Invites go out for Science Debate

Posted: Monday, February 11, 2008 2:30 PM by Alan Boyle

The four top presidential candidates - Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for the Democrats, Mike Huckabee and John McCain for the Republicans - have been invited to discuss science and technology issues at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia on April 18, according to the organizers of Science Debate 2008. If the event actually occurs, it would take place four days before Pennsylvania's presidential primary.

The effort to put science and technology in the campaign spotlight has some high-powered boosters - most recently Intel Chairman Craig Barrett, who said in a statement today that "the future economic success of the United States depends on outperforming the competition with smart people and smart ideas."

However, it's debatable whether the event will actually get off the ground. The candidates have to calculate the risks vs. benefits of discussing science - particularly in mid-April, when the nomination may (or, admittedly, may not) be decided.

There's not yet been any word from any of the campaigns about whether anyone has accepted the invitation. The Science Debate organizers say they'd go ahead with the "debate" even if just one candidate showed up. By the way, GOP hopeful Ron Paul hasn't been invited because his support hasn't risen to the 15 percent level.

Check out this report from Business Week for more about Science Debate 2008, and click into msnbc.com's Politics section for the latest on the campaign. If I hear anything new about the status of the RSVPs, I'll update this item.

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Comments

Contact all 4 candidates and demand that they participate in this event. I have a quick way to email, fax, give a phone call to, and find out where all 4 candidates are right now at www.actionforspace.com

If they get the feel that the voting public wants this, then they are more likely to participate!

www.actionforspace.com (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 3:20 PM)

msnbc has a powerful voice... Mr. Boyle, maybe you can contact the campaigns and ask their stance on this debate? If they say hey don't want to stand in a room of the the best, brightest, and most educated in ths country... ask they why? The spotlight of American news outlets is strong... shine some light and lets motivate these candidates to step up to the plate.
Science and innovations are the foundations to tomorrows jobs... `I think we deserve a President who is concerned about the future of our economy, not just putting a "band-aid" on our current one.

Edward Strong, Ithaca, NY (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 3:35 PM)

Cute reason for excluding Ron Paul. In many polls including Real Politics, polls are not including Ron Paul in their state polls. It is kind of hard to have accurate polls when a candidate is not included in a poll. Polls indicated Ron Paul only had 5%to 6% support in Minnesota. Ron collected 16% of the state straw poll vote last Tuesday and a far greater % of the delegates. Good luck excluding the most educated economic and science presidential candidate for your debate.

tim, minneapolis, minnesota (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 3:44 PM)

This is pretty hilarious. You are inviting Mike Huckabee and John McCain to a Science Debate? And excluding the only Republican candidate with any scientific training, Dr. Ron Paul, a medical doctor?

Stan, Reeds Spring, MO (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 3:58 PM)

"By the way, GOP hopeful Ron Paul hasn't been invited because his support hasn't risen to the 15 percent level."

Of course this ignores the fact he just mustered 20% of the vote in Washington. But the decision is in line with big media's decision made before the NH primary to ignore, marginalize, and smear Ron Paul. These tactics have been very successful.

The only question is why do you even mention him in the article? My guess is that you do this so you can attract more people to your otherwise unremarkable website and biased reporting. I am totally disillusioned with the "Main Stream Media".

John Soppes, Springfield, MA (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 5:31 PM)

I would hope the debate helps in testing the candidates' knowledge about the issues listed below and also helps in educating the public on those issues through that forum. The issues could be rated based on the need of the hour:

1. Testing the candidates about how science is done (related how theories are put forth, validated and accepted as knowledge and the self correcting mechanisms that exist in science in the form of peer-review, transparency and others)

2. Long term Benefits of supporting and doing science irrespective of the lack of instant gratification from the dollars spent

3. Why the society needs free thinking and uncensored scientists and professors in the universities and policy making governmental agencies while teachers have to be constrained in the knowledge dissipated to kids

4. Importance of Science education in all levels (schools to universities)

5. Ill effects of censoring facts, drastic funding cuts on science and technology (which propagates through the system resulting in lesser innovations and consequently limiting industrial development), improper science education, making public policies based on ill-adviced and politically biased selection of a subset of scientific views

Nishanth M, Dallas, TX (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 6:41 PM)

Ron Paul is a Candidate, there were 11 and now there are 3. You people think you get to pick our next President, the jig will be up soon enough. You'll all be in a bread line.

LK, Sheridan, Wy (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 9:22 PM)

Another mark on the name MSNBC...

In the words of V:

"Who's to blame? Well certainly there are those who are more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable." - V

I will applaud the day that truth will finally trump the old corrupt media!

Jon B (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 9:31 PM)

DONT EXCLUDE RON PAUL AGAIN!!!! CMON ALREADY ... HE NEVER DROPPED OUT AND THE MEDIA FAKED HIS DROPOUT

THERE ARE 5 PEOPLE LEFT IN THE RACE AND YOUR GOING TO EXCLUDE A MAJOR CONTENDER WHO RAISED MORE MONEY THAN ANY CANDIDATE LAST QUARTER

INVITE RON PAUL!!!!! HE IS STILL IN THE RACE WHETHER YOU IGNORE HIM OR NOT!!!!

fabian, brooklyn, new york (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 9:34 PM)

please look at the numbers from the latest caucus in Washington. Ron Paul is above the Magic 15 percent level now that Romney has dropped out.

if you want someone who is intelligent and can understand and talk about complex issues, invite Dr. Paul. the other candidates are all going to agree about the issues and only debate that each of them is going to do more than the others. Dr. Paul will probably actually want to discuss the actual issues of science that need to be talked about. What are you afraid of?

Andy Arett, Los Angeles, CA (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 9:44 PM)

How did Ron Paul do in your state of Washington? We know and you know but you won't tell us.

Ron Paul won Washington. He got the most delegates. You'll find out that fact in May when the state actually decides on the delegates to the convention.

Invite Ron Paul to your debate or expect a huge outcry and large protests. And expect to look silly when the truth comes out.

John Doe, Seattle, Wash. (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 9:47 PM)

it is sad when you need calculate the risk of discussing science. people need to pull the heads out of the sand and realize that science is our future.

chris,lakewood,colorado (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 9:51 PM)

You should invite Ron Paul... BTW, Huckabee just made the cutoff, he has 17% delegates, otherwise, it would be McCain vs. McCain... You know, since this is a democracy and Philadelphia was the birth of our freedom, we should just have McCain in the debate. We fought so hard to get rid of a King, and now the media is getting the coronation ready for McCain. BTW, just because Ron Paul is the constitution candidate it is so fitting that he is denied appearing at the debate in Philadelphia. You mainstream media folks are showing how much our freedom has deteriated (and you call yourselves journalists...)

Thomas, Leander, TX (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 9:52 PM)

Come on now, ron paul did over 15% on the last 3 states! What are you guys talking about! This is just another MSM blackout of Ron Paul.

Brent, Bothell, WA (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 9:56 PM)

You need to invite Ron Paul! He is not a "top" candidate because he doesn't get the hours on top of hours of exposure in the media. Why is the media always afraid to invite him? His polling numbers are going up, which is a good sign. Media censorship in political coverage is absolutley unexceptable. He does have the most money, while '100 year' McCain and Huckabee are going for broke. They must not be too conservative.

Ryan Gaba, New Lenox, IL (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 9:57 PM)

Apparently, intelligence isn't one of the requirements for an Presidential Debate.

Where's Ron Paul going to be sitting or standing!

Brad Kilby (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 10:11 PM)

Excluding Ron paul for not cracking 15% based on whatever is a cheap shot. Based on national on the ground support, money raised, longevity, etc., etc. his voice deserves to be heard. Do NOT exclude him and alienate all of us out here following his campaign. If you can have 4, you can readily have 5! Don't be ridiculous-include Ron Paul.

Jeff Kanter, Cleveland, OH (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 10:18 PM)

While I understand there's a cut off point for candidate invites, I have to disagree with your decision to leave Ron Paul out of the primary.

As much as I hate CNN, they did an interesting delegate prediction for all the states. McCain ended up winning the nomination by just 13 delegates.

I think it's very poor judgment to exclude a candidate who has many second place popular vote finishes, a first in delegate count, and a chance to create a brokered convention.

Please reconsider this choice. Even while Ron Paul gets virtually no media coverage, his support is growing. If only the media realized their self-fulfilling prophecies when they leave candidates out because their percent levels are too low...

Josh Matz, Rowlett, TX (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 10:26 PM)

Maybe if Ron Paul gets invited he can rise above 15%?

John Doe, Seattle, Wash (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 10:30 PM)

this is for alan boyle...please don't discredit the boyle name by not including ron paul in your debate.i take offense to it. signed harry d boyle

Harry D Boyle Trenton Mo (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 11:37 PM)

Ron Paul is on every ballot. He's been in every debate. He's received multi-state delegates. You better include Ron Paul. It just seems un-American not to. It almost seems criminal?

Jim Dandy (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 11:45 PM)

I would say more then 15% of the debate watchers are Ron Paul fans... But hey, you guys aren't really doing this so that people will actually watch it, are you? Or that people get to see how every candidate still in the race answers? Nah.

No Ron Paul, no watching from this fan, you can keep your crummy debate with a bunch of no answering, question dodging, lying politicians. I will be busy supporting the only true conservative Statesman STILL in the race, with not only my time but more money. Hope you go BK treating your readership the way you have ;)

Kyle Munkittrick, Fort Worth, Texas (Sent Monday, February 11, 2008 11:53 PM)

Yeah -- well, the reason WHY Ron Paul hasn't 'supposedly ' risen about 15% is because of the North Korea-esque MSM blackout. And because of that teensy tiny little problem with our elections known as VOTE FRAUD!

Jason Spring TX (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 5:01 AM)

I am very happy to investigate related to cosmics.Thank you sir

Rajesh.D INDIA KARNATAKA (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 5:37 AM)

I wouldn't hold my breath on this debate taking place. You would have Barack Obama VS. the top three republican candidates (John, Mike and Hillary). Less is more for some issues before the nomination is confirmed.

JD, Port St Lucie, Florida (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 8:21 AM)

I am very interested about this. However, I am not sure that the candidates will not accept because it is in my opinion that science and polotics should not intervene, for the sake of further nonesense about people attacking eachother for their ideas and beliefs. The candidates need to be more focused on their campains and what they say at this "convention" will reflect and will benifit their campains or distroy their image and made them cast aside from the presidential race.

Tyler, Granite Falls, Washington (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 11:23 AM)

I seriously doubt Huckabee would show up. The last thing his campaign needs right now is to spotlight his views on evolution vs. creation.

Howard, Sacramento CA (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 11:50 AM)

When Ron Paul reaches 15% you will raise the requirements to 20%. You should make the requirements for the Science Debate be you have to 15% and you have to be a woman.

arnie (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 12:44 PM)

Its a joke if its not a conspiracy! The people love Dr. Paul, but the media invents whatever excuse necessary to control the masses by withholding appropriate information!

Tobias, LA, California (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 3:12 PM)

You've got to be kidding me! Has science become too controversial for presidential candidates to debate? (See the third paragraph.) This country is headed for the trash can of history with this kind of attitude.

Brian Smith, Spearfish, South Dakota (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 5:18 PM)

There are 5 presidential candidates on the Pennsylvania ballot.
http://www.dos.state.pa.us/bcel/lib/bcel/elections/petition_filers.pdf

The four mentioned and Dr. Ron Paul. He is not simply a career politician - but a medical doctor - Doing a "science" debate with out the closest thing there is to a scientist amoung the candidates is hollow...

Tom Martin (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 12:27 AM)

Without Ron Paul this debate must be a comedy. McCain and Democrats believe in man made global warming. Ha Ha. "Give me your wallets!" This empire may be more honest than "Lend me your ears."

Ed Gluck, Terre Haute, Indiana (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 4:05 PM)

When Presidential candidates are talking about issues only not smear tactics

It is time that a responsible candidate talk about what he/she can do for the country, what can be accomplished. How can he/she improve our country to benefit its citizens?
How to improve the economy, how to overcome Washington’s political shenanigans and pass/enforce some laws and statutes that benefit the citizens as a whole instead of special interest groups.

Defaming and degrading the opposing candidate does not promote more votes but voter apathy. Showing the public what you plan to accomplish and how you plan to accomplish it is the theme – and once in office pursue those promises.

Any candidate who promises to accomplish his promises while in office and those promises were not accomplished, must resign from office for a better man.

We are a great nation with great people – we can do better than what has been done.
We have the knowledge, technology, resources and manpower – let us utilize it as a unified nation.

The American public is sick and tired of promises they say talk is cheap “show me – and I will believe”.

Jay Draiman

Jay Draiman (Sent Friday, February 22, 2008 2:08 AM)

Wait, you are excluding the one candidate with a doctorate [Paul] from the science debate, and inviting a guy who thinks the earth is 6,000 years old [Huckabee]? Come on.

Robert, Buffalo, NY (Sent Monday, February 25, 2008 6:52 PM)

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