Sarah Palin is opposed to the basic model organism research that forms the bedrock of biomedical research.

Over at Pharyngula, go listen to her mock the fact that we spend money on

projects that have little or nothing to do with the public good. Things like fruit fly research in Paris, France. I kid you not.

Don't just read the quote - you've got to hear the mocking inflection of her voice as she says "fruit fly research".

This is off-the-deep-end ignorance in someone who wants to be a major public official. It's one thing for average members of the public to not be sure why scientists study yeast, flies, and worms, but it's another entirely for a vice presidential candidate, who will be in a position to have a major influence on our science policy, to not just understand but mock basic research like this.

This is worse than McCain's $3 million bear DNA study comments - that study is ultimately about bears. Our studies in flies (and yeast and worms and bacteria) are ultimately about us.

Nobody should let that women hold a scalpel or a hatchet anywhere near our science budget.