Pawlenty advocates for giving creationism equal time to evolution in science classes

Pawlenty tries to defend Sarah Palin's extremist views on teaching creationism alongside evolution. He doesn't do a very good job defending Palin overall, and twice refers to her as "Senator Palin." What a tool.

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000002942823

BROKAW: OK.

In the governor’s race, she refused to be specific about her views on creationism vs. evolution, but as I understand it, she did say that she thought that the two subjects should be taught side by side in public schools.

Do you think that’s a good idea?

PAWLENTY: I saw her comments on it yesterday, and I thought they were appropriate, which is, you know, let’s -- if there are competing theories, and they are credible, her view of it was, according to comments in the newspaper, allow them all to be presented, or allow them both to be presented so students could be exposed to both, and -- or more, and have a chance to be exposed to the -- to the various theories and make up their own minds. BROKAW: In the vast scientific community, do you think that creationism has the same weight as evolution? And at a time in American education when we are in a crisis when it comes to science, that there ought to be parallel tracks for creationism vs. evolution in the teaching?

PAWLENTY: In the scientific community, it seems like intelligent design is dismissed. Not entirely, there are a lot of scientists who would make the case that it is appropriate to be taught and appropriate to be demonstrated. But in terms of the curriculum in the schools, in Minnesota we’ve taken the approach that that’s a local decision. But I know Senator Palin -- or Governor Palin has said intelligent design is something she thinks should be taught along with evolution in the schools, and I think that’s appropriate from my standpoint.

BROKAW: Given, given...

PAWLENTY: But I believe -- my personal view is that’s a local decision...

BROKAW: Given equal weight.

PAWLENTY: ... at the local school board.

BROKAW: And you would recommend it be given equal weight.

PAWLENTY: We’ve said in Minnesota, in my view this is a local decision. Intelligent design is something that, in my view, is a plausible and credible and something that I personally believe in. But more importantly, from an educational and scientific standpoint, it should be decided by local school boards, by -- at the local school district level.

Even though McCain kicked him right in the 'nads by choosing an even less qualified and more fundily berserk running mate, he still goes on the teevee and pimps for the party. Sad.

Sadly he has support for this in many rural districts across the state. :(