Last year, Marco Rubio gave an interview in which he famously told a GQ reporter that there was no way he could know how old the Earth is because he's no scientist, man.
(Hint: It's 4.5 billion years old.)
(Also, holy crap, it's already been a year??)
But last week, Rubes was given a chance to clarify his statements while visiting England. And basically he gave some contrived political answer, while doubling down on the dumb.
See also: Marco Rubio Is Not Sure How Old the Earth Is
Rubio had traveled across the pond to discuss foreign policy and basically introduce himself, and likely scare the crap out of, England as it begins to take a gander at potential future presidential candidates.
When the BBC approached Rubio with the question about the Earth's age and, more important, his ensuing answers, Marco went into STOP, DROP, AND PANDER mode by calling his answers less than "artful" while continuing to bang the faith drum so that his constituency doesn't completely abandon him.
"Maybe I didn't give the most artful answer," Rubio told the BBC. "But the truth is that science [says] the world is about 4.5 billion years old... And that's not incompatible with what my faith teaches. My faith teaches that in the beginning, God created the universe, the heavens, and the earth. When he created them, how he created them, science enlightens us in that regard. But that doesn't take away from the fact that the origins of our creation was not an accident. I don't believe life is an accident. I don't believe the universe was an accident. I think it was created by a divine being, by God, an all powerful God that created the entire universe. The good news is I live in a free society where I'm allowed to believe that. And some people are allowed to believe in something differently."
Ah... well-played.
This is, of course, a little different from what he told Politico last December when discussing the question of the Earth's age by giving his many-theories theory:
"At the end of the day, I think there are multiple theories out there on how the universe was created," he said. "And I think this is a country where people should have the opportunity to teach them all."
Anyway, when the BBC interviewer follows up the question, Rubio digs himself into a deeper ideological hole by telling the Brits that, in America, you're free to believe what you want.
"The bottom line is... they can apply their faith teachings to whatever they want. And if in fact they decide what their faith teaches is incompatible with science, they have the freedom to believe that."
He then says something interesting.
"I think a respect for other people's beliefs, that are not harmful to anybody else, allows us to respect that difference. But that being said, my personal opinion is that my faith is not incompatible with science. In fact the Catholic Church, which I am a member of, teaches that in fact science enlightens our faith and in many respects confirms the existence of God."
Obviously, Rubio has his faith. And that's fine. He's also pandering the crap out of those who believe what he believes (most of whom believe that the Earth is only 6,000 years old).
But in discussing a person's right to be uneducated in science, Rubio laid out the "respect for other people's beliefs, as long as they are not harmful to anybody else" card.
And, sure, that's a delightful philosophy.
Except, of course, when a person believes in something Marco Rubio doesn't believe in.
Then it's up to Marco Rubio to make things happen and protect America from itself.
So the British got to see who Rubio truly is: a champion of simpletons and small-minded morons the world over.
Hey, that's what makes America great.
Suck on that, England.
U-S-A!!! U-S-A!!
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