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

AARP and Iowa Public Radio invited the six leading Democratic candidates to participate in a debate focused on issues important to senior citizens.  Five of the six participated; Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Bill Richardson, Joe Biden, and Chris Dodd.  Absent was Barack Obama who had a previous scheduling conflict.

Hillary Clinton faced the first climate change question one hour into the debate.  Judy Woodruff of Iowa Public Television asked Clinton if she would join Senator Dodd in support of a carbon tax.  Clinton answered no and reaffirmed her support of an economy wide cap and trade system.  Clinton also mentioned removing tax subsidies for oil companies and investing that money to promote renewable fuels like ethanol from Iowa.

Woodruff let Dodd respond.  “You are not going to get away from the use of fossil fuels unless you deal with the price,” Dodd said.  Dodd asserted that the corporate carbon tax would allow more efficient energy technologies the opportunity to compete in price with fossil fuels.  Learn about the differences between a carbon tax and cap and trade on E&ETV’s On Point.

Woodruff quickly shifted the debate away from climate change.  Near the end of his response to a tax cut question, Bill Richardson stated “I was Energy Secretary.  I’ve got to say something about the carbon tax.  A carbon tax, I believe is much weaker than cap and trade.”  Richardson described that the under carbon tax the price increase would be imposed on those who are driving cars and there are no mandated reduction targets as there is under his cap and trade plan.

The debate again shifted from climate change.  Like Richardson, Joe Biden brought up climate change on his own volition in the middle of a question about paid family leave.  Biden worried that Delaware is going to be under water because India and China are fulfilling their burgeoning energy demands by building one new coal power plant per week.  “We have to engage in joint ventures with those countries,” said Biden, “and provide technology that provides jobs and income in order for them to stop polluting.”

These debate moderators need to wake up and realize that the candidates want to talk about climate change.  Hopefully Tim Russert will ask more than two climate change questions during next week’s debate in Hanover.