Texas tea-partier: 'Obama thinks he can change the weather because he thinks he's God'

SALADO, Texas, May 21 (UPI) -- A Republican state senator from Texas said President Barack Obama's environmental policy indicates that the commander in chief thinks he is God.

Dan Patrick, not to be confused with the co-host of NBC's Football Night in America and longtime ESPN anchor of the same name, made the controversial remarks during a debate for Texas' ongoing lieutenant governor's race.

"I understand why Obama thinks he can change the weather -- because he thinks he's God," Patrick remarked.

"He thinks he is the smartest person in the country. He thinks he knows better in Washington what we do in Texas. He thinks he's the one, through all of his executive orders, that Congress isn't even up to his level, so I'm not surprised that he also thinks he can change the weather."

Patrick expressed that his belief that between the two sides of the debate on climate change, he agrees with the 3 percent of scientists who do not think it's man made, as he does not trust former Vice President Al Gore.

"First of all, when it comes to climate change, there's been scientific arguments on both sides of the issues," Patrick argued. "But you know, if you want a tiebreaker, if Al Gore thinks it's right, you know it's wrong...I'll leave it in the hands of God. He's handled out climate pretty well for a long time."

Patrick is running for lieutenant governor against incumbent David Dewhurst. As with many GOP races in 2014, the incumbent is representing the establishment and is challenged from the Tea Party right.