Fox News anchor Chris Wallace turned up the heat on former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) on Sunday, asking the presidential candidate about his recent remarks that Pope Francis shouldn’t comment on climate change and “leave science to the scientists.”
“If he’s not a scientist — and, in fact, he does have a degree in chemistry — neither are you,” Wallace said, adding that 80-90 percent of scientists agree that humans contribute to climate change.
The pope is expected to release a strong statement on climate change in an encyclical by June 18.
“If he shouldn’t talk about it, should you?” Wallace asked.
“We have to make public policy with regard to the environmental policy,” Santorum, a devout Catholic, said. “Whether we like it or not, people in government have to make decisions with respect to our public policy that affect American workers.”
“The pope can talk about whatever he wants to talk about — I’m saying, what should the pope use his moral authority for?” he asked.
“He would say he’s protecting the Earth,” Wallace interjected.
“There are more pressing problems confronting the earth than climate change,” Santorum said.
Watch the clip around the 7:20 mark:
