61 Nobel Laureates in Science Endorse Obama

[LongTomH]

This is the largest number of Nobel Laureates ever to endorse any candidate. Their press release and original letter are here:

his year’s presidential election is among the most significant in our nation’s history. The country urgently needs a visionary leader who can ensure the future of our traditional strengths in science and technology and who can harness those strengths to address many of our greatest problems: energy, disease, climate change, security, and economic competitiveness.

We are convinced that Senator Barack Obama is such a leader, and we urge you to join us in supporting him.

During the administration of George W. Bush, vital parts of our country’s scientific enterprise have been damaged by stagnant or declining federal support. The government’s scientific advisory process has been distorted by political considerations. As a result, our once dominant position in the scientific world has been shaken and our prosperity has been placed at risk. We have lost time critical for the development of new ways to provide energy, treat disease, reverse climate change, strengthen our security, and improve our economy.

We have watched Senator Obama’s approach to these issues with admiration. We especially applaud his emphasis during the campaign on the power of science and technology to enhance our nation’s competitiveness. In particular, we support the measures he plans to take – through new initiatives in education and training, expanded research funding, an unbiased process for obtaining scientific advice, and an appropriate balance of basic and applied research – to meet the nation’s and the world’s most urgent needs.

This support is largely due to Sen. Obama's answers to the Science Debate 2008 questionnaire. Obama has also released a detailed plan for science policy and the names of some of his science advisers.

Of course, the fact he is running against a team including a creationist and global warming denier may have also played a role.

There's discussion of this endorsement at The Scientific Activist website and Phil Platt's Bad Astronomy site.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

1. Eliteists!

[Jackpine Radical]

2. Uh-oh. The kiss of death.

The intellectuals like him.

How many of these people do you think realize that dinosaurs and humans walked the earth at the same time?

[kenny blankenship]

3. NERDS! What have eggheads ever done fer western civilization?

What they ever done to pertect the sanctitty of marriage between a man and maybe several womans?

[pinto]

4. kick

:kick:

[Coexist]

5. K & R!