George Will Unskews Science On Whether Ebola Is Airborne (VIDEO)

George Will, a Pulitzer Prize-winning conservative American newspaper columnist, journalist, and author is interviewed by AP writer Hillel Italie on politics, history, and life without the late William F. Buckley, at... George Will, a Pulitzer Prize-winning conservative American newspaper columnist, journalist, and author is interviewed by AP writer Hillel Italie on politics, history, and life without the late William F. Buckley, at Will's office in Washington's Georgetown district, Tuesday, April 22, 2008. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) MORE LESS
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Conservative columnist and climate change skeptic George F. Will baffled his fellow Fox News on Sunday panelists by insisting that scientists had not come to a consensus about whether Ebola could go airborne.

On “Fox News Sunday,” Will made repeated attempts to argue that researchers have found the deadly virus can possibly be spread through the air.

“There are doctors who are saying that in a sneeze or some cough, some of the airborne particles can be infectious,” Will said.

(Politifact has fact-checked the columnist’s claim. The site interviewed the authors of the very report Will cited, who said he was wrong.)

After the panel moved on to discuss the midterm elections, Will asked for more time to back up his Ebola take.

Host Chris Wallace added a disclaimer to Will’s points, noting that the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases had addressed the matter two weeks ago, and that Will was still wrong.

That didn’t stop the columnist from issuing one more parting thought: “We’re getting used to people declaring scientific debates closed, over and settled — they rarely are.”

“Alright. Back to politics,” Wallace responded.

Watch a portion of the segment below, courtesy of The National Review:

h/t New York Magazine

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Notable Replies

  1. Actually, it’s not.

    This guy’s a fear mongering asshole.

  2. “Conservative columnist and climate change skeptic George F. Will baffled his fellow Fox News on Sunday panelists by insisting that scientists had not come to a consensus about whether Ebola could go airborne.”

    Actually they have and it doesn’t.

  3. Avatar for mcbain mcbain says:

    For any given phenomenon, whether it is in physics, chemistry, biology, or whatever, you can probably find a “scientist” who will have a contrary opinion. According to George Will, does this mean that all science is unsettled and we should make up whatever theories we want?

    The arrogance in Will is astounding. He clearly thinks he is smarter than everyone in the room, no matter which room he is in, even if that room contains nobel prize winning scientists.

  4. “We’re getting used to people declaring scientific debates
    closed, over and settled – they rarely are.”

    This one is.

  5. Teatroll Rosetta Stone says: “They’re not saying what I want to hear…THEY’RE. NOT. SAYING. WHAT. I. WANT. TO. HEAR!!!”

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