Are you smarter than a Nobel Prize winner? Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas thought he was

[one...two...tree 2,762]

By Alex Koppelman

Here's a hint for you members of Congress out there hungry for camera time: If you ask what you think is a "gotcha" question of a Nobel Prize winner, and he starts laughing, it's probably best just not to bother with that killer follow-up.

Unfortunately, Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, has yet to learn that lesson. In fact, he's quite proud of himself for his questioning of Energy Secretary Steven Chu, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1997. After their exchange, he posted it to YouTube and Twittered, "I seemed to have baffled the Energy Sec with basic question - Where does oil come from?" The video is below; here's the transcript of the back-and-forth:

Barton: You're our scientist. I have one simple question for you in the last six seconds. How did all the oil and gas get to Alaska and under the Arctic Ocean?

Chu: (laughs) This is a complicated story, but oil and gas is the result of hundreds of millions of years of geology, and in that time also the plates have moved around, and so, um, it's the combination of where the sources of the oil and gas are–

Barton: But, but wouldn't it obvious that at one time it was a lot warmer in Alaska and on the North Pole. It wasn't a big pipeline that we created in Texas and shipped it up there and then put it under ground so that we can now pump it out and ship it back.

Chu: No. There are–there's continental plates that have been drifting around throughout the geological ages–

Barton: So it just drifted up there?

Chu: That's certainly what happened. And so it's a result of things like that.

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/200...litics/war_room

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

What a self-assured pompous azz. But his redneck "never been to college" constituents will eat this ####### up.. and in the end, that's who that clip was posted for, not us.

[Niels Bohr 72]

LOL. Instead of making a fool of Chu, he made a fool of himself.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

LOL. Instead of making a fool of Chu, he made a fool of himself.

This illiterate piece of trailer trash finds the concept of continental drift to be most amusing

[one...two...tree 2,762]

LOL. Instead of making a fool of Chu, he made a fool of himself.

This illiterate piece of trailer trash finds the concept of continental drift to be most amusing

Did you see Sec. of State Clinton's response yesterday? It was also a golden moment.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

LOL. Instead of making a fool of Chu, he made a fool of himself.

This illiterate piece of trailer trash finds the concept of continental drift to be most amusing

Did you see Sec. of State Clinton's response yesterday? It was also a golden moment.

I saw, wasn't impressed. This one really is gold though.

[msu17 0]

Ok, while I understand why some sort of test to become a voter is not a good idea, why can't we have a basic measure of intelligence a requirement to be an elected member of Congress. If stupid people are voting, we should make them vote between two halfway intelligent candidates. If you are a moron, perhaps you shouldn't vote for someone you identify with.

[pedroh 21]

Ok, while I understand why some sort of test to become a voter is not a good idea, why can't we have a basic measure of intelligence a requirement to be an elected member of Congress. If stupid people are voting, we should make them vote between two halfway intelligent candidates. If you are a moron, perhaps you shouldn't vote for someone you identify with.

because it's 'democracy' (cheap populism in reality)

[sj5 4]

Is he really a scientist?

[Niels Bohr 72]

Is he really a scientist?

Who? Chu? Did you read his paper that made him won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1997?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Chu's no scientist, he's just another librul.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Chu's no scientist, he's just another librul.

"Sounds Chinese to me."

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Chu's no scientist, he's just another librul.

"Sounds Chinese to me."

I bet he's a human trafficker, you know how those people are.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Chu's no scientist, he's just another librul.

"Sounds Chinese to me."

I bet he's a human trafficker, you know how those people are.

Espionage.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Chu's no scientist, he's just another librul.

"Sounds Chinese to me."

I bet he's a human trafficker, you know how those people are.

Espionage.

Did he ever work at Los Alamos?