Three 2008 Nobel Laureates In Science Endorse Obama
Barack Obama's campaign will announce today that three 2008 Nobel laureates in Science have added their names to a list of 62 Nobel winners endorsing the Democratic candidate for president: Martin Chalfie of Columbia University, Roger Tsien of the University of California at San Diego, and the University of Chicago's Yoichiro Nambu.
Here's Chalfie's recorded message to voters:
Full text of the letter to the American public from the Nobel winners is available after the jump.
FULL TEXT OF THE LETTER TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC FROM 65 AMERICAN NOBEL LAUREATE SCIENTISTS
An Open Letter to the American People
This year's presidential election is among the most significant in our nation's history. The country urgently needs a visionary leader who can ensure the future of our traditional strengths in science and technology and who can harness those strengths to address many of our greatest problems: energy, disease, climate change, security, and economic competitiveness.
We are convinced that Senator Barack Obama is such a leader, and we urge you to join us in supporting him.
During the administration of George W. Bush, vital parts of our country's scientific enterprise have been damaged by stagnant or declining federal support. The government's scientific advisory process has been distorted by political considerations. As a result, our once dominant position in the scientific world has been shaken and our prosperity has been placed at risk. We have lost time critical for the development of new ways to provide energy, treat disease, reverse climate change, strengthen our security, and improve our economy.
We have watched Senator Obama's approach to these issues with admiration. We especially applaud his emphasis during the campaign on the power of science and technology to enhance our nation's competitiveness. In particular, we support the measures he plans to take – through new initiatives in education and training, expanded research funding, an unbiased process for obtaining scientific advice, and an appropriate balance of basic and applied research – to meet the nation's and the world's most urgent needs.
Senator Obama understands that Presidential leadership and federal investments in science and technology are crucial elements in successful governance of the world's leading country. We hope you will join us as we work together to ensure his election in November.
Signed,
Alexei Arikosov
Physics
2003
Roger Guillemin
Medicine
1977
Peter Agre
Chemistry
2003
John L. Hall
Physics
2005
Sidney Altman
Chemistry
1989
Leland H. Hartwell
Medicine
2001
Philip W. Anderson
Physics
1977
Dudley Herschbach
Chemistry
1986
Richard Axel
Medicine
2004
Roald Hoffmann
Chemistry
1981
David Baltimore
Medicine
1975
H. Robert Horvitz
Medicine
2002
Baruj Benacerraf
Medicine
1980
Louis Ignarro
Medicine
1998
Paul Berg
Chemistry
1980
Eric R. Kandel
Medicine
2000
J. Michael Bishop
Medicine
1989
Walter Kohn
Chemistry
1998
N. Bloembergen
Physics
1981
Roger Kornberg
Chemistry
2006
Michael S. Brown
Medicine
1985
Leon M. Lederman
Physics
1988
Linda B. Buck
Medicine
2004
Craig C. Mello
Medicine
2006
Mario R. Capecchi
Medicine
2007
Yoichiro Nambu
Physics
2008
Martin Chalfie
Chemistry
2008
Marshall Nirenberg
Medicine
1968
Stanley Cohen
Medicine
1986
Douglas D. Osheroff
Physics
1996
Leon Cooper
Physics
1972
Stanley B. Prusiner
Medicine
1997
James W. Cronin
Physics
1980
Norman F. Ramsey
Physics
1989
Robert F. Curl
Chemistry
1996
Robert Richardson
Physics
1996
Johann Diesenhofer
Chemistry
1988
Burton Richter
Physics
1976
John B. Fenn
Chemistry
2002
Sherwood Rowland
Chemistry
1995
Edmond H. Fischer
Medicine
1992
Oliver Smithies
Medicine
2007
Val Fitch
Physics
1980
Richard R Schrock
Chemistry
2005
Jerome I. Friedman
Physics
1990
Joseph H. Taylor Jr.
Physics
1993
Murray Gell-Man
Physics
1969
E. Donnall Thomas
Medicine
1990
Riccardo Giacconi
Physics
2002
Charles H. Townes
Physics
1964
Walter Gilbert
Chemistry
1980
Roger Tsien
Chemistry
2008
Alfred G. Gilman
Medicine
1994
Daniel C.Tsui
Physics
1998
Donald A. Glaser
Physics
1960
Harold Varmus
Medicine
1989
Sheldon L. Glashow
Physics
1979
James D. Watson
Medicine
1962
Joseph Goldstein
Medicine
1985
Eric Wieschaus
Medicine
1995
Paul Greengard
Medicine
2000
Frank Wilczek
Physics
2004
David Gross
Physics
2004
Robert W. Wilson
Physics
1978
Robert H. Grubbs
Chemistry
2005
The views expressed in this letter represent those of the signers acting as individual citizens. They do not necessarily represent the views of the institutions with which they are affiliated. The Medicine award is for “Physiology or Medicine.”
Where's Krugman? hee hee
I was just thinking who Krugman was endorsing?
Has part of the terms of his contract to be an op-ed columnist with the New York Times, Krugman cannot make an endorsement. But I think we all know where he stands.
Krugman was awarded the Nobel Prize for Economics, a social science. I believe this list is limited to the hard sciences.
Krugman wouldn't be here anyway (whether he can endorse or not) because he's an economist. This letter is being signed by hard scientists (i.e., chemists, physicists, biologists, etc.) - NOT economists.
Econ isn't a hard science. So Krugman wouldn't be on that list. It's only the scientists not the economists or Peace. Otherwise Al Gore would be on that list.
Krugman, the liberal arts major? These are Nobel Laureates in Science. It figures that Republicans don't know that "Social Sciences" are not grouped together with actual Science. Wonk, wonk.
62 leading scientists for Obama
0 for McCain.
That's what I call unanimous endorsement by the world of scientists!
I see "Joe Six Pack" isn't on that list.
Obama wins and there will be plenty of social experimentation with the economy.
One "lipsticked pitbull" trumped by a pack of intellectual T-Rexs...
Ben said: "62 leading scientists for Obama
0 for McCain."
Actually, McCain's economic plan has been endorsed by 5 Nobel winning economists. So if you think that improving the state of physics research in America is more important than fixing the economy, then Obama is probably your best bet.
That 62 to 0 count was done by the same prize winners who think raising taxes is a good way to shrink a deficit.
Yes, flyover, because, as we all know eight years of cutting taxes under the Republicans has given us, oh, minus five trillion dollars in deficit "reduction."
I'm certain McCain's five Nobel laureate economists are hale and hearty fellows, but the Reagan administration's "Laffer Curve" has been disproven time and again. Reagan in his second term, Bush Sr., and Clinton all had to raise taxes to get our deficit whittled down to size - and then Bush Jr. blew it all up again!
This time Obama is going to soak the rich, who are the only people who have benefited during this last period of economic "growth." They can afford it, and its about time they paid their fair share.
James D. Watson? That racist? Forget him! I'm voting for McCain!
I notice the Chancellor of UCSF is listed - further proof of the intellectual bankruptcy leading that once great institution...
Socialists like Obama have "soaked the rich" in Europe and what do they have to show for it? A massive welfare state like the one Obama wants to make worse than the one we already have. Their economies are in trouble, too. If soaking the rich is the answer, why are the Euro-peons sinking fast? Socialism is a failed ideology. Leftists keep trying in vain to force a square peg into a round hole. Pathetic. People are following the Pied Piper Obama into Hell. He will leave you there. The emperor is naked and the blind can't see.
Chuck,
Why not take it one step farther. Why do Gates and Bufet need all that money? Why not just take all their dough? Ok, leave them a billion each. Why stop at $250k? Unemployment is going to zoom under Obama. Interest rates are going to reach levels we haven't seen since Carter. As someone who doesn't pay much taxes because I am in tax free muni's and do not have a paycheck anymore, I say, "Bring it on". It won't be better for the country, but I will toast you when my income doubles. Ha Ha Ha.
Flyover, there's a word for people like you. That word is 'GREEDY'.
America is sick of Republican politicians and their slimy policies that favor the GREEDY.
America wants to be GOOD again. That's why we are rightfully turning to the Democrats again to right the ship.
We are poised to unequivocally run all 3 branches of this country because people want a dramatic change from the Republican dominance of 2001-2006 when you did severe damage to this country.
And nothing John McBUSH can say about a massive Capitol Gains Tax Cut for the wealthiest, GREEDIEST Americans will make real hard-working Middle Class Americans vote for him.