Just like Don Ameche…

Both presidential candidates have now issued answers to a series of questions about science policy, Senator Barack Obama having done so in late August and Senator John McCain on Monday.

Their responses show clear areas of agreement on such apple-pie issues as ocean health, as well as sharp contrasts, as when Mr. Obama stresses the role of government and Mr. McCain that of business in addressing some of the nation’s main challenges.

The newspaper article has a digest of their answers, as posted by Science Debate 2008. The private group, in an effort endorsed by leading scientific organizations, has worked since November to get candidates to articulate positions on science policy. The full answers are at www.sciencedebate2008.com.

Give yourself time to “expand” the political shorthand. I had the most fun learning that – just as Al Gore “invented” the Internet – it seems that John McCain invented cellphones and wifi.

Mr. McCain…said Congress, “under my guiding hand,” adopted wireless policies that “spurred the rapid rise of mobile phones and WiFi technology.”

Whoda thunk it?




  1. Improbus says:

    I think he also invented fire, the wheel and the buggy whip.

  2. Breetai says:

    Not quite. I aint voting for the goon but he didn’t say he invented it he said he got congress to use it.

  3. bobbo says:

    I think that is perfectly appropriate. By the same reasoning, we know who is responsible for the Sub-Prime Meltdown==the guy who stopped liberal reforms in the wake of Enron because “the economy is basically strong.”

    Knock, knock. Could he be any more inept?

  4. Springheel Jack says:

    Well, Al Gore invented the Internet so McCain is just an Al wannabe.

  5. Improbus says:

    Wow, you must not think much of McCain if you are comparing him unfavorably to washed up ‘ol Al.

  6. Improbus says:

    @James Hill

    Have you ever considered replacing yourself with an automated script? Just in the name of efficiency mind you.

  7. Awake says:

    James Hill –
    Liberals might fail at humor, but conservatives seem to fail at EVERYTHING else…

    And yes, we liberals laugh at Sarah Palin, because the other alternative is to despair for the future of America under the governance of people like her.

    Srah Palin was selected because she is the ideal neo-con candidate… a repeat of George Bush… a nice person to be around, but without a mind of their own and easy to manipulate. She is being taught today what to say, by EXACTLY the same people that indoctrinated Bush eight years ago.

    The Republican ticket: Palin-(what’s his name?)… four more years of destroying American values.

  8. Bob says:

    He is responsible in the way Al Gore is responsible for the internet in that he guided legislation to enact these initiatives. He is also on the front lines for the push to digital TV to free up analog frequencies for emergency and police communications.

  9. chuck says:

    #1 – wow, if McCain invented fire and the wheel he must be some kind of super-immortal-genius.

    I, for one, welcome our new super-immortal-genius overlord.

  10. B. Dog says:

    I think that Al Gore lost the presidency because of the “I invented the Internet” smear.
    Somebody on his campaign staff shoulda nipped that mess in the bud if they were really trying to win, which I doubt.

  11. god says:

    Tee hee.

  12. JimD says:

    I thought John invented the STONE WHEEL and the HOLLOW LOG DRUM – Precursor of the Cell Phone !!!

  13. Matt Garrett says:

    He’s not saying he invented them. He’s saying that he pushed for Congress to adopt the standard. HUGE difference.

  14. Brendal says:

    BTW, Al Gore invented the information superhighway…not the Internet.

  15. What is this about says:

    Al Gore said the EXACT precise same thing (he supported legislation that helped establish the internet) and the nutball EVER lying Republicans claimed Al Gore said he invented the internet and ran on that as a campaign theme to show how he lies and exaggerates. Are you ever lying Republicans NOW claiming this does not apply to McBush? He can claim HIS legislation spurred mobile phones and WiFi…and that’s different how?
    LOL Republicans can’t do ANYTHING but lie lie lie. Pathetic.

  16. scumola says:

    Isn’t McCain just saying here that he took money from the telcom companies to push the wireless standards through Congress?

  17. god says:

    Very good, Eideard. The quip is taking off nicely around the Web. Nutballs will have to crank up their whines.

  18. god says:

    Just noticed no one got the Don Ameche allusion, eh? I would have expected at least Uncle Dave as the resident movie nut, by now.

  19. grog says:

    #5, #13 #21

    sorry kids, we had to put up with ‘al gore invented the internet’

    now it’s your turn, sucks to be misquoted doesn’t it?

    suck it up ya big babies.

  20. RBG says:

    The trouble is these things kind of lose their punch the second time around, especially when you don’t have much of an ambiguous quote to work with. I say stay with the pig & lipstick thing.

    RBG

  21. noname says:

    John McCain is so lying.

    I invented the cell-phones and wifi. I invented them when I was inventing the INTERNET.

    Brilliant and game changing ideas just come to me when I am on the throne wearing my tin foil hat (keeps all those pesky radio waves and voices out) and reading Dvorak Uncensored.

    So, you see, John McCain is obviously lying. Eideard thanks for realizing these McCain falsehood and posting them.

    We all know, who should get the credit and it ain’t Al Gore.

  22. MikeN says:

    Al Gore came to Congress after the internet was invented. Beyond saying this internet thing is great!, what did he do to actually make things happen? Into the early 90s the internet was mostly just a college thing with various ISP running their own thing. After he was out of Congress and serving as Veep, things took off. What did Gore do to deserve any credit?

    I can see where McCain might deserve a little credit for eliminating a govt restriction on frequencies (haven’t seen any proof), but see nothing where Gore deserves more credit than fellow tech-phile Gingrich.

  23. gmknobl says:

    Let’s see, Al Gore never said he invented the internet but instead, this was a saying invented by repugs to put on him. McCain does make things up as he goes along and gets away with it and Obama actually thinks but has words put in his mouth by others, not to mention outright lies told about what his will do (raise taxes – no, unless you’re in the richest 1%, you know, like the heads of L Bros or AIG, for 99% it drops!; sex ed for kindergarteners – bold face lie).

    Hmmm… Do you think the media might be working in lockstep with republifascists? Yep.

    Maybe it does take a history degree to see truth here. Or maybe greed helps make you rich and a bad person simultaneously.


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