Wolf huffs, puffs and blows it
June 4th, 2007 by Carbon CoalitionI’m pinch-hitting for the usual TPCer who is currently up on Cannon Mountain at the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming’s field hearing. We did talk earlier and here is a report from the scene of the Democratic debate last night.
First, there was no global warming question last night. This is becoming something of a pattern despite the clear concern expressed by voters. It was a positive sign that several candidates used a stupid question from Wolf Blitzer about gas prices (more on this later) to talk about global warming (to Wolf’s apparent distress). Does this mean that candidates are finally feeling comfortable with “climate change” and “global warming” and will not longer reflexively run to the semantic cover of “energy independence” every time greenhouse gasses waft into a discussion?
While the candidates seem to “get it,” Wolf Blitzer clearly doesn’t. In a debate filled with broad questions that called for the candidates to give big-picture answers, the one energy question was, essentially, “what would you do to lower gas prices?” Without minimizing the impact that higher gas prices have on the economy, this is a narrow short-term policy question. The real question is (and Wolf could have led into it by citing the prices at the pump) how will your energy policy move us away from the vagaries of gas pricing and reliance on greenhouse gas-producing fossil fuels and towards a system that is environmentally responsible, economically feasible, and affords the US energy independence? Answers to that kind of question are helpful in choosing a president. As long as the journalists asking the questions equate per gallon gas prices with energy policy, the public will be denied the full picture.
Continuing the theme of the media not quite getting it, Andrew Cline is apparently not kidding when he writes that the solution is to drill more (keep scrolling, you’ll find it). Maybe I just don’t get his sense of humor.
So will there be a global warming question at the Republican debate tomorrow night? Will the Republicans be asked evolution-style to raise their hands if they believe in the scientific consensus on human-induced global warming? It seems like this would be useful information for voters. Last night was an opportunity missed.
June 4th, 2007 at 6:32 pm
Blitzer was also not according the same amount of time and respect to Dennis Kucinich.
June 5th, 2007 at 6:40 am
Since Democrats always beat up on Republicans for higher gas prices, I think that asking what they would do about high gas prices is a fair question. After all, its something everybody can relate to. Other alternative energy sources are nowhere near competitive economically even with prices this high, so they need to present a realistic alternative. After all, these costs make up a higher proportion of the budgets of lower income voters, whom they purport to represent. Also, the evidence for human-induced global warming isn’t nearly as conclusive as it is for evolution, so I hope that if the Republican candidates are asked a question like this, they answer it honestly, and not provide the politically correct answer.
June 5th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
Jim,
Good point about gas prices having a higher impact on lower income citizens. What perplexes people is that if pricing is all about supply and demand, how come prices have been climbing as gasoline inventories increase? Maybe that’s just a seasonal hiccup in the market.
Whether we’re paying it at the pump, paying it in war funding, or about to pay it with catastrophic climate change, we’re paying for a lack of leadership in getting us off of high carbon energy. Gas prices are merely a painful symptom.
June 6th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
I agree that personally I think Mr. Blitzer blew it.I am an independant voter and last night was the Republican debate. I had written a question through the Union Leader website that I heard I could do from Carbon Coalition.I directed my question to both the Democrats and the Republicans.It was concerning global warming. As we know the question wasn’t asked to the Democrats but a question was asked, by the Union Leader Editor that although wasn’t exactly worded as I wrote it was essentially the same question on global warming, to the Republicans. He asked the question, one candidate responded and then Blitzer went in a slightly different direction as if he didn’t want it answered.I asked to all candidates; Do you believe global warming is occuring, and if you do believe global warming is occuring what is you plan to combat it? I wished Mr. Blitzer had let the candidate speak their answers. I wanted to know the answers.
June 7th, 2007 at 10:39 pm
So where were the questions on global warming during the Democratic debate on Sunday night? With 160+ towns voting on climate change several months ago, and given the fact that two-thirds of the interrogators for the debate were NH media representatives, it was a little disappointing, - make that really disappointing – that they didn’t underscore this issue with at least one question.
I did note the Sen. Dodd, in response to a question about gasoline prices, did work his response around to climate change. That, it would seem, was a perfect opportunity for the press panel to open up the climate change issue. I think 160+ towns is a pretty solid base upon which to base a question.