The Political Climate: an ongoing commentary on the NH Primary and Climate Change

After delivering his “Energy Security” address yesterday, McCain received a bit of criticism from both supporters and pundits.  The critiques weren’t directed at his speech (in fact that seemed to have gone over well) but instead stemmed from a lack-luster, somber delivery and continued upset about the “Bomb-Iran” joke.  The New York Times said his tone was “doggedly serious” and his delivery only slightly upbeat during portions of the speech.  The Washington Post’s blog “The Fix” noted that the subject matter wasn’t the most uplifting topic, but then went on to criticize McCain as having “projected an air of somber seriousness that showed little of the fun-loving maverick that voters (and the media) fell in love with.”  Although I haven’t actually watched the speech, TPC applauds McCain for taking a serious issue and keeping it serious for a 25 minute policy address.  There are times for jokes and times for Straight Talk, and when addressing issues like the dangerous and imminent threat of global warming as well as U.S. dependence on unstable regimes in order to satiate our addiction to oil, I think McCain took the right approach. 

Barack Obama also made a formal policy address yesterday, but his focused on the issue of foreign policy.  The blog “The Caucus” outlined the five major points of his address.  The fourth point paraphrased: “that’s why the fourth way America must lead is to rebuild and construct the alliances and partnerships necessary to meet common challenges and confront common threats.”  Obama mentioned global warming as one of those common challenges: “As the world’s largest producer of greenhouse gases, America has the responsibility to lead here…we must demand the same efforts from others.” (Read his entire speech here).

Talk of global warming–or at least “energy independence,” “global climate change,” and “being green”–is in the air. From Chris Dodd to John McCain presidential candidates are unveiling their comprehensive “energy” plans (we have yet to see an actual “global warming” plan).

After debuting his energy plan at the Center for National Policy in D.C. last Friday, Dodd carried his message to voters around NH. In Plymouth he told audience members he has a plan to raise $50 billion annually by enacting a “corporate carbon tax.” He wants to make renewable fuels and new “green” technologies such as hybrid cars more affordable, and he warned people to be wary of “people who say they care about reducing carbon emissions and global warming, but aren’t willing to make the tough decisions to make it happen.” In Keene he spoke about the lack of U.S. leadership in the fight against global warming. “It was a disgrace, in my opinion, that this administration abandoned the Kyoto protocol,” said Dodd. “We can offer the world something far better than they did.”

Last Friday the Associated Press reported on Barack Obama’s “energy proposal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.” The proposal, which was delivered at UNH’s biodiesel fueling facility, mimics California’s approach. Obama talked about raising fuel efficiency standards with an overall goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in passenger vehicles by 10% by 2020. He also said we need to invest in renewable energy sources such as ethanol and cellulosic fuels. “I believe we still have a chance to pass on a planet to our children that is cleaner and safer and more prosperous than we found it,” he said. But as reported in TPC last Friday a FOTPC attending the Obama event at UNH was disappointed. If the event was really supposed to deliver an “energy proposal,” it sounds like he fell short: “he avoided getting into details using the excuse that in due time he will have lots of specifics.”

Today John McCain will deliver his “Energy and Security policy.” Although he chose to leave “global warming” out of the title, a sneak-peak of the speech (from this article in the Boston Globe) shows that McCain “is calling the United States’ foreign-oil reliance and global warming twin threats the country must aggressively confront.” We look forward to hearing the plan.

In other news…the Carbon Coalition’s Town Meeting Initiative got a shout out in Grist Magazine’s “The most sexiest greenest unlikeliest environmental stories of the year.” It may be a sort of backwards compliment, granting the initiative the superlative “Most poignant if entirely quixotic gesture.” Hey, we’ll take it, although with all this candidate talk about global warming (see above), especially with a lot of it taking place in NH, I’m not sure how “quixotic” a gesture it is.

For a good laugh you may want to check out these links. This New York Times “he said, she said” story, covers the “global warming run-in” that took place between Sheryl Crow, Laurie David and Karl Rove this weekend–Who needs Rosie’s and Donald’s public feuds when you’ve got global warming? Also, the Daily Show aired this video last week called “Apocalypse How?” which is a spoof on Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, though Frosty is sadly real.

On Monday two NH citizens wrote this letter to the editor calling President Bush’s use of China as a global warming scapegoat a “pitiful excuse.” “Who will act? Congress and industry should step up to the plate. We the people must contact our leaders to bolster their resolve. “

Others seem to be making up for the Bush administration’s inaction. Today House Chief Administrative Officer Daniel Beard presents a plan to make the House of Representatives carbon neutral. The plan includes changing to energy efficient lighting (CFLs), purchasing Energy Star products, using Ethanol-85 in official vehicles, and purchasing renewable power. The report estimates that these changes would eliminate 57,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year, which would be equivalent to removing 11,000 cars from the road. Beard explains “Congress should set the highest standard for environmental stewardship and sustainable energy use.” It’s about time.

Sen. Clinton’s Washington press office issued a release stating that the Senator would join John Edwards and make her campaign carbon neutral. “In order to address the climate crisis, we all must act - and that includes our campaign.” The press release says the campaign plans to purchase carbon offsets as well as “take a series of conservation measures.” These measures include “buying 100% recycled paper products; recycling paper, glass, cans and cardboard; installing motion-controlled lights to reduce energy when offices are not in use; and locating its headquarters next to a subway station to encourage staff to use public transportation.” Hmm…I’m not sure the Clinton campaign will get very far using subway stations in Iowa, NH, South Carolina, and Nevada. A FOTPC sent me an email with his comments about Clinton’s plans for “conservation measures”:

So, she’s going to spend a tiny fraction of her campaign war chest on offsets, which is fine for what it is. But use recycled paper? Recycle cardboard, bottles, and cans? That’s worthy of a press release? Isn’t that something most reasonable people do reflexively by now? How about doing something that actually demonstrates that you are willing to walk the walk, like drive to your Granite State campaign events in a hybrid (for an obvious, off-the-top-of-my-head example)?

T from “The Caucus” explains that with Earth Day and the recent IPCC report “the campaigns and activists clearly have global warming on the brain”–as they should, with or without earth day. Nonetheless, in light of this annual tribute to our planet, maybe this year Granite Staters will go beyond than the traditional park clean-ups. As NH gets bombarded with candidate visits this weekend, citizens should ask them if they’re willing to “step up to the plate.”

Also, another FOTPC had the chance to see Obama at the UNH biodiesel fueling center this morning. He was dissappointed. He had to wait over an hour for Obama to show up (this seems to be a common theme), the Senator only took three questions from the crowd, and he avoided getting into details using the excuse that in due time he will have lots of specifics (another common theme). “I have a plan and someday I’ll let you know about it.”

Today Sen. Chris Dodd will unveil his comprehensive energy plan in a speech titled “The New American Prosperity: Innovation and Energy Independence in the 21st Century.”  During a phone interview last night, the Associated Press was given a sneak peak into Dodd’s plan, which aims to cut pollution and curb global warming.  With an overall goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 (he apparently received the memo from Step It Up supporters last weekend), Dodd plans to implement a carbon dioxide tax–a step beyond the cap-and-trade system that so many of his colleagues are touting–and set steep auto fuel economy standards of 50 mpg by 2017–10mpg higher than what other candidates are promoting.  Dodd will deliver his speech at the National Policy Center in D.C. and it will be aired live on his website today at 12:00.  After his policy address he’ll trek up to the Granite State to begin three days of campaigning.  Check out his schedule here.

Obama will also be in the state this weekend.  He’ll begin his trip with a visit to the University of New Hampshire’s Department of Transportation biodiesel fueling facility.  Maybe this will inspire a fueling switch to biodiesel from the flex-fuel option that in last week’s Newsweek he admitted “can be hard to find.”

Today the Union Leader’s “Granite Status” reports the “New Hampshire Dollars” donated to campaigns in the last fundraising cycle.  The winner–and by a serious landslide–was Mitt Romney who took in $125,590 out of the $345,942 donated by Granite Staters.  Obama was the runner-up with $49,970.  Overall 56% of all donations went to the Republican party.  Clinton, who took in $45,500, may not have the best NH support financially, but with 35 NH House member’s endorsements, she’s still feeling Granite State love.