Skepticism, of course, is the backbone of the scientific method. Extraordinary evidence for extraordinary claims and all that. No scientist worth his salt would abandon skepticism.

And naturally, scientists tend to develop close professional and even personal relationships with one another, but anyone who’s ever read scientific journals knows those relationships don’t impact another backbone of science: scientists made their bones ripping holes in other scientists' claims.

The whole system is structured so that if there is anything to this lab link claim, whoever gets a solid paper demonstrating that published in a peer-reviewed journal will make their career.

I wonder if the public don’t understand that. It doesn’t look like it.

But as you say, I’m sure a lot of these higher level Republican politicians do understand it, being educated the way they are.