Red State Rabble

Below is an excerpt from the cross-examination of Stephen C. Meyer, director and Senior Fellow of the Center for Science and Culture at the Discovery Institute, at the Kansas science hearings in May. Meyer was questioned via teleconference from Seattle. Although Meyer had no problem anwering the questions or hearing John Calvert, the intelligent design attorney, things changed dramatically during Irigonegary's 20 minute cross-examination as Meyer affected not to hear and gave non-responsive answers.

MR. CALVERT: Dr. Meyer, thank you so much for your testimony. Our time is up. And so now it's the turn of Mr. Irigonegaray to ask you some questions for about twenty minutes.
MR. IRIGONEGARAY: The Chair will decide that.
DR. MEYER: I met Pedro before. Pedro, you were the moderator of the debate at Washburn University in that I participated in. I don't know if you remember that.
MR. IRIGONEGARAY: Oh, of course I do. I'm here in a little bit of a different role.
DR. MEYER: Well, actually it was-- you were a moderator—
MR. IRIGONEGARAY: Steve, hang on a second. Whoa, you're taking up my time. Hang on a second.
DR. MEYER: It's not that different of a role for you.
CHAIRMAN ABRAMS: Dr. Meyer, please proceed.
DR. MEYER: I can't hear you very well. I don't know if you—
CHAIRMAN ABRAMS: Dr. Meyer, can you hear me?
DR. MEYER: I can hear you, but it's very muffled.
CHAIRMAN ABRAMS: Mr. Irigonegaray, would you move down to the chair, please? And you have twenty minutes. John, he can't hear us very well, so will you tell him that Mr. Irigonegaray is moving down to the chair?
MR. CALVERT: Dr. Meyer, Mr. Irigonegaray is moving down to my chair, so he'll be-- so you guys can talk a little bit better and hear each other better.
CROSS-EXAMINATION BY MR. IRIGONEGARAY:
PI: Can you hear me now?
SM: I can indeed.
PI: I have a few questions for you first that I want to establish for the record. In your opinion, your personal opinion, what is the age of the earth?
SM: Do you want my personal-- why are you asking me about my personal--
PI: You're here to answer my questions. First of all, what is your personal opinion as to what the age of the earth is?
SM: I understood I was being called as an expert witness.
PI: What is your personal opinion as to what the age of the earth is?
SM: I'm unclear. I understand--
PI: The question is simple. What is, in your opinion, the age of the earth?
SM: Well, I'm just wanting to clarify the ground rules here. I thought I was being called as an expert witness, so why are you asking me about my personal--
PI: That's not the issue. Now, please answer my question. What is your personal--
SM: I would like to understand the ground rules first. Why am I being asked about—
PI: Mr. Chairman, if he's not going to answer my questions, I'd ask that his testimony be stricken from the record.
SM: I'm happy to answer your question. I'd like to know why you're asking about--
PI: The "why" is not for you to determine.
MR. SISSON [Calvert’s co-counsel]: Mr. Chairman, I understand Mr. Meyer's request to reflect some confusion about the ground rules, and it is quite appropriate for him to ask that the chair of the committee, namely yourself, speak to him concerning the appropriate ground rules. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN ABRAMS: Dr. Meyer, can you hear me now?
SM: Yes, sir.