Jon Stewart Analyzes the Republican Strategy of 'I'm Not a Scientist'

After Tuesday night's primaries, the 2014 midterm elections are truly in full-swing. And on The Daily Show last night, Jon Stewart took the time to break down Republicans' latest plan to take back the Senate in a segment titled "The More You Don't Actually Know."

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After Tuesday night's primaries, the 2014 midterm elections are truly in full-swing. So on The Daily Show last night, Jon Stewart took the time to break down Republicans' latest plan to take back the Senate in a segment titled "The More You Don't Actually Know."

"With the 2014 midterms on the horizon – feel the excitement in the room – the Republicans are more certain than ever in their doctrines: cutting taxes creates job, helping the environment kills jobs, marriage is between a man and a woman, money is speech, and guns are a go-to accessory with any outfit," Stewart said.

Nothing really new there, but Stewart suggests there might be a problem. "It's a strategy that has difficulties when trying to appeal to moderate voters, though,  who might value things like evidence," he quipped. "Not every candidate can bridge that gap."

And so Stewart ran through a list of Republicans being honest about their lack of scientific credentials. There's Michele Bachmann, who said "I am not a doctor, I'm not a scientist," when claiming the HPV vaccine causes brain damage and Rep. John Shimkus, who, when discussing where to store nuclear waste, said "A mountain is a suitable place to put high level nuclear waste. I believe it is, but I'm not a scientist."

"I'm not a theme park expert, either, I also think it would be a great place for a toxic waste family fun zone," Stewart said.

But, as Stewart pointed out, there is not a subject Republicans like to debate more than climate change. Take John Boehner, for example, who called the new EPA regulations "nuts" but then admitted "I'm not qualified to debate the science over climate change."

"Even though he's only got a BA in gut feelings, it's not like that lack of qualification has stopped him from having that debate," Stewart said.

This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.