Politics

Bobby Jindal: President Obama Is A ‘Science Denier’

Alex Pappas Political Reporter
Font Size:

WASHINGTON — Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal referred to President Obama and his administration as “science deniers” on Tuesday.

Over lunch with a handful of reporters, the possible Republican candidate for president said: “We now face an administration that is composed and comprised of science deniers, when you look at their approach to science and the environment.”

“You look at an administration that is holding our economy hostage to their radical views,” Jindal said. “It really is an article of religious faith amongst this administration. It’s tantamount to religious faith the way they approach these questions of policy.”

Asked to specifically detail what makes Obama a science denier, Jindal first listed the administration’s stance on approving the Keystone Pipeline.

“For five years, they’ve said they’re studying this,” Jindal said. “Their own state department says it’ll have no discernible environmental impact.”

The governor also took aim at the Obama’s administration’s attempts to regulate CO2 emissions.

“When you look at the EPA policies, again, even if you accept the premise behind their attempts to regulate CO2 emissions from power plants, not even the EPA’s regional office can explain how they came up with their numbers,” he said.

Jindal also said the result of shifting energy intensive industries overseas makes little sense.

“The idea that unilateral actions to hurt our economy are going to somehow benefit the environment make no scientific sense,” he said. “Exporting those energy intensive industries, if that’s what we succeed in doing, we’ll actually make the environment worse. They’ll now be performed in countries with weaker environmental regulations.”

Earlier in the day, Jindal, through his group “America Next,” unveiled an energy policy proposal titled: “Organizing Around Abundance – Making America an Energy Superpower.” He also addressed conservatives during a speech at the Heritage Foundation.

This is Jindal’s second major policy proposal he has released through his group, ahead of a possible White House campaign. Jindal in April unveiled a health-care proposal — “The Freedom and Empowerment Plan: the Prescription for Conservative Consumer-Focused Health Reform.”

Asked about running for president, Jindal said: “I won’t be coy. I am absolutely thinking and praying about running in ’16. I wouldn’t make that decision before, certainly before, November. I think every Republican, every conservative needs to be focused on the elections in front of us.”

He argued that Republicans will be looking to nominate a candidate who can address Obama’s shortcomings as president.

“I do think, in part, we tend to elect people either to governor or president who address some of the shortcomings of the person who came immediately before them,” Jindal said.

“And so after the Clinton years, remember George Bush famously campaigned on bringing integrity and character back to the oval office? After eight years of President Bush, some said that they were looking for more eloquent President Obama, that he had these flowering speeches? I think after eight years of this president, I think voters are going to be looking for competence,” he said.

Follow Alex on Twitter