The earth is 4.54 billion years old ? That´s it, two decimal places? Science can´t do any better than that? Like with our national debt a rounding error could be a big number. Isn´t it pretty important for our politicians to know how old the earth is to the nearest month or so?

And the writer objects to teleprompter saying he "believes in" evolution? Perhaps the writer could reveal just where it is established that Darwin´s theory of evolution is established "scientific fact"?

Oh my God! I called it the "theory of evolution" when I should have said the "fact of evolution"! I must be anti-science! The republicans are racists! War on women!

Inter-species evolution isn´t even a theory. It´s a hypothesis. It isn´t testable nor has it been observed.

All candidates MUST learn to answer these "trap" questions. Newt would tell the reporters to pound sand, the question is not relevant.

Now I am not a fan or supporter of Newt Gingrich, but he knew how to handle the nasties of the fourth estate. All conservative candidates need the canned answers to shut them down without too much rancor in order to proceed to the important issues of the day.

Until we cease asking questions like this of candidates for public office, we´ll never solve our nation´s most pressing problems. A distraction from the issues pure & simple.

I agree, #3, regarding this as a "trap play" by the biased press.

I have to say, though, that I see nothing wrong with saying that parents ought to be able to tell their children what they believe. As it turns out children have an innate capicity to reject what parents teach them, but parents must have the right to do it nonetheless.

Rubio must be destroyed and the sooner the better. The powerful MSM is on the job and they will get it done. And there is nothing anybody can do about it. It´s just a myth the the MSM is over. They may not be as powerful as they once were but they still select our Presidents and they still destroy whoever they fear before they get off the ground. People like Akin and Moorlock (the right has them by the trainload) make it easy for them.

I would have said something like "The Earth is exactly 7,256 years old. It was created on a Tuesday, June 17th, at 9:45 in the morning, daylight savings time," and then watch the stupid reporter, thinking he got the ultimate "Gotcha" quote, write it all down and report it to show what an idiot I was. Stupid questions don´t merit serious replies.

If you question general evolution, you will look like an idiot. If you question the age of the age of the earth being in the billions, you will look like an idiot. Do so if you wish, but don´t expect to be rewarded with floods of new conservative voters.

Many years ago, when I was attending confirmation classes, my minister explained that the 7-days of creation could actually mean 7 age long periods of time, not an absolute period of seven 24 hour days. I don´t have a problem with that explanation. I also have no problem with believing that the earth has changed from a hot molten ball to its current state and that various species of animals have existed and died out over the ages. Likewise, I accept that individual species have evolved, but I draw the line at inter-species evolution. We didn´t evolve from apes.

I was walking down the street the other day and bumped into God......we had a pretty good conversation........I was querying his powers........I wondered how they translated into modern terms.......he told me that to Him, a billion trillion dollars was but a penny........and that a million billion years to Him was but a second.......

So, I asked him........."Hey, can I have a penny?"
His answer?
"In a second."

The Nuns at St. Hedwig´s in Trenton NJ told me that joke..........in 1973, to explain the whole ´7 days´ thing.

Only liberal but tmunches believe that 7 days means 7 DAYS..........

Good one, #7. We won´t hear anything like that from Marco Rubio, at least not for a couple of decades. He is slick, but he isn´t wise or seasoned enough to see things in a big picture sort of way that your sort of thinking requires.

I agree with both #3 and # 7. It´s time the right recognizes they are constantly being duped or set up by the media, even when they think the media is being friendly. They need to learn basic skills in dealing with them. In fact, they should be required to learn hw to answer every type of gotcha question, as well as, learn how to turn the gotcha back on them.

Marco, the life of a conservative front runner is not an easy one. Prepare for the MSM gauntlet that awaits you.

Needling questions designed to elicit a "gaffe" (as labeled by the MSM).

Secret videotaping at every opportunity.

Opposition research into everyone you´ve associated with since the 3rd grade.

Outright lies and vicious character assassination.

Harassment of your family members.

Marco needs to read the "Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense" books.

How about just, "I´m not a scientist and I haven´t studied it, so I don´t know." I remember when GWB was asked, at one of the debates, do you believe people are born gay, he said, "I don´t know." It´s the best answer.