Bloomberg: "Mind boggling" GOP candidates don't believe in science

By: Stephanie Condon
Topics: Campaign 2012

(Credit: Michael Loccisano)

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Thursday let off some steam about the Republican presidential field, complaining that some candidates are skeptical of the science surrounding issues like global warming.

"We have presidential candidates who don't believe in science," Bloomberg said at a Columbia University economic forum, the New York Daily News reports. "I mean, just think about it, can you imagine a company of any size in the world where the CEO said 'oh I don't believe in science' and that person surviving to the end of that day? Are you kidding me? It's mind-boggling!"

The mayor declined to say which specific candidates he was talking about. "I don't know," he said. "You can check the presidential candidates' speeches."

Most of the GOP field has expressed skepticism about the significance of man-made global warming.

"I don't believe global warming is real," Herman Cain told Hotsheet in June. "Do we have climate change? Yes. Is it a crisis, no."

Mitt Romney, who has taken flack for his remarks on the issue, said at a Pittsburgh event last week, "My view is that we don't know what's causing climate change on this planet. And the idea of spending trillions and trillions of dollars to try to reduce CO2 emissions is not the right course for us."

As recently as June, Romney seemed more open to the idea of man-made global warming: "I believe the world is getting warmer, and I believe that humans have contributed to that," he said at a New Hampshire event.

Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman separated himself from the field when he challenged Texas Gov. Rick Perry's global warming skepticism in September, saying the GOP "can't run from science."

Bloomberg himself was often held up as a possible 2012 candidate, but the Republican-turned-independent governor insisted last year that he could never win as a third-party candidate.

Stephanie Condon
Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
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by stn_sage November 4, 2011 5:36 PM EDT

The article isn't specific enough.
If Bloomberg is a supporter of Al Gore's fake science views,
that human breathing, cow gas, and auto exhaust
is causing massive planet warming,
and the top GOP candidates DON'T believe that,
then, I'd say, THEY are correct, and Bloomberg is wrong!
If, it's the other way around, I'd say, Bloomberg
is correct, and the candidates are wrong!
But, again, the article isn't clear enough on this point.

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by sleepership November 5, 2011 7:42 AM EDT: Why bring up Al Gore? he is merely a messenger for the climate scientists- and that science is becoming more refined and exact every day with data, observationds, and hard facts.

Bloomerberg is sophisticated enough to read and understand the science- the rest of the AGOP T party will learn to late what true perils we are facing.

by tsigili November 4, 2011 3:55 PM EDT

Not any more so, than the Democrats idea that people don't have to earn their own way in the world.

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by sleepership November 5, 2011 7:42 AM EDT: like the 1% have 'earned' their way?


by ruffiannd November 4, 2011 3:47 PM EDT: ...and thus are the morons that make up the modern GOP. This is no joke. These C students, drunken frat boys, and history flunk-outs genuinely that feel they're qualified to rule the country. No thanks.; Reply to this comment


by wfw3536 November 4, 2011 3:32 PM EDT: And this is the guy who couldn't even figure out how to clean up the city after a snow storm.; Reply to this comment


by AmericasConscious November 4, 2011 3:29 PM EDT: Bloomberg is a Buffoon RINO that should go join up with his fellow left wing chicken littles who are into junk science like he is.
The closet Democrat had to use his own money to by himself his mayors job.; Reply to this comment


by bcamarda November 4, 2011 12:42 PM EDT: It's even worse than that.

Imagine you're, say, the CEO of IBM. Someone from your European division brings you a solution to one of your toughest problems. You start yelling at them about "American exceptionalism" and how you don't want someone turning your company into Europe. Or you're being briefed about some foreign corporate leader and you start mocking their company's name, Then, you say, 'how will knowing that company's name help me earn a single dollar?"

You wouldn't last the day,. They'd think you were an idiot. And they'd be right. We wouldn't tolerate that in a business leader - only in a Republican candidate for President of the United States.; Reply to this comment


by 2happy2ride November 4, 2011 10:24 AM EDT: This guy has people disrupting and interrupting with taxpaying businesses, people pooping in the streets, pounding on trash cans, trashing the streets with garbage, having sex on vehicles and he wants to lecture others on a theoretical scientific claim?
What is this guy on?
I refuse to continue my regular visits to NY while this small mind is mayor.; Reply to this comment