Texas Previews a Huckabee Presidency
The state of Texas this week offered Americans a preview of a Mike Huckabee presidency. In Austin, the veteran science director of the Texas Education Agency was forced to resign after coming under withering assault by creationism advocates. Judging by his words and deeds, the former Arkansas Governor and Baptist minister promises a similarly grim future for the teaching of evolution and the scientific method in the United States.
Despite opponents' claims that her ouster was purely a "personnel issue," science curriculum director Chris Comer clearly stepped down over conservatives' concerns regarding her views on evolution and intelligent design. As the Austin Statesman reported:
Comer was put on 30 days paid administrative leave shortly after she forwarded an e-mail in late October announcing a presentation being given by Barbara Forrest, author of "Inside Creationism's Trojan Horse," a book that says creationist politics are behind the movement to get intelligent design theory taught in public schools. Forrest was also a key witness in the Kitzmiller v. Dover case concerning the introduction of intelligent design in a Pennsylvania school district. Comer sent the e-mail to several individuals and a few online communities, saying, "FYI."
Agency officials cited the e-mail in a memo recommending her termination. They said forwarding the e-mail not only violated a directive for her not to communicate in writing or otherwise with anyone outside the agency regarding an upcoming science curriculum review, "it directly conflicts with her responsibilities as the Director of Science."
The memo adds, "Ms. Comer's e-mail implies endorsement of the speaker and implies that TEA endorses the speaker's position on a subject on which the agency must remain neutral."
Of course, Mike Huckabee, one-time governor of neighboring Arkansas and the new front-runner in Iowa, is far from neutral on the subject.
In a May Republican presidential debate, Huckabee was one of three GOP contenders to raise his hand when asked "who doesn't believe in evolution?" As he subsequently explained to Wolf Blitzer:
"Let me be very clear. I believe there is a God. I believe there's a God who was active in the creation process. Now, how did he do it and when did he do it and how long did it take, I don't honestly know. And I don't think knowing that would make me a better president."
But as the Arkansas Times detailed in 2006, then Governor Huckabee similarly claimed not to know that schools in his state were pressuring instructors not to teach evolution in the classroom. In its piece titled "Scientists Discover That Evolution is Missing from Arkansas Classrooms," the paper documented this shocking July 2004 exchange between Huckabee and a pupil on "Arkansans Ask," his regular show on the Arkansas Educational Television Network:
STUDENT: Many schools in Arkansas are failing to teach students about evolution according to the educational standards of our state. Since it is against these standards to teach creationism, how would you go about helping our state educate students more sufficiently for this?
HUCKABEE: Are you saying some students are not getting exposure to the various theories of creation?
STUDENT (stunned): No, of evol...well, of evolution specifically. It's a biological study that should be educated [taught], but is generally not.
MODERATOR: Schools are dodging Darwinism? Is that what you...?
STUDENT: Yes.
HUCKABEE: I'm not familiar that they're dodging it. Maybe they are. But I think schools also ought to be fair to all views. Because, frankly, Darwinism is not an established scientific fact. It is a theory of evolution, that's why it's called the theory of evolution. And I think that what I'd be concerned with is that it should be taught as one of the views that's held by people. But it's not the only view that's held. And any time you teach one thing as that it's the only thing, then I think that has a real problem to it.
It's no wonder that Arkansas' schools receive failing grades for science education.
Despite his state's woeful performance, Minister Huckabee is quick to champion his degree from tiny Ouachita Baptist University as uniquely qualifying him for the White House. Apparently, his faith-based presidency would fight the dual threats from Charles Darwin and Osama Bin Laden. In November, Huckabee tried to claim the mantle of the GOP's leading terror fighter, arguing:
"I think I'm stronger than most people because I truly understand the nature of the war that we are in with Islamo fascism. These are people that want to kill us. It's a theocratic war. And I don't know if anybody fully understands that. I'm the only guy on that stage with a theology degree."
And just this week, Huckabee told the audience at the CNN/YouTube debate that he is best positioned to be Minister-in-Chief in addition to Commander-in-Chief:
"Sure. I believe the Bible is exactly what it is. It's the word of revelation to us from God himself...And the fact is that when people ask do we believe all of it, you either believe it or you don't believe it [the Bible]...And as the only person here on the stage with a theology degree, there are parts of it I don't fully comprehend and understand, because the Bible is a revelation of an infinite god, and no finite person is ever going to fully understand it. If they do, their god is too small."
If Jesus Christ is George W. Bush's favorite philosopher, then he must be Mike Huckabee's best friend forever. At this week's debate, Huckabee deflected a question on Jesus' position on the death penalty, announcing to applause from the GOP faithful that "Jesus was too smart to ever run for public office." Of course, ten years ago Huckabee seemed to claim unique insight into Christ's likely support for capital punishment:
"Interestingly enough, if there was ever an occasion for someone to have argued against the death penalty, I think Jesus could have done so on the cross and said, 'This is an unjust punishment and I deserve clemency.'"
And as ThinkProgress reminded American this week, Governor Mike Huckabee believes he has God on his speed dial. Speaking to the 2004 gathering of Republican governors, Huckabee playfully took a cell phone call from God, promising GOP support of His platform while assuming His backing for the Republican Party and President George W. Bush:
"We're behind [Bush], yes, sir, we sure are. Yes, sir, we know you don't take sides in the election. But, if you did, we kind of think you'd hang in there with us, Lord, we really do."
Eight years ago, George W. Bush's dismal record in Texas should have told us everything we needed to know to anticipate his disastrous tenure as President. Now when it comes to the endorsement of pseudo-science and the demolition of the wall between church and state, Texas is again sending the American people a message: beware Mike Huckabee.
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Thanks a lot. That really made my skin crawl.
Posted by Allison on December 2, 2007 9:58 PMif this iidiot some how gets the nod and bcomes the republican candidate, every person on the oposite side needs to get out and vote, we cannot have a nut case like huckabee running the country
Posted by Ex Patriot on December 4, 2007 5:46 AM