Jon Huntsman took to Twitter to contrast his beliefs on climate change with Rick Perry. Huntsman on climate: 'Call me crazy'

Jon Huntsman has found himself a niche as Rick Perry's science critic in chief.

A few hours after video hit the airwaves of Perry telling a young boy in New Hampshire that evolution was a "theory that's out there," his GOP presidential rival pounced.


"To be clear. I believe in evolution and trust scientists on global warming. Call me crazy," Huntsman wrote on Twitter.

Perry has made several controversial comments related to science over the last two days in New Hampshire.

On Wednesday, Perry said climate change was a hoax cooked up by scientists who have a financial interest in keeping the issue alive.

Thursday, Perry faced heckling and protesters during a visit to Portsmouth. At one point, a young boy coached by his mother asked the Texas governor how old he thought the Earth was. ABC News and others captured the exchange.

“You know what, I don’t have any idea,” Perry replied. “I know it's pretty old. So it goes back a long, long ways. I'm not sure anybody actually knows completely and absolutely how old the Earth is."

As he replied, the boy’s mother urged him to ask about evolution. Perry answered, "It's a theory that is out there. It's got some gaps in it. In Texas, we teach both creationism and evolution in our public schools because I figure you're smart enough to figure out which one is right."

This article first appeared on POLITICO Pro at 2:58 p.m. on August 18, 2011.