Obama, Romney field questions on NASA, 'Net neutrality, climate change

Prior to the 2008 presidential election, a group of people thought it would be a good idea to hear the candidates' views on a series of science issues. So, they formed Science debate, an organization dedicated to bringing that about. As with the previous election, both candidates have provided written answers to a series of questions on science policy. This year's answers have now been posted, and they highlight some of the limitations of this format. Both candidates spend some quality time with generic platitudes that don't really answer the question. And there's a shocking difference in tone: President Barack Obama focuses on past accomplishments and future goals, and never mentions Mitt Romney. His opponent's responses often read like an attack ad. Still, it's possible to piece together at least some of the candidates' positions on science and the appropriate response to it.