Senator Inhofe Declares Kids 'Brainwashed' After Granddaughter Asks About Climate Change

Sen. Inhofe Snowball
Senator Jim Inhofe from Oklahoma holds up a snowball in the U.S. Senate in February 2015. CSPAN

Jim Inhofe, the Republican senator from Oklahoma, has 16 grandchildren, according to The Washington Post. At some point, one of them asked him why he is a climate change denier. That made him worried for all American schoolchildren—their teachers, clearly, were brainwashing them.

Senator Inhofe told the Eric Metaxas radio show this week that his granddaughter once asked him, "Popi, why is it you don't understand global warming?" "[T]he stuff that they teach our kids nowadays, you have to un-brainwash them when they get out," he said.

Inhofe is the chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and an out and proud denier of climate change. Once, not long ago, he brought a snowball onto the Senate floor as a bit of "scientific analysis" to prove human-driven climate change is a myth. "It's very, very cold out. Very unseasonable," he said, holding the snowball. This was in the month of February, in 2015.

Anyway, back to the full quote on the brainwashing of American children:

You know, our kids are being brainwashed? I never forget because I was the first one back in 2002 to tell the truth about the global warming stuff and all of that. And my own granddaughter came home one day and said, "Popi"—see "i" is for Inhofe, so it's Momi and Popi, OK?—"Popi, why is it you don't understand global warming?" I did some checking, and Eric, the stuff that they teach our kids nowadays, you have to un-brainwash them when they get out.

Later in the program, Right Wing Watch pointed out that Inhofe fretted about the future of the Supreme Court if Hillary Clinton becomes president. "How can we possibly remain America if you have six or seven Sotomayors on the court?" he asked.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Zoë is a senior writer at Newsweek. She covers science, the environment, and human health. She has written for a ... Read more

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go