Kerry Forces Gingrich To Admit Inhofe Is Off-Base On Global Warming Science

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/04/10/gingrich-kerry-inhofe/

Kerry Forces Gingrich To Admit Inhofe Is Off-Base On Global Warming Science

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) engaged in head-to-head debate this morning on global warming. During the event, Kerry challenged Gingrich on his commitment to global warming science, asking him what his message would be to conservatives like Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) who are “resisting the science.”

Gingrich distanced himself from Inhofe, saying:

My message I think is that the evidence is sufficient that we should move towards the most effective possible steps to reduce carbon-loading of the atmosphere.

Via CNN Pipeline (view at link):

Gingrich went on to say that acknowledging the scientific consensus around climate change “is a very challenging thing to do if you’re a conservative” because they associate environmentalism with “bigger government and higher taxes.” Another possible explanation? Global warming skeptics find it lucrative and rewarding to side with the deep pockets of the oil lobby.

Gingrich concludes by arguing it is time for “green conservatism.”

Transcript:

KERRY: I’m excited to hear you talk about the urgency — I really am. And given that — albeit you still sort of have a different approach — what would you say to Sen. Inhofe and to others in the Senate who are resisting even the science? What’s your message to them here today?

GINGRICH: My message I think is that the evidence is sufficient that we should move towards the most effective possible steps to reduce carbon-loading of the atmosphere.

KERRY: And to it urgently — and now…

GINGRICH: And do it urgently. Yes.

If I can, let me explain partly why this is a very challenging thing to do if you’re a conservative. For most of the last 30 years, the environment has been a powerful emotional tool for bigger government and higher taxes. And therefore, if you’re a conservative, the minute you start hearing these arguments, you know what’s coming next: which is bigger government and higher taxes.

So even though it may be the right thing to do, you end up fighting it because you don’t want big government and higher taxes. And so you end up in these kinds of cycles. And part of the reason I was delighted to accept this invitation and I’m delighted to be here with Sen. Kerry is I think there has to be a if you will a “green conservatism” — there has to be a willingness to stand up and say alright here’s the right way to solve these as seen by our value system.

[kwolf68]

1. I'm baffled

Did Kerry have a gun to his head or something? (Needs to Be)Neutered said something blasphemous...

[blm]

3. I think it was Newt's ego - he adores his own brainpower and wants to be recognized

as a first class mind. He will always come up short, though, because he eventually reverts back to his partisan comfort zone.

[FogerRox]

21. Very close to my analysis of Newt

Newt is very smart, he has bouts with brilliance, but his analysis breaks down because of his need for partisanship.

[blm]

22. Imagine what a great asset he could be to this country if he lobotomized the

portion of his brain that triggers his partisan insanity.

He was almost there after 9-11 when he came down hard AGAINST Bush for shelving Hart-Rudman Report on Global Terror that he also worked on for 2 1/2 years.

[eppur_se_muova]

24. I believe the British expression is "too clever by half".

Smart enough to talk himself into trouble, not smart enough to get out of it (w/out complacency of cronies, anyway).

[karynnj]

4. Kerry had a more powerful weapon than a gun to place at Newt's head

Kerry was brilliant and well spoken and ran circles around Newt. You know he owned the debate when - people live blogging it on National Review on line quit mid way after a few posts conceding that Kerry was the winner.
http://planetgore.nationalreview.com/



This is not to say Newt was bad. Newt was the best spoken Republican in a debate that I can remember - beating Bush, Cheney, Bush 1, Quayle, Reagan, and Ford. I only remember Nixon with JFK - from that I would add him as well. I honestly don't remember Golwater.

[blm]

2. Please spread this to the Flat Earth Society at FR. Maybe we can use this to pressure

Inhofe to back off his roadblock of Gore's event in DC.

[damntexdem]

5. It's an important thing to do, but you end up fighting because ...

you don't want to do it.

Great, Newt! LOL!

[cooolandrew]

6. Whoa, Kerry does listen, I said really admire his stand on climate change this is his moment, ..

... he's taken it on board it appears good for him. Heard him on Ecotalk the other day, said how he was a supporter of the issue going back a while now. He seemed just as informed as Gore on the issues that face us, hope he gets primary role in administration in combatting our number one issue.

[MH1]

10. Kerry has a strong history of working on environmental issues

1970 - helped organize, and spoke at, first Massachusetts Earth Day
1980's - as Lt. Gov. of MA under Dukakis, worked on acid rain and helped bring about first international agreement on controlling air pollution that was causing acid rain
1993 - with Teresa (before they were married), helped found an organization that helps colleges create curricula around the topic of environmental sustainability - http://www.secondnature.org/aboutsn/aboutsn.htm
Around 2002 or so, he and McCain worked on legislation to raise CAFE standard to 36 mpg. Their efforts were undermined by D's as well as R's.

Just for a few.

[karynnj]

11. He will have a role in the Senate on it

He and Senator Snowe have one of the competing bills. They have held at least one hearing in the Small Business Committee which he chairs and in the Commerce Committee which they are both on. Kerry also spoke to Senator Boxer's environmental committee and was praised effusively by her and other people on that committee.

Kerry/Snowe and Boxer/Sanders are the most aggressive bills, followed by McCain/Leiberman (which Clinton co-sponsored), followed by Bingaman. I assume that some or all of these bills/people will emerge in a bill or competing bills. It is clear that he will be one of the people involved on this.

[cooolandrew]

7. Oh the big government argument. How about their big hairy behind government reading the mail.

[Bandit]

8. And we certainly know how government has shrunk under Republicon

governance. Boy what a misnomer ~ Republican governance.

[wicket]

9. Kerry cleaned Newt's clock!

:rofl:

[lyonn]

17. Kerry sure did. Newt did more listening and agreeing than anything

Yet, the media makes like it was a big deal that Newt would meet with Kerry and discuss the issue. Always more talk about what Newt did or said than Kerry and Kerry was carrying the ball the whole time. He was Very good. The audience certainly sided with Kerry, big ovations.

[zbdent]

12. Posters should go up

"Lower taxes, or breathing ... you decide. Republicans want lower taxes over breathing."

[blm]

13. What would you trade for YOUR child or grandchild's asthma?

Really - what's a few more dollars in taxes compared to your health and the health of our families?

[nam78_two]

14. Recommended-I wanted to see that

Saw it on the CSPAN schedule..I hope they show it again.

Inhofe is quite possible one of the stupidest people on the planet. He gives me the impression of actually believing his own bs...

[lyonn]

18. I've been thinking about how stupid Inhofe is and it occured to

me that it isn't a matter of brains it is a matter of sucking up to the oil industry here in Okla. Stupid me. While watching the show this a.m. it went through my mind all the goodies Inhofe must get from the oilies. If it's a farm it must have the best fences in the county, that sorta stuff. Of course the world to Inhofe is flat, it pays to think and talk that way. Will we ever vote that jerk out of office? Oh the shame of it.

[thecrow]

23. HERE IS THE LINK

http://12.170.145.161/search/basic.asp?ResultStart=1&ResultCount=10&BasicQueryText=kerry+gingrich&image1.x=21&image1.y=13

[Warren DeMontague]

15. That's the difference between the part of the GOP made up of total fucking idiots

and the part that has a brain but is still full of shit.

[LSK]

16. K&R

When folks like Newt and Wolfowitz admit that we are causing the problem and accept the science, that makes change come about much easier.

[0rganism]

19. Interesting... Gingrich concedes all major points, only debates reform methods

Credit where credit's due, at least his position is relatively practical compared to Inhofe's. From what I read, he and Sen. Kerry were debating what amounts to implementation details, which is where the congressional debate ought to be by now, if it hadn't been delayed by deniers and corporate gladhanders for the last decade.

[Cha]

20. Way to go Senator Kerry!

I'm tired of these "the Earth is Flat" brayers.

This is not a partisan issue ..it's the only Planet we have.

And we are the ones who are being Conservative with the Earth and human and animal life.

Can there be "green fascism"? Sounds like newt's trying to find a niche?