Brain worms?
by Tom Sullivan
As U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry negotiated the Paris climate accord and signed on behalf of the United States in 2016. As a witness before a House Oversight Committee hearing on “The Need for Leadership to Combat Climate Change and Protect National Security” on Tuesday, Kerry faced questioning of his climate expertise by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.). Massie has degrees in electrical and mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Massie and holds several patents and lives off the grid in easttern Kentucky in a solar-powered home. He drives a Tesla.
"No one should ever confuse me with a partisan; I'm clearly an ideologue," Massie told BuzzFeed.
But Kerry recently criticized the GOP's cult leader over a proposal to create an ad hoc committee to debunk the scientific consensus on climate change. As an informal committee, the group would not be subject to ordinary public disclosure. Donald Trump prefers naming "acting" cabinet secretaries as well. Like ad hoc committees, they give him "more flexibility" and avoid the scrutiny of Senate confirmation hearings.
So on Tuesday, Massie the not-partisan ideologue was ready to pounce. Rolling Stone's Tim Dickinson provided a transcript:
Massie: Sec. Kerry, I want to read part of your statement back to you: “Instead of convening a kangaroo court, the president might want to talk with the educated adults he once trusted his top national security positions.” It sounds like you’re questioning the credentials of the president’s advisers, currently. But I think we should question your credentials today. Isn’t it true you have a science degree from Yale?
Kerry: Bachelor of arts degree.
Massie: Is it a political science degree?
Kerry: Yes, political science.
Massie: So how do you get a bachelor of arts, in a science?
Kerry: Well it’s a liberal arts education and degree. It’s a bachelor…
Massie: OK. So it’s not really science. So I think it’s somewhat appropriate that someone with a pseudo-science degree is here pushing pseudo-science in front of our committee today.
Kerry: Are you serious?! I mean this is really a serious happening here?
Massie: You know what? It is serious. You’re calling the president’s Cabinet a “kangaroo court.” Is that serious?
Kerry: I’m not calling his Cabinet a kangaroo court, I’m calling this committee that he’s putting together a kangaroo committee.
Massie: Are you saying it doesn’t have educated adults now?
Kerry: I don’t know who it has yet because it’s secret.
Massie: Well you said it in your testimony.
Kerry: Why would he have to have a secret analysis of climate change?
Massie: Let’s get back to the science of it.
Kerry: But it’s not science, you’re not quoting science!
Massie: Well, You’re the science expert. You have the political science degree.
Watch this for your morning laugh. @RepThomasMassie is apparently serious but this is the dumbest line of questioning in committee this year, and that’s hard to do. pic.twitter.com/QIuaPuzCbA
— Bakari Sellers (@Bakari_Sellers) April 10, 2019