Who Made Evolution the Issue?

Townhall.com
By Michael Medved

Why did Republican candidates choose to make an issue of the theory of evolution in the midst of the presidential campaign? In truth, none of the candidates ever emphasized this dispute, until Chris Matthews of MSNBC asked in the first debate if any of the ten contenders rejected Darwin?

When Huckabee, Brownback and Tancredo duly raised their hands, media began focusing on creationism vs. intelligent design vs. evolution--as if the next president got to make curriculum decisions for every local school board in the country.

Establishment media accuse religious conservatives of injecting polarizing social issues into political campaigns but this time it?s the press itself that won't let the controversies subside--raising odd debate questions about gays in the military--and even Terry Schiavo. The President of the United States is profoundly powerful but even he (or she) doesn't get to decide the truth or falsehood of various explanations for the origins of life.

But that is what the dinosaur media does; the "drive-by" media trys to create the news, not report on it. This has been going on for quite some time now. Nothing new here, Michael.