PA Gov. Nominee Tells Teen She’s “Young and Naive” After Climate Change Question

Scott Wagner is the Republican state senator from Pennsylvania who’s hoping to unseat Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf this November. And before you find out what he did the other night, you need to know that he’s a climate change denier.

Last year, at a conference for the gas industry, Wagner discussed his desire to drill, baby, drill. He also explained why he wasn’t worried about the consequences.

He also took the stance that climate change is probably happening, though — citing scientifically unsound evidence — he maintained that the US shouldn’t worry too much about emissions.

“I haven’t been in a science class in a long time, but the earth moves closer to the sun every year — you know the rotation of the earth,” Wagner said. “We’re moving closer to the sun.”

He added, “We have more people… you know, humans have warm bodies. So is heat coming off? Things are changing… but I think we are, as a society, doing the best we can.”

… wut?

That word vomit makes as much sense as saying we can combat global warming by making more ice in our freezers and wearing shorts. Forget not having been in a science class in a long time; you have to wonder if this guy even went to school, period.

For the record, the Earth isn’t getting perpetually closer to the Sun. The rotation of the planet isn’t at issue when it comes to climate change. Our body heat isn’t why scientists think the planet’s getting warmer. And we sure as hell aren’t “doing the best we can.”

So on Wednesday, during a town hall session with Wagner, 18-year-old Rose Strauss questioned his belief that climate change has something to do with body heat. She also asked point-blank if his anti-science stance had something to do with the money he’s received from fossil fuel companies. Good questions. And kudos to her for challenging him on this particular issue.

Wagner’s answer wasn’t just a defense of what he said. He threw in plenty of condescension, too.

“You’ve said that climate change is a result of people’s body heat, and are refusing to take action on the issue,” Strauss, a sophomore at UC-Santa Barbara, asked Wagner. “Does this have anything to do with the $200,000 that you have taken from the fossil fuel industry?”

Wagner responds: “Well, I appreciate you being here. You’re 18 years old. You know, you’re a little young and naive, he said.

Got that, adult woman? You’re too dumb to understand science and challenge a Republican.

Wagner then shifted to talking about a local issue, suggesting that a looming existential crisis didn’t matter because HEY, LOOK OVER THERE, IT’S SOME OTHER PROBLEM!

Maybe he doesn’t realize that Young & Naive people can still vote. And as one person said on Twitter, “Better to be young and naive than old and corrupt.”

Strauss, as you can imagine, wasn’t happy with his response:

In a brief interview on Thursday morning, Strauss, of Downingtown, Chester County, said she felt patronized by the former Republican state senator.

“He didn’t have that tone with anyone else who was speaking there,” Strauss said. “I could tell he was being dismissive of me as a woman and a young person.”

He was also being dismissive of her as an intelligent person willing to challenge him on his bullshit.

By the way, Wagner also said in his response, “Are we here to elect a governor or elect a scientist?” That’s an idiotic thing to say. No politician needs to be an expert in every field that may be affected by legislation. But every politician should know who to trust on those issues.

Wagner isn’t a scientist and he doesn’t give a damn what scientists have to say. He’s bad on both ends. That’s why he, just like the two-thirds of Republicans nationwide who reject the reality of climate change, don’t belong in public office.

(Screenshot via YouTube. Thanks to Brian for the link)