Please spare us any more dopey questions about "creationism" and "evolution". Creationism is not on the agenda; in its political context it's primarily a propaganda term used by the Left to forestall any legitimate criticism of Darwin's theory.
When Barack Obama assures us that he "believes in evolution," one is tempted to say, so what? Tell us what kind of evolution (micro? macro?). When Gov. Romney says he doesn't want intelligent design taught in science class, but instead proposes it for religion class, I am inclined to ask, "And what religion classes would those be, Governor? Do your public schools in Massachusetts have religion classes?" And what do you mean by "intelligent design", Governor? Can you even define the term the way its proponents do?
And when Mike Huckabee assures us that he believes that God made the world, one way or another, and he nonetheless is disinclined to challenge current textbooks on evolution (something I didn't know constituted a responsibility of the President of the United States anyhow), I want to inquire, why don't you answer the real questions?
Which are:
Do you support academic freedom for scientists (such as Iowa State astronomer Guillermo Gonzalez) who have been denied tenure and otherwise attacked for suggesting that science can detect design in the universe? Lots of the money for science departments do come from the federal government, by the way, so the question is pertinent.
Second, do you believe that when high school students learn the scientific evidence for Darwin's theory of evolution they also should be allowed to learn the scientific evidence against it? That question is derived directly from report language attached to the No Child Left Behind Act and it was specifically and overwhelmingly approved in a Senate resolution. The supporters included such worthies as Sen. Clinton of New York and Sen. McCain of Arizona. So it is a public policy question that is both realistic and pertinent.
Can the media just ask candidates these relevant poliicy questions and stop trying to make evolution a religious issue? Can the politicos, in turn, answer such simple, clear questions? Or do both groups need a few more focus groups and talk show panels to make it all irreducibly complex?