MSNBC's Chris Matthews Trashes 'Anti-Science,' 'Troglodyte,' 'Dunderhead' Republicans

Published: 5/26/2011 6:49 PM ET

Hardball host Chris Matthews on Thursday continued to lash out and deride the Republican Party as "anti-science" and "troglodytes." Playing off a comment by GOP Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, Matthews attacked the "dunderhead" party.

At a congressional hearing, Wednesday, Rohrabacher said of global warming, "Is there some thought being given to subsidizing the clearing of rainforests in order for some countries to eliminate that production of greenhouse gases." This led Matthews to sneer, "More evidence that the Republican Party in the anti-science mode. Boy, are they back into their troglodyte ways." [MP3 audio here.]

"This is dunderhead stuff," he mocked.

Matthews has a history of pushing the idea that Republicans are empty-headed and scientifically illiterate. On May 05, 2011, Matthews dreamt up bizarre questions for the first Republican presidential debate: "Question to Mr. Candidate, do you believe in evolution? Are you a fundamentalist who believes in the Bible as written? Has man been around millions of years or, say, just about 6000?"

A transcript of the May 26 segment, which aired at 5:28pm EDT, follows:

5:25pm tease

CHRIS MATTHEWS: More evidence that the Republican Party in the anti-science mode. Boy, are they back into their troglodyte ways. How about this solution to global warming? Cut down the forest. I think they got the wrong textbooks on this one. That idea from Congressman Dana Rohrabacher. Wait until you hear this one. This is dunderhead stuff. You're watching Hardball, only on MSNBC.

5:28

MATTHEWS: Now to the sideshow. First up, we know that rain forests are our best ally in reducing greenhouse gasses. So, here is Congressman Dana Rohrabacher asking at a congressional hearing how to destroy these rain forests. Quote, "Is there some thought being given to subsidizing the clearing of rainforests in order for some countries to eliminate that production of greenhouse gases?

Yes, it's just as ridiculous as it sounds. Politico checked with a climate expert to confirm, as if we needed that, that trees are far being from the problem, actually end up absorbing large amounts of carbon dioxide. If you believe in the environment, you might want to let Congressman Rohrabacher know that. By the way, rain forests are our friends.