A
group of the world’s leading experts in science, medicine and economics
threw their support behind Hillary Clinton on Tuesday, endorsing the
Democratic presidential candidate and arguing that her election is
crucial for safeguarding freedom and preserving a constitutional
government.
The
forceful endorsement came in a letter signed by 70 Nobel laureates
hailing from a variety of fields and making the case that Mrs. Clinton
is the candidate who best understands the importance of investing in
science and technology at a time when the world faces challenges on
several fronts. The letter made no mention of Donald J. Trump, but it
suggested that policies that show a lack of appreciation of scientific
knowledge could damage America’s prestige and national security.
“We
need a president who will support and advance policies that will enable
science and technology to flourish in our country and to provide the
basis of important policy decisions,” they wrote.
The
Nobel winners included such prominent names such as the chemist Peter
Agre, the economist Robert J. Shiller and the physicist Robert Woodrow
Wilson. They pointed to global concerns such as cancer, Alzheimer’s
disease and climate change as problems that require American investment and innovation.
Mr. Trump has described climate change as a “hoax” perpetrated by China.
The
fact that the Nobel laureates are backing Mrs. Clinton does not come as
a big surprise, as academics overwhelmingly tend to lean Democratic.
In 2012, 68 winners of the prize backed President Obama over Mitt Romney. Four years earlier, 76 winners supported Mr. Obama over Senator John McCain.
This year, the group of luminaries made clear that the stakes of the election are especially high.
“The coming presidential election will have profound consequences for the future of our country and the world,” they wrote.
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