CEDAR FALLS — Minnesota U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann dodged multiple questions Wednesday about teaching creationism in the classroom, during an education forum here.
“I think that all science should be on the table, and wherever science leads that’s where it leads,” Bachmann said, when asked if public schools should teach the belief that God created the universe, along with evolution theory.
Moderator Ben Kieffer, of Iowa Public Radio, asked the question of Bachmann, who is competing for the Republican presidential nomination.
“Is intelligent design science?” he asked ,at the Bengston Auditorium on the University of Northern Iowa campus.
Bachmann deferred, saying classrooms must be free of government censorship.
Her Christian faith includes belief in intelligent design, she said, which holds that living organisms are so complex that they must have been created by a higher power.
In 2005, a Pennsylvania federal judge barred the teaching of intelligent design in public school classrooms, saying it was unconstitutional.
“My opinion goes with science, and whatever science finds, I think that information — questions, as well as responses — needs to be laid on the table, so that students can make up their mind,” she said.
The answer drew a light round of applause from the 400 people gathered in the auditorium, many of them college students.
A group of four women shaking their heads at Bachmann’s answer slipped out of the auditorium, 45 minutes into the hour-long forum.
During a second round of questioning on the subject, Bachmann said that ultimately, the decision about what to teach in the classroom rests with local school officials, not the president.
While she resisted having her feet held to the fire over creationism, Bachmann attempted to turn up the heat on her opponents for the GOP presidential nomination.
Bachmann challenged former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich on his illegal immigration position.
“He needs to take the heat,” said Bachmann, who characterizes the position as amnesty.
Bob Hall, 81, of Cedar Falls, who sat in the front row, said he liked Gingrich until hearing his stance on illegal immigration. Now, he and his wife, Jean, are considering Bachmann and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for their caucus votes.
Iowa Republicans cast their votes in more than 1,700 precinct caucuses across the state at 7 p.m. on Jan. 3. In Black Hawk County, where the Halls reside, all voters will gather at the UNI-Dome basketball arena on the college campus.
“But, as far as being a constitutional conservative, we like Michele Bachmann,” Hall said.
In her latest e-mail pitch to supporters, Bachmann insisted that she is the only “consistent conservative” in the race and prodded for donations.
“We cannot afford a candidate who will flip-flop on the issues, saying one thing and doing another,” the e-mail stated, in a jab at Romney, whose inconsistencies were the target of a Democratic ad campaign.
In the most recent Iowa poll, Bachmann ranked fourth, 1.6 percentage points behind Romney, who was third.
Slightly more than 10 percent of 509 likely Iowa Republican caucusgoers said Bachmann was their first choice for president, compared to 28.1 percent for Gingrich, the frontrunner. Texas U.S. Rep Ron Paul ranked second with 13.3 percent.
The poll was conducted Nov. 28 for Newsmax by Insider Advantage/Majority Opinion Research, a market research team based in Georgia. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
University of Northern Iowa political science professor Chris Larimer said Bachmann would need a win, or strong second place finish in the Iowa caucuses to stay in the race.
Bachmann told reporters she plans to become the first woman to win the caucuses.
She held town hall-style meetings Wednesday in Waverly and Charles City after the University of Northern Iowa education forum.
Hannah Hess covers government and politics for IowaPolitics.com, which is owned by the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity.
