Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) likened himself to Galileo as he defended his position as a climate change denier in an interview Tuesday in New York City with the Texas Tribune.
Cruz, the first Republican to announce his 2016 presidential candidacy, spoke about climate change and defended his stance in the interview with Tribune political reporter Jay Root.
“I’m a big believer that we should follow the science and follow the evidence,” Cruz said. “If you look at global warming alarmists, they don’t like to look at the actual facts and the data. The satellite data demonstrate that there has been no significant warming whatsoever for 17 years.”
Cruz further dismissed advocates of climate change, noting that they only sought to impose “government control of the energy sector and every aspect of our lives.”
When Root said that “most people say the science is clear,” Cruz was ready with a rebuttal. He cited a 1970 Newsweek article that touted “global cooling,” a trend that, he said, wasn’t supported by data, as support for his belief that we should “follow the science.”
“I am the child of two mathematicians and scientists,” Cruz said. “I believe in following evidence and data. On the global warming alarmists, anyone who actually points to the evidence that disproves their apocalyptical claims, they don’t engage in reasoned debate. What do they do? They scream, ‘You’re a denier!’ They brand you a heretic.”
“Today the global warming alarmists are the equivalent of the flat-earthers,” Cruz continued. “You know it used to be: ‘It is accepted scientific wisdom the Earth is flat.’ And this heretic named Galileo was branded a denier.”
Cruz also lambasted former Vice President Al Gore who, he said, has made “millions of dollars off of global warming.” He also criticized the “most vocal” scientists who, he said “are receiving massive grants.”
Watch the interview below, courtesy of the Texas Tribune:
h/t ThinkProgress
