Perry Is Pro-Intelligent Design

Gardner Selby has the story, Perry: Add intelligent design to teaching. The governor, despite not having a serious primary challenger, is running hard to the right. Almost every other candidate is against it:

Three Democratic challengers for governor this year and independent hopeful Kinky Friedman disagreed. Independent candidate Carole Keeton Strayhorn had no immediate comment, and a little-known Democratic hopeful sided with Perry.

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Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Bell, a former U.S. House member from Houston, said: "Things we teach kids in science class should have a scientific basis. Based on everything I have seen and heard, I fail to recognize the scientific basis for intelligent design."

Former Texas Supreme Court Justice Bob Gammage of Llano, another Democratic hopeful, said he supports the judge in the Pennsylvania case in that "teaching intelligent design is inappropriate for the class- room.

"There is a difference between physics and metaphysics, and I believe that we should teach the first in schools and the second in church," Gammage said.

Rashad Jafer of Houston, another Democratic aspirant, sided with Perry, saying he personally believes the universe was willed by a creator who will "one day take it away." He said evolution and intelligent design should be taught side by side.

Democratic candidate Felix Alvarado of Fort Worth said he opposes teaching intelligent design in science.

"In science, you teach science. In social studies, you cover religion," he said.

Friedman, of Kerrville, said of teaching intelligent design in science: "I'm agin it; there's nothing intelligent about it."