Science from potential presidents...

September 15, 2008 2:09 PM

Its no science fair, but at least I know how they represent themselves on these issues.What I'm REALLY waiting for is the mathlete competition, and the history bowl.
posted by hal_c_on (30 comments total)

An excellent resource, thank you.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 2:18 PM on September 15, 2008

You know I really think they should have included Elizabeth May in here now that she's being included in the debates.

Oh, wait, are you guys having an election too?
posted by GuyZero at 2:20 PM on September 15, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Wow. This is a great format and resource. Forwarding it to many people right now. Thanks for posting!

(Makes popcorn for Mathlete competition)
posted by Heretic at 2:21 PM on September 15, 2008

From McCain:

Under my guiding hand, Congress developed a wireless spectrum policy that spurred the rapid rise of mobile phones and Wi-Fi technology that enables Americans to surf the web while sitting at a coffee shop, airport lounge, or public park.

You have got to be mother-fucking-kidding me. Dude is taking credit for the 2.4 GHz ISM band. Which was a FCC decision. Jesus H Christ in a chicken basket.
posted by GuyZero at 2:23 PM on September 15, 2008 [8 favorites has favorites]

The link doesn't work for me.
posted by elwoodwiles at 2:27 PM on September 15, 2008

Lots of "cannot fetch" warnings on that page at the moment.
posted by yhbc at 2:30 PM on September 15, 2008

"Error establishing a database connection"

Yay, irony!
posted by Thorzdad at 2:35 PM on September 15, 2008

No questions to McCain about his party's and Palin's support of instituting creationism and other Bible study programs in public school science education. What a cop out.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:36 PM on September 15, 2008

Thank you very much for posting this! This has been a project that we've been working on since April, so having McCain and Obama answer is great news for us.

Our server has had a hell of a day, since we got /.ed this morning. But you can also see the answers at Science Debate 2008.

However, once our site is back up (soon), I really urge you to visit the rest of the site as well, we will be streaming a candidate forum with surrogates for McCain and Obama on health policy Thursday. we sent a shorter version of the questionnaire to all the Congressional candidates (you know, the people who are going to actually be writing the legislation).
posted by thebestsophist at 2:39 PM on September 15, 2008

From McCain:

Under my guiding hand, Congress developed a wireless spectrum policy that spurred the rapid rise of mobile phones and Wi-Fi technology that enables Americans to surf the web while sitting at a coffee shop, airport lounge, or public park.

You have got to be mother-fucking-kidding me. Dude is taking credit for the 2.4 GHz ISM band. Which was a FCC decision. Jesus H Christ in a chicken basket.

Yes. Al Gore invented the internet, but it took John McCain to bring it to the masses, Prometheus-like, without wires or restrictions. Can we do anything less than elect him to the presidency in gratitude?
posted by JDHarper at 2:43 PM on September 15, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Under my guiding hand, Congress developed a wireless spectrum policy that spurred the rapid rise of mobile phones and Wi-Fi technology that enables Americans to surf the web while sitting at a coffee shop, airport lounge, or public park.

No, you've got it wrong. JOHN MCCAIN IS CLAIMING TO BE THE INVISIBLE HAND OF THE MARKET. He will save us all. An iron fist in a silver glove on a plate of beans. That is all.
posted by blue_beetle at 2:54 PM on September 15, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

So is this actually a double (or followup) of this or is it something completely new?
posted by cimbrog at 3:00 PM on September 15, 2008

From McCain:

While I support federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, I believe clear lines should be drawn that reflect a refusal to sacrifice moral values and ethical principles for the sake of scientific progress. Moreover, I believe that recent scientific breakthroughs raise the hope that one day this debate will be rendered academic.

Actually, the Republicans have been rendering academics for years.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 3:23 PM on September 15, 2008 [5 favorites has favorites]

Under my guiding hand, Congress developed a wireless spectrum policy that spurred the rapid rise of mobile phones and Wi-Fi technology that enables Americans to surf the web while sitting at a coffee shop, airport lounge, or public park.

Translation: It allows Americans to get that "mom's basement" experience, but in the fresh air!
posted by turgid dahlia at 3:28 PM on September 15, 2008

So is this actually a double (or followup) of this or is it something completely new?

Double. To a still open thread.
posted by Artw at 3:43 PM on September 15, 2008

Actually, the Republicans have been rendering academics for years.

Soylent Green--it's tenured!
posted by Sidhedevil at 3:43 PM on September 15, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

JOHN MCCAIN IS CLAIMING TO BE THE INVISIBLE HAND OF THE MARKET.

I like how the first answer is all "the market, the market, the market", and then he's all "whoa, genetics, needs heavy regulation!".

Does that Mars program only get mentioned in during elections?
posted by Artw at 3:44 PM on September 15, 2008

Men are from Mars, Women are from Wasilla.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 3:52 PM on September 15, 2008

Under my guiding hand, Congress developed a wireless spectrum policy that spurred the rapid rise of mobile phones and Wi-Fi technology that enables Americans to surf the web while sitting at a coffee shop, airport lounge, or public park.

Waiting breathlessly for an endless stream of "John McCain invented Wi-Fi!" gags.
posted by escabeche at 3:57 PM on September 15, 2008

Don't forget that he enabled the "rapid rise of cellular phones". I think the US has the lowest rate of cellular adoption of any first-world country. Dude should check what he brags about.
posted by GuyZero at 4:01 PM on September 15, 2008

He invented the iPhone.
posted by Artw at 4:04 PM on September 15, 2008

He invented the iPhone.

Goes a long way to explaining Metafilter's hatred of iPhone users, then.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 4:12 PM on September 15, 2008

Don't forget that he enabled the "rapid rise of cellular phones"

Incidentally, I know I am not the only UK/European to be utterly gobsmacked how backwards the US mobile phone market was when I got over here. For some reason, I thought the high otherwise level of technology you lot get so much cheaper than UK/Euro markets meant you had some snazzy shit. Other than the iPhone? They're mostly shit and/or hideously expensive to get hold of.

I was amazed to see that, to be honest. I thought I'd see much more choice and snazzy features. It's completely at odds with the otherwise excellent consumer electronics areas in terms of choice and cost effectiveness.
posted by Brockles at 4:13 PM on September 15, 2008

{The lameness of US cellphone choices and services is} completely at odds with the otherwise excellent consumer electronics areas in terms of choice and cost effectiveness.

Because of overinvolved meddling from the government via the FCC on behalf of big telecom firms with big lobbying.

Seriously, for McCain to be bragging about the US cellphone system when he's been an active part of the problem for years is some kind of superatomic hubris.
posted by Sidhedevil at 4:18 PM on September 15, 2008

Whoa whoa whoa, you doubters. McCain invented the electromagnetic spectrum 3 years before James Maxwell was even born.
posted by DU at 4:23 PM on September 15, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

Well, he had to do something in the long lonely hours while he was laying the first transatlantic telegraph cable.
posted by Artw at 4:27 PM on September 15, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

...the long lonely hours while he was laying the first transatlantic telegraph cable.

But then he divorced his first transatlantic telegraph cable and married the cute, young, rich transatlantic telePHONE cable.
posted by DU at 4:35 PM on September 15, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Don't forget the long and lonely years McCain was a prisoner to the land line.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 5:33 PM on September 15, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Don't forget the long and lonely years McCain was a prisoner to the land line.

65 AND A HALF YEARS!
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:41 PM on September 15, 2008

Um, great..........no.

Great resource if you want to know what the flacks think that their employer should say in order to get elected.

Here is where they stand.

Otherwise just talking points.
posted by vapidave at 5:42 PM on September 15, 2008