Obama declares end to Dark Ages: “It’s time we once again put science at the top of our agenda”

[RedEarth]

via Climate Progress....

Obama declares end to Dark Ages: “It’s time we once again put science at the top of our agenda”
In a landmark radio address today, President-elect Barack Obama announced his powerful science team and the end to Bush’s war on science, saying:

Today, more than ever before, science holds the key to our survival as a planet and our security and prosperity as a nation. It’s time we once again put science at the top of our agenda and worked to restore America’s place as the world leader in science and technology.

Obama again signaled his belief in strong action on global warming — in case that wasn’t incredibly obvious already based on his science picks (see “Obama’s strongest message on climate yet: John Holdren to be named Science Adviser” and “For NOAA head, Obama appoints yet another scientist who gets climate“) or his key technology pick (see “A Nobelist for Energy Secretary who gets both climate and energy efficiency?“) — by unexpectedly repeating a key word in his address:


It’s about listening to what our scientists have to say, even when it’s inconvenient — especially when it’s inconvenient. Because the highest purpose of science is the search for knowledge, truth and a greater understanding of the world around us. That will be my goal as President of the United States — and I could not have a better team to guide me in this work.

Dangerous human-caused global warming may be an inconvenient truth, but it is a scientific truth nonetheless. Politico notes:

Taking a veiled jab at Bush, Obama said the scientific process is about evidence and facts that “are never twisted or obscured by politics or ideology.”


Obama also announced the co-chairs of his Council of Advisors on Science and Technology: Nobel Prize winner Harold Varmus and genomics expert Eric Lander.

Kudos to Obama for offering hope to Americans after eight years of denial and disinformation.

video of address here.......

http://climateprogress.org/2008/12/20/obama-declares-end-to-dark-ages-%e2%80%9cit%e2%80%99s-time-we-once-again-put-science-at-the-top-of-our-agenda/


Obama’s strongest message on climate yet: John Holdren to be named Science Adviser

Science magazine is reporting today that “Strong indications are that President-elect Barack Obama has picked physicist John Holdren to be the president’s science adviser.”

I have known Holdren for over a decade and have discussed energy/climate issues with him many times. He probably has more combined expertise on both climate science and clean energy technology than any other person who could plausibly have been named science adviser. You can see a video of an excellent talk he gave here (along with talks by Chu and me). For a more recent BBC interview, see “The Climate Quote of the Week“.

I would say that if Holdren is named (on Saturday), it is an even stronger signal than the terrific choice of Steven Chu for Energy Secretary that Obama is dead serious about the strongest possible action on global warming. After all, the science adviser works out of the White House and oversees science and technology funding, analysis, and messaging for all federal agencies.

http://climateprogress.org/2008/12/18/obamas-strongest-message-on-climate-yet-john-holdren-to-be-named-science-adviser/

[Fumesucker]

1. Well, he just lost half the population...

The half that doesn't believe in evolution.

I'm not sure if I'm being sarcastic or not here though..

[RedEarth]

7. No, the creationists won't like this a bit.

[n2doc]

28. You know, I really think many will come around

Leadership sets the tone. With someone who believes in provable facts rather than superstitions, I think a lot of Americans will feel like it is safe to believe in reality again. At least, that is my hope.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

2. Amazing. Yet he has a man as HIS PREACHER in the inauguration who ....

1) Tirelessly campaigned to deny civil rights to gays
2) Tirelessly speaks to deny women's rights to their bodies
3) Tirelessly has asked his followers to vote REPUBLICAN

Meanwhile, we, the base, who spent our money, took vacation time to campaign, etc., we are goign to be insulted because, well, Obama intends to keep the homophobe/misogynist Republican as his own personal pal and preacher.

Nice move

[mondo joe]

3. We'll see how long Mr O can try to play (almost) every issue both ways. NT

[Fumesucker]

4. You forgot that Warren also denies evolution..

Which makes him anti-science.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

5. You're right. I forgot. Thanks for reminding me. nt

[NYCGirl]

6. Maybe Lowery (who is also speaking at the inauguration) is HIS PREACHER.

He's speaking at the end of the ceremony, when Obama is President.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

9. I just read in the NY Times that Obama is picking Warren as the... wait, let me find the article....

Damn, I gotta find it. Anyway, he is eyeing Warren as the White House preacher.

As soon as I find it I'll post it. Sorry.

[NYCGirl]

11. Is he going to fly him to DC every weekend? NT

[Sarah Ibarruri]

12. It just was one sentence. nt

[NYCGirl]

14. I'd like to see the link. NT

[Sarah Ibarruri]

19. Someone posted it on here. I've tried to find it. In any case, I'm sure it will surface.

no big deal. Hopefully it won't be true. If it is, I'm saving up my money to fight Obama in 2012.

[Toasterlad]

8. Not To Mention That Obama Openly Denies Same-Sex Marriage Purely on Religious Grounds.

Still it will be VERY nice to see a hard line taken against this Creationism in the schools nonsense...assuming Obama is capable of taking a hard line against anything but gay marriage.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

10. Nice. Well, it's clear he wasn't mentioning that during the campaign or we'd have

Hillary Clinton as president.

[Toasterlad]

13. No, No...He DID Say It During the Campaign.

I JUST saw the exact quote on here somewhere the other day, but I'm too lazy to search for it. In essence, he said that while he "tries" not to let his religious beliefs interfere with his judgement, he is a religious person and that marriage is between a man and a woman, and he honors that tradition.

However, since NONE of the candidates had the balls to come out in favor of same-sex marriage (except Dennis, god bless him), it's not surprising it cost him nothing to say that.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

16. Man, then I wasn't paying attention was I? If I had been my $ and time would've gone to H. Clinton

Not to Obama.

[Toasterlad]

22. I Believe It Was During the Logo Debate.

And while I don't think that Clinton denied it on religious grounds, she did deny it...and used that worn out "let the states decide" buck-shifting gambit, to boot. To me, neither of the two has an acceptable position on same-sex marriage.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

29. In 2012 I will pay much closer attention to the candidates before I put my money and months of time

to get them elected then suffer a shock because the person I thought I elected is partying with homophobes.

[SammyWinstonJack]

25. Nice that Obama lets his religious side decide who should marry and who should not.

:puke: So much for being the president for all Americans. Just more political bullshit, as usual.

[mondo joe]

26. Science and law both play second fiddle.

I'm tired of the Minister In Chief role.

[TZ]

15. Okay..

Let me get this straight. A two minute invocation at a the inaugural outweighs Obama putting SCIENTISTS in his cabinent and having qualified people run his scientific agencies AND giving more money to environmental/disease research.
Sure. Got it. Rick Warren>saving the environment> than actual disease research to save people

Boy, the Right does NOT have the monopoly on warped thinking.
Go ahead and flame me, but as a scientist--I welcome his POLICY changes and don't give a fuck about a two minute inaugural address in the face of things like global warming that really does affect EVERY FUCKING PERSON.

On edit: So since we disapprove of Warren should we have just gone back and let McCain win?

Amazing how now Obama can't do anything right according to many here.

[Fumesucker]

20. Symbols are very important...

It is the unfortunate symbolism of Warren at the inaugural that has so many people upset.

Not to mention that the OP said nothing regarding Warren, you pulled that out of thin air.

Some of us can have more than one idea in our head at the same time.

[Toasterlad]

24. It's Called Putting Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.

If you believe that science is a priority, why would you let a man who believes the Earth was "made" 6,000 years ago speak at your inaguration?

[scarletwoman]

17. If you're declaring the "end to Dark Ages", then ditch the anti-evolution, anti-science, medieval

misogynist bigot conman preacher.

sw

[NWHarkness]

18. That's not very inclusive of him

Shouldn't he make sure the flat earthers are represented as well? After all, he's their president too.

[mondo joe]

21. "And to launch this era of science and reason, this Minister will say magic words!"

:rofl:

[Toasterlad]

23. LOL. So, So True.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

27. I'll believe he means it when he ends the scientific outsourcing.

Not a second before that.

[Kitsune]

30. The Dark Ages will be over when we can elect someone who doesn't oppose equality because of religion

Mind you, he's still a million times better than McCain, and I'm thrilled he has people who know what they're fucking doing running the science end of his administration, but I have to be ashamed of our party and our country when we, in the 21st century, are still using a 4000 year old storybook as an excuse to disenfranchise an entire class of people.