Sarah Palin says Bill Nye is 'as much a scientist as I am'

On paper, Bill Nye — host of Bill Nye the Science Guy, science educator, mechanical engineer, forgotten Dancing with the Stars contestant — and Sarah Palin — governor of Alaska for three years, one-time running mate of John McCain, coiner of the term "death panel," able to see Russia from her house — couldn't be any more different, but as far as Palin is concerned, they're one and the same.

Palin was in Washington on Thursday for a panel discussion on Climate Hustle, a new movie that attempts to question the science behind climate change, and said Nye is harming the children of America by telling them climate change is real and man-made, The Hill reports. "Bill Nye is as much a scientist as I am," she scoffed. "He's a kids' show actor, he's not a scientist." Palin said she believes that there is an agenda "of those, I think, who are controlling the narrative right now on changes in the weather," and she encouraged parents to teach their children to doubt climate change and "ask those questions and not just believe what Bill Nye the Science Guy is trying to tell them."

Palin also called on the Republican candidates to share their views on making "the science community less political. Otherwise, it leads us to believe that so many things coming from perhaps the scientists could be bogus. If this is bogus, you know, what else are they trying to tell us and trying to control around if they can't get this one right?"

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