He's a friggen astrophysicist, of course he is smarter than them (and me). Are there really politicians dumb enough to believe that they are the smartest people alive?
It does not work that way. It is not a matter of who is more intelligent. Let's say you have a Republican social conservative congressman pushing legislation that is based more other bible than science. For example, legislation to let public schools teach creationism as a science subject.
Now politicians all pick groups of like minded people for support. In some areas this means a group of people who are religious conservatives. So this legislation is popular in this district, and everyone likes Mr. Congressman. Mr Congressman supports his state legislatures in getting this done for his constituents.
Along comes Mr. Scientist who says whoa. Here is some science and some data, maybe we should rethink teaching creationism as a science subject. The congressman is now called to task so he is not happy with the scientist. His plan for his constituents may fall apart so he becomes upset with the scientist for hurting his re-election probabilities.
The problem is the politician who is above sensible reasoning and only exists to increase his stock portfolio while in congress.
What this has to do with quote fabrication... I dunno. Maybe just to show where some of the tension comes from.