Yeeeeehaw John Edwards Yeeeeehaw
September 28th, 2007 by Carbon CoalitionHowdy yall. FOTPCs had John Edwards’ post debate “Economic Fairness and Bluegrass Tour” covered yesterday from Durham to Conway, MTV and the World Wide Web. The day began at UNH with exuberant students filing into Myspace/MTV’s made for TV forum with Edwards. The forum was broadcasted both over the web and into the living rooms of our nation’s youth. That’s right, America’s youngsters had to take one hour off from Lauren and Jason, Heidi and Spencer, and Chrissy and Clay to listen to the former senator.
MTV’s James Montgomery talked to sophomore Shannon O’Brien who is majoring in environmental studies and was anxious to hear Edwards talk about climate change. Shannon told MTV that climate change is “an issue that’ll certainly play throughout the campaign, and it’s one that’s on people’s minds, but I’m hoping he won’t just pay it lip service.”
To no surprise, a UNH student did ask Edwards about the environment offering Edwards an opportunity to give a familiar overview of his climate change plan: Cap and trade; 80% by 2050; no new coal unless the carbon is sequestered; no new nuclear; green jobs; and of course his favorite campaign slogan “It’s time for America to be patriotic about something other than war.” Watch Edwards speak on climate change.
A few hours later, Edwards moved down the street to his ‘Economic Fairness Forum’ where he provided more comprehensive details about his climate plan, but only after the crowd was primed with some toe tappin’, hootin’ and hollerin,’ banjoin’ bluegrass!
Edwards spoke on the potential economic opportunities available to rural communities through the transition from a carbon based economy to a green economy:
“We can use this transition. For example, we are going to have to build the factories, which puts construction workers to work. We’re going to have to make the products that will be used in a green economy, including the machinery.”
“I think that at the high school level we ought to create green academies, so that the young people understand the economic opportunity available to them, and have to start to develop some of the skills to be able to do that. I think that the federal government can help finance that. The federal government should also be working in partnerships with community colleges, labor unions and local groups to train those, who in fact are in the work force, to be prepared to do these green economy jobs.”
An FOTPC also caught up with Edwards in Conway last night and reported that he responded to a question about wind power by again discussing his pledge for no more nuclear and no new coal without carbon capture. Read more from up north at the Daily Kos.
Listen to audio of Edwards speaking about green jobs at UNH.
