaho and Rhode
Island (-0.8 percent each), and Florida, Georgia, and Nebraska (-0.7
percent each). Over the year, nonfarm employment rose in 14 states
and the District of Columbia and decreased in 36 states. Wyoming
recorded the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment
(+2.8 percent), followed by Texas (+2.1 percent), North Dakota (+1.4
percent), and Alaska, Oklahoma, and South Dakota (+1.1 percent each).
The largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment occurred
in Rhode Island (-3.7 percent), followed by Arizona (-3.1 percent),
Idaho and Michigan (-2.7 percent each), and Florida (-2.6 percent).
I wouldn't really call that an "offhand swipe at Bush." What Obama just said is true, and there's no need for news networks to dramatize it.
We must be careful when making decisions about "Truth". Whose truth are we talking about? We also must be careful not to go all to one view or another to find it, but rather there is a balance to be struck. This does not mean tolerance. Tolerance is accepting something even though it may not be true. Rather we need to be open to all the information that is available and then work to understand what is really true and not just theory. However science does not give us moral understanding (truth). To that, this country, since its founding, has looked to God for that insight. For example, our constitution and laws are built upon Biblical understanding and moral values.
wait until the Comrade taxes us to death and institutes carbon credits. God help us when the Messiah takes over. At least Europe will be happy with the pussified direction we are taking.
I don't think this is any type of jab towards President Bush. I think reality really has set in on Obama and he realizes Bush has done a great job in office keeping the United States safe along with hundreds of other accomplishments. Perhaps CNN dosen't yet want to admit this so they attempt to make Bush look like the devil once again!
Truth hurt. However, we have to face truth. You are right, Sen Obama.
Way to go Obama. The truth will set you free if you have the guts to listen and follow it; something Bush and Republicans are not willing to do or can do.
Finally we have a President who isn't talking to God over the short-wave radio hidden in the corner of the Presidential bedroom closet.
President Obama shows Americans that academics is the path to success, and that means looking into the eyes of reality aka science, that really scares evangelical christians from witnessing the truths.
it is not a swipe, it is true
While I am a conservative on fiscal spending and government control, I very much agree with Obama on getting government back in the lead on research and science. The goverment should be the leader in funding research and push the private sector to join up with them. We need to be the global leader in technological advances in all areas if we expect to have a viable and growing economy. The US needs a Manahattan type think tank that addresses education, climate changes, energy sources, and economics. Obama needs to make two rules. Politicians cannot have any influence over the decisions or direction of the solutions. The solutions must be self sustaining so the government does not have to cover the enormous costs to implement them.
Finally, we will have people back in the White House who understand that Science and knowledge are good. The last 8 years have constituted a return to the dark ages, when politics, religion, and false morality have preempted science and reason. Denying the facts is never a good solution to any problem.
The president elect is right George Bush doesnt like science when
it comes to stem cell research and other innovations in science.
The president elect will make a great president because of his
ideas that are fresh and america is ready for it.
WOW...real life science and facts....as seen by the far left you mean, right?
So I wonder if that applies to all the lies and propaganda the "global warming" extremists are spreading...because MOST scientists do not agree with the global warming hysteria. Case in point the report the AP did this week was completely wrong and very reputable scientists came out against it. But unfortunately, we don't hear much about that. I'm betting that Obama is on the side of the hysteria and not the scientific fact. I get very disturbed when Obama starts talking about being non-partisan when the liberals themselves are the ones partisan. He is going straight down the path of liberal policies so throw bipartisan out the window. It's a sham.
CNN is filling in the blanks again, making stuff up to stir up controversy. CNN continues to aid the Republican agenda to poison the American well and scortch the earth.
CNN why can't you get out of the lap of the Republican elite who are destroying America, and serve your country. America needs you to be at your best. Report on how solid science was ignored, how scientists were threatened or fired for telling the truth.
Stop wet-nursing the Republican party. They are degenerating into a cause for evil, much like Iraq's Bath party.
So glad Bush and his morons will soon be gone.George Bush and his horrific administration is one of the greatest tragedies in American history.They are all criminals that should rot in prison for their crimes against our planet and all living creatures.Any moron who voted for Bush is a disguisting disgrace!!!!
Why call this a "fresh jab at Bush" on the CNN main page? This isn't a jab, it's a statement of Obama's view of the importance of scientific discovery in America. I must say I agree it is important, and that both private and government sectors benefit from executive branch interest. Hopefully his picks are as good as they sound.
That's Great. But which scientist is Obama going to listen too? Obama's politics or ideology will not have any influence as to the facts. Really? LOL.
Cities around the country are experiencing never-before-seen extreme winter conditions, a result of global warming as described, explained, predicted and substantiated by some of the finest academic, scientific and meteorlogical minds.
Yet, George Bush continues to pander to the "pulpit pilots" who seem to have a foothold in the White House, directing the way the government and the people should view things. The last time the religious right got a foothold, Reagan never was allowed to mention or recognize HIV/AIDS publicly, because if he had, we could have started the battle against it much sooner and gotten control of it. But the religious zealots, who seem to shun the academic side of anything in society, said no!
I believe George Carlin said it best when he stated that he abides by the 11th Commandment – "Thou shalt keep thy religion to thyself." And, hopefully, out of the government!!!
I'll get more excited when he has actually done something instead of just talk about it.
Actually, I find it funny that somehow he thinks that the Presidency defines how this country defines it view of science and scientists. Where is the statistical data to support that conclusion and correlation?
I am enormously relieved that we finally have a president who understands scientific facts. I do not want to imagine what if the other guy would have gotten elected with ideological self-proclaimed moral bigots who cannot understand the relative aspects of morality.
James from Indianapolis
This must be primarably about global warming.You'd think now that he's the President-electf Mr,Obama could tone down the "political warming" a little bit.For someone that claims he wants to bring us all together,he sure is driving spikes to keep the great division that seperates us all politically apart,going strong.
How many things can he put "at the top of the list"?So far EVERYTHING is at the top of the list.
WHY CAN'T HE SHOW JUST A LITTLE RESPECT FOR THE PRESIDENT? BUSH HAS GONE THE EXTRA MILE TO BE SURE THAT THE TRANSITION WILL GO OVER SMOOTHLY,AND ALL OBAMA CAN DO IS SHOW DISRESPECT..
You mean the Earth isnt flat, 6000yrs. old and its not ok to have slaves?
Haha! Its like a reunion of your favorite rock band after a long hiatus. After 8 years of incompetent gunslinging rednecks governing the country, its about time we had facts and evidence when implementing policy and using tax payer dollars.
Maybe at one time science did seek the truth. Now they try to force secularism on people, regardless of mounds of evidence. They preach evolution as fact even though there is no evidence whatsoever for it (they have even tried to forge fossils to hopefully convince the less affluent that their postulations are true). For example, students in school are taught that dinosaurs died out 50 million years ago. They are taught this as fact, even though there is evidence of people seeing dinosaurs. Science has become a religion...teaching people that it is okay to ignore the truth...called the Bible.
I agree science should be over politics or convience but Obama really should accomplish something before taking swipes at Bush.
What happened to headlines like "Obama names is Science and Technology Team"? That's the kind of headline you've been using for all of his nominations.
Look, the Bush Administration has been such a complete and total adject failure that just about any utterance from anybody anywhere could be twisted into a "jab" against it.
So lay off the sensationalism, CNN, and just report the news!
I love how everyone wants to focus on science, and that stem-cell research will safe the world. You people are fools. Stem-cell research has never been banned, it has simply NOT BEEN FUNDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. Lots of companies do great things for the world without funds from the federal government. But the Democrats just made everyone think that old Bushy wasn't going to allow it period. That he would ban it. No, embryonic research was but to a stop. But even with that, stem-cell research has been around a long time and has NOT PROVIDED ONE SINGLE SOLITARY CURE FOR ANY DISEASE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE. SO JUST CHILL OUT.
Of course science is important. However, people choose the careers they want, and people are choosing to be what they want to be nowadays. In india, standards are so much higher, and parents push their kids to get all A grades in school, etc, etc, and then those students go into math and science, because that's what everyone else is doing. Here in America, not as many people go after those jobs. More people take up education, music, and business careers here, because that is what they like to do. Obama won't be able to do anything about that.
Now, what we do need to do is put more money back in the space program, which is something Obama wants to DELAY restarting after the shuttle program ends in 2010. Constellation, the next NASA program, is set to start in 2015. However, Obama wants it delayed 5 years. "The early education plan will be paid for by delaying the NASA Constellation Program for five years" Those are Obama's words. I really don't think Obama cares so much about our space program if that's what he's going to cut money from in order to help his education program. The space program is the key to all the other sciences and technology. We wouldn't have the internet, cell phones, PDAs, GPS, or any of these things without the space program. Obama doesn't understand this I guess.
Right.
Because listening to scientists is imminently more appropriate, though their findings changes with facts over time, or the need for more funding for "research" grants.
As opposed to say, common sense, which is a quality I'm sure Obama has very little of.
Well the boy talks a good game. I think I will try for a Gov't Grant.
I want to study the effects of corn poping thru the soil on the enviroment.
Obama wants to cut funding for NASA. How is he for sciences again?? OBAMA IS ALL TALK PEOPLE!!!!!! Don't listen to his words without researching his plans. He says we wouldn't have internet, etc without science. How about we wouldn't have any of those things without the space program, which BUSH actually helped, while Obama wants to kill the space program until 2020.
Obama is all talk.
I hope BO remembers how we got here. Putting the American worker last and foreign investors first is a big mistake that has been perpetrated by this Bush administration. This country can never be great again unless the people are put first. That means Jobs and Education.Those things have been lost in the last 8 years of the Bush nightmare. This is the legacy of Globalization and of unfair trade treaties that don't benefit the American people directly. Too much of our country is being sold away to foreigners right now. It is are truly being sold from underneath our feet. One day they'll say. You've defaulted on your loans, hand it over!
Talk about betrayal!
You, and twenty-five thousand other people, 'David'
I am so glad that Obama is in office. Finally an adult in the white house.
Funny how Obama claims science should be to get to the truth yet many global warming alarmists ban anyone else who has a different theory. We have only been tracking our climates for about 150 yrs. on an earth that is supposedly billions of years old and they call that "irrefutable evidence"? As if they are the only scientists in the world who could possibly be right. Very arrogant and hypocritical. To sum it the entire history of the earth's climate to predict what will happen in the future based on .0000000000000000001% of the data. We can't even get an accurate 7 day forecast from these experts yet they have it all wrapped up to what is going to happen 100 years from now and dictate policy over it. Sounds like an ideology to me.
How about a little more truth and honesty from Obama, instead of him hiding behind his desk .
Once again I am impressed with the President Elect's choices. While there were a couple of choices that seemed overly political, the vast majority of his choices are fantastic. I am sincerely hoping that this man can put his rhetoric to action. I am definitely inspired by the words he uses, now let's see actions to follow. He definitely knows how to build a team, or let people with the know how build a team for him. Great cabinet with an eye to the future and resolution of the issues at hand.
Let's sum this up: "It's time to look at science selectively." There is no way, no how that science has consensus on the issues that our tax money is being spent on. There is equal data on climate cooling as on warming as mentioned in a comment below. But will they look at the entire data? No way. And our tax dollars are going to be once again frittered away unneccessarily, destabilizing our country more and more.
Donna Connecticut: where do you get your "facts" from? If you know anything about global warming, you would understand that the global warming can trigger a new ice age by disrupting ocean currents. Obama is correct, we need to listen to our scientists – and not to people like you who think they understand topics such as global warming, but clearly do not even grasp one of the most simple concepts of the effects global warming will have on this planet.
Oh come on Saj – you really don't get it? Bush and his administration have ignored science for 8 years in order to push their right-wing agenda? Global warning? Doesn't exist – just ask the oil executives! Endangered species? We don't need to worry about that – ask the builders and miners, they agree, Stem cell research? That's unnecessary, we can use adult cells, because I say so.....
It'll be great to actually allow facts to be considered when making decisions!
Amen, Frank, fantastic... "religion and its selective values"! We have to add that essential extra word to the crazy phrase, "Values Voters". Really. Thanks
The fact is that the average world temperature dropped in 2008.
Science is the study of things. What science believes to be fact today may not be so in five years.
Also what scientist are we supposed to believe? They don't all agree with the theory of global warming.
Scientific theories should not be a political agenda.
What a wonderful change! Finally an intelligent President who puts the country first!
Once again, Obama linking government to all that is good and anything that is possible. The guy doesn't get it. Sometimes less government stimulates greater development....He's the biggest government guy there is. He believes he should be able to pull the string of everyone and everyone's money. It's sick.
I think that the headline at the jump does not match the content of the story.
I think that CNN is trying to find controversy and scandal where there are aren't. Another MSM low
Maybe this is the beginning of the end of the Republican war on science? I sincerely hope so. The citations of false evidence, poorly-designed "research" studies, fabricated facts, and politically motivated pseudo-science are getting old. The money to fund scientific research has been there all along, but it's been going to researchers who will "play the game" and design studies specifically aimed at disproving global warming and excluding stem cells as viable treatment. A study can be designed to prove anything you want; it can only reveal the truth if you design it correctly!
Donna the problem is that it takes years of training to understand all the factors that affect our climate. Neither you nor I have that kind of training. Of those that do, the vast majority are saying it is likely humans are contributing to the warming of the planet. It's time to start listening to those with a PhD and 40 years of field experience over a person that read a book written for the public about the climate.
Where was the swipe at Bush? I don't think anyone can disagree that science has been hijacked by political ideology over the last 8 years. All Obama said is that science will now be conducted by scientists. I guess some people in this country like it better when their government overrules the facts so we can all feel warm and fuzzy.
Let's all hope Obama keeps taking "jabs" at Bush by continuing to appoint people who are actually qualified to do the job he is asking them to do.
Sef, Obama's funds are coming from your pocket. They are eating your children or future childrens retirement before they are even born. Big Government, COntrol everything...the shady obama way
Yes it's time==it's time to release the Rezko tapes so we can pursue
the truth.
I am looking forward to 2009. I don't know about you all, but I am revved up!
To all Bush haters, please leave him behind in obscurity.
To all Bush supporter, please worship him in private.
Lawrence--were "idiots" for voting for Bush huh? We'll see who the idiots are when that "change" we were all promised rolls arounds. The ONLY change is that your all gonna have to learn the arabic language!!
What happened to headlines like "Obama names Science and Technology Team"? That's the kind of headline you've been using for all of his nominations.
Look, the Bush Administration has been such a complete and total adject failure that just about any utterance from anybody anywhere could be twisted into a "jab" against it.
So lay off the sensationalism, CNN, and just report the news!
Donna Connecticut said:
"Let's hope that his science team will truly make sure that "facts and evidence are never twisted or obscured by politics or idealogy." The fact is that over the last 10 years the earth has been COOLING, not warming. These changes are cyclical; in the 1970's, scientists were warning us about the earth getting COLDER and what we needed to do to stop it. Let's hope they are truly honest and not just listen to Al Gore and those followers who say that the "debate is over" about global warming. The earth is millions of years old and Gore and his crew only analyzed data over a few hundred year time span."
Donna, you should have applied for a Bush cabinet position 8 years ago. You sound like you would have been the perfect person to head up his global warming research. The fact of the matter is that global warming is real. The data is at your fingertips if you care to look for it. I mean actual data and not someone claiming to be a "scientist" who says it is not real. I hope Rush Limbaugh isn't your source.
See folks? This is what happens when politics tampers with science.
To Lawrence and other Obama fans. We should never call someone a moron. Simply because you don't like the President and others in his cabinet does not make them any less human than you or me.
I don't agree with everything President Bush has done, but let's be fair. He's stayed the course on the War on Terror. I know my country is safer because of his stance. How would you like to be under the rule of a guy like Sadaam or Iran's leader? What do you think the word "moron" would get you under their rule?
It's up to us to pray for our leaders and not call them names. President Obama hasn't started work yet. The easy part is now. The results of the tough part will be seen over the next 4 years.
Let us pray for his guidance and wisdom.
Larry in Ohio
Good for him! Now let's get busy with stem cell research!
Scientists should check into the "Superstring theory. " Brian Greene, Ph.D., professor of physics at Cornell and Columbia Universities, wrote in The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory. (NY Vintage Books, 2000) theory."
He explains that "just as a violin string can vibrate in different patterns, each of which produces a different musical tone, the filaments of superstring theory can also vibrate in different patterns...... "
"At the ultramicroscopic level, the universe would be akin to a string symphony vibrating matter into existence."
Bush wouldn't let Obama stay in Blair house before Jan. 15th, so Obama will throw him under the bus!!!!
Living in Georgia, where there are stickers in the science books, saying evolution is only a theory, I applaud president elect Obama for taking religeous ideology out of the government support for the sciences.
I hope these same unwritten but never the less implied government signs on the nations natural science museums, can be taken down and the geologist's theory that the world was created millions of years ago and evolved, not 4 thousand years ago , where man and the dinosaurs walked together can be given a reality check as to the truth of what really happened.
Joe from Georgia.
In an "Apparent offhand swipe at President Bush" ...is there realy anyone out there that thought this obama thing would be anything but sneaky and backhanded?
For lack of a better phrase, this jerk has big audacities, and no doubt they will become enormous starting on 20 January '09.
FreeNLovIt December 20th, 2008 11:09 am ET wrote:
""Yes, since 1994, when the ELEPHANTS took over Congress and until now, science has been underfunded. We are, according to the scientists, 15 years behind""
You are wrong.. science is 400 years behind, remember history scientist were killed at the stake ""Burn to Death"" by the same religious fanatics that rule this country today..
So may be is time to send Bush to jail for all the crimes agains humanity he and he team has inposed on the USA..
........ I'll believe it when I see it. Obama sure has some lofty ideas and we as a nation are almost guaranteed not to see most of his ideas come to fruition within the next four years. Here's to HOPE.
Science is the work of the devil. Everyone knows that. We need people like Sarah Palin to lead us into a new era.
Not.
Finally we can put away this ridiculous notion that Science is somehow evil! Fundamentalist Religious fanatics have had reign for far too long. What civilized educated Human Being believes that Creationism and all those other Religious beliefs are superior to Science!
Religion has its place! But it does not and cannot drive our scientific knowledge! THAT IS INSANITY! Creator gave us the sense to reason and does not throw a hood over our heads to close our minds to scientific knowledge. Those who want to believe we are in the "Last Days", be my guest! That is your constitutional right! But it is not your right to crame your belief system down the collective throat of the rest of us.... and at the expense of scientic knowledge and our environment!
jab at bush? this is a sad link cnn has drawn, makes me prefer a different news source
TO Greg above:
Hopefully Obama will listen to scientists who have degrees in . . .
Well in science. You don't win the Nobel prize by training show horses. Rove actually didn't have a degree in anything. He was a self trained professional politician.
NASA?
hmmmm....so Obama is concerned about getting scientific FACTS in front of the public. How nice. Just wish he was so willing to really share the facts about his involvement with the Illinois Gov. He's way to obscure about the pending crisis. Just hope the Gov tells the WHOLE story before January 20th. Go get 'em, tiger.
Read closely. All we have here is a 'pledge' from Obama. Those are easy. He's good at talking the talk. That's how he got elected. Problem is, now he has to walk. This will be a new phase in his brilliant, history making career!
This is the result of having a President with more than a High School education.
This is awesome news!
It's about time that we have a president who understands that when america starts investing in great minds, we can accomplish ANYTHING; instead of relying on america's ignorance to believe in false "mission accomplished" banners while nothing gets accomplished.
Obama KNOWS that it's mind over matter, and to quote MIchelle. "for the first time in MY adult life; i am very proud to be an American!!!
and for the first time in MY adult life I am very proud of my president!
Donna Connecticut and Paul, last time I checcked both your points of view (Global Warming is hardly man-made and there's no Global Warming) was minoritary among the scientific community. There are evidences that backs up both AS THERE ARE EVIDENCES THAT PROVE THEM WRONG.
It's been decades that we hear about this and let's face, either a Global Warming or a Global Cooling, no matter the cause, demands that we get ready for it. But the Science has been so considered by the 8 years of the Bush administration (who had the 'brilliant' idea to endorse the teaching of Creationism...) that we are in this point now.
After all, what's happening with the World? SOMETHING is happening and there's no way to deny it, but what it is?
If PEOTUS Barack Obama stand by his word, then we finally may have the chance to finish this discussion and start getting ready for whatever's going on with the world we live in cause, whatever it is, it's only the beggining...
Science has given us our grandparents for longer, allowed us to let newborns whom would have perished at birth or infancy a chance to live healthy lives! Science has made the ability for the world to have food from EVERYONE to have the basic necessities o f life Shelter, Food , Water( even if we choose not to do it) !!! It has healed the sick and put rampant diseases at bay for the benefit of humanity! Science is the application of our processors ; our Brains! Whether or not your believe in God who gives these things free of charge , or believe in just the universe that is based on shared expansion of energies and material that matter not! What matters is the NOW! And in this now we have a President that is for the expansion of Science to benefit HUMANITY! key word BENEFIT ! not just a better understanding but to have practical tangible science at our fingertips!!
Obama and the media are shortsighted and have limited capacity to remember facts. Dr. John H. Marburger is a lifelong democrat who has been the head of OSTP since 2001 and has rebutted the accusations the Obama and the media frequently use to discredit Bush. If Marburger had allowed the radical fringe of environmentalists to push policy all of us would be living in 19th century conditions. There is a anti-American agenda within the European countries to use Climate Catastrophe to hurt the US economy. Al Gore has turned Going Green into a $58 Billion Industry with only a few stakeholders with most of them being European. When you are dealing with billions of lives and trillions of dollars, it would be wise to proceed with caution and not rashness due to political winds.
Although I am NOT a fan of Caroline Kennedy and would never vote for her I must point out to everyone:
Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution sets three qualifications for senators: 1) each senator must be at least 30 years old, 2) must have been a citizen of the United States for at least the past nine years, and 3) must be (at the time of the election) an inhabitant of the state they seek to represent. The age and citizenship qualifications for senators are more stringent than those for representatives. In Federalist No. 62, James Madison justified this arrangement by arguing that the "senatorial trust" called for a "greater extent of information and stability of character."
** As much as many of us don't like her, she is qualified to be senator.
Thank goodness for a president who knows what he is talking about. Out with non-functional Christian fundamental views, which ignore truth and fact because of IGNORANT THEOLOGICAL IDEALS. Finally, we can catch up with western Europe. I am actually excited about the future of our country and the rest of the world for the first time in a long time. Long live science–long live truth.
To Paul......EXCELLENT POST
I would stand in front of any group of free thinking folks in the world and go toe to toe with anyone of any political bent and without a doubt convince the crowd that Bush was a more unbiased user of science than Obama. Bush REFUSED to make policy on shaky, unproven "science." Obama will spend billions and billions on the "science" that most favors a large, freedom reducing government. These are facts folks.
By the way, I am a scientist.
Who cares about science? It is often wrong! Global Warming? Really? I guess snow in Vegas is proof of global warming. I mean the "average temp" where I live right now is 49 degrees. We have not been about 42 in a week.
Global Cooling maybe!
Now let me just guess where the money for this, another TOP priority, is going to come from? Oh yeah, those of us who work and earn a living. The change left in my pocket is getting smaller and smaller!
CNN
Every other media organization is reporting this scientific crew from President -Elect Obama as a clean break from Bushes years of discrediting science except you who think Obama is making offhand
swipe at bush.
CNN is regrettably becoming unreliable in reporting the facts .
We the American people deserve the best. Stop stirring up unnecessary
controversy.
Hey, they all talk a good game. History will judge him when he has left office, just like all others......
Mike
So what......every theory is refutable in the field of science. For every position that global warming is occuring, there is a compelling rebuttal for that theory. It is just one man's opinion (the president-elect)...and it is obvious he is on the liberal left wing propoganda train......didn't this world have multiple ice ages before we even had industries and gasoline?? just think about it
Emma, Revered Warren would welcome you in his chuch in spite of your hard-hearted bitter hatred.
CNN what in Obama's speach did he, as you call it make 'jabs at President Bush'. Come on, its either you so want your ratings to go up by telling blatant lies, or you all are a bunch of liars and apportunitst and will twist the truth to the extreme. Is it the headlines you want people to read, so that you encourage people to continue to read. Please be fair and unbiased!!!!!! When I continue to read I feel disgusted and just change the channel. I prefer to watch cooking and other shows except CNN!!!!!
We can only hope Obama follows through and prioritizes real-world objectives, not the goals of idealogically-crippled uber-Christians.