Former Ambassador to China and Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman certainly isn’t ingratiating himself with the socially conservative wing of the GOP by embracing evolution and climate change.
Last week, Huntman tweeted: “To be clear. I believe in evolution and trust scientists on global warming. Call me crazy.” And on Monday’s “Fox & Friends,” Huntsman elaborated on that statement and how it connects to his religious beliefs.
“Right — well, I believe in evolution,” Huntsman said. “I think it’s part of God’s plan. I’ve always said and it’s on the record and by the way, I’m running on my record — climate change has an established body of science associated with it. That’s all I’m going to say.”
That led “Fox & Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade to protest Huntsman’s claim that global warming was backed by “an established body of science,” pointing out that there had been some “corruption” that placed the science in doubt:
KILMEADE: And a lot of corruption surrounding it that has a lot of eyebrows up. We’ll look at that real quick.
HUNTSMAN: OK, let’s get serious about the issues of the day. These issues are about –
KILMEADE: Scientists are getting serious –
HUNTSMAN: The issues are about dealing with the debt that we face and about creating jobs. Everything else right now is a side joke.
KILMEADE: That’s true, but we’re not the ones taking grant money and making things up and with scientists and making up results, which hurt the cause in particular.
Kilmeade later asked Huntsman to clarify what he meant by saying that he was open to the possibility of serving as a running mate for Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann, but not for Texas Gov. Rick Perry or former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney:
KILMEADE: But real quick, you would be Michele Bachmann’s running mate but not Rick Perry or Mitt Romney’s?
HUNTSMAN: Listen, all I said – it was in response to a hypothetical question about my commitment to service. I’ve served President Reagan. I’ve served President Bush. I’ve served President Bush. I’ve been elected as governor. I’ve been an ambassador three times. You love your country, you serve her and all I was saying to a hypothetical question was I would serve my country when asked.