Obama Is The Only Remaining Green Candidate, Says Times' Friedman

As we emerge from Labor Day, college students are gathering back on campuses not only to start the fall semester, but also, in some cases, to vote for the first time in a presidential election. There is no bigger issue on campuses these days than environment/energy. Going into this election, I thought that -- for the first time -- we would have a choice between two "green" candidates. That view is no longer operative -- and college students (and everyone else) need to understand that.

With his choice of Sarah Palin -- the Alaska governor who has advocated drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and does not believe mankind is playing any role in climate change -- for vice president, John McCain has completed his makeover from the greenest Republican to run for president to just another representative of big oil.

Given the fact that Senator McCain deliberately avoided voting on all eight attempts to pass a bill extending the vital tax credits and production subsidies to expand our wind and solar industries, and given his support for lowering the gasoline tax in a reckless giveaway that would only promote more gasoline consumption and intensify our addiction to oil, and given his desire to make more oil-drilling, not innovation around renewable energy, the centerpiece of his energy policy -- in an effort to mislead voters that support for drilling today would translate into lower prices at the pump today -- McCain has forfeited any claim to be a green candidate.

Read the full story here

Related:

::Sarah Palin On The Environment
::McCain, GOP Differed On Climate

Comments

[TARthritis]

Palin is now clearly going to be the attack dog for the Republican ticket. With all the earnestness and elbow-to-the-ribs style of a high school debate club champion, she delivered a well-crafted speech, but as the Republicans have reminded Democrats many times, a speech is just a speech, with or without a styrofoam-column backdrop, and in the end, Palin's rhetoric was as void of substance as anything for which her party has criticized the Democrats.

[KillTheMessenger]

If you want to read a well crafted speech that will make it into the history books, you have to read one of Obama's. Palin gave a prep-talk, not a political speech of any dimension. She makes a great cheerleader queen. Beyond that there is nothing but intellectual desert.

[knerd]

Why, why Thomas Friedman is lying!!! I have personally seen windmills turning above green fields on McCain's campaign commercials.

Don't take me for a bitter Republican clinging to my own bankrupt reality.

[StephanieF24]

The senator and his wife have now come to believe the Bush campaign used push-polling to make voters think that he had fathered a black child out of wedlock.

Bridget, now 15, found out about the incident only a year ago when she Googled herself, according to Nightline. Cindy said Bridget was confused by the discovery.

“[She] was hurt by the fact that she thinks people don’t like her because she’s black,” Cindy recalled. “She asked me why the president of the United States doesn’t like her and I said honey that’s not what happened, you know this was about people that were mean spirited and wrong, they did wrong things you know, it’s hard, it’s been hard I’ll say.”

Bridgett doesn't need Bush.. she has her own family to leave her out

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Vote2008/Story?id=3790360&page=3

[StephanieF24]

So today I was looking at the family photo of the Pallins and McCains. A realization hit me and and my heart sank.

WHERE IS BRIDGETT MCCAIN IN THE FAMILY PHOTOS!?!

http://a.abcnews.com/Nightline/popup?id=3792222&contentIndex=1&start=false&page=

somebody please pick this up.

I'm surprised she hasn't been mentioned at all yet. When politicians ask the media to leave their children out, i dont think this is what they meant!

[Daly]

Oh they mentioned her; pulled her out like a prop; just like with the pregnant dropouts

[genseric13]

Please pass a new law. Those against drilling have to walk to work.

[geo493]

oh hahahaha

No vision for a healthy, clean earth. Is that too pansy for you? Or are you just being practical. Too hard to imagine things could be any better. Just more drilling. Why? Because a rich man in a suit says that's the way to go? And "green" is a pipe dream? I guess rebuilding the American economy around solar, wind, and other non-polluting energy sources is just hard work.

You're so practical. Yes, we should just drill more. Drill more because the alternative is just *so* hard. Easier to make jokes at the expense of those who believe in breathing clean air and rebuilding the American economy on a positive foundation. Nah, change is too hard. Maybe you could make fun of the word "change" too.

So sick of the sarcasm that keeps the people down and intelligence away from government.

[knerd]

Pass a BETTER law:

Those for drilling can drive when the oil actually makes it into their crankcase.

[Daly]

why so extreme; many could work remote, bike, mass trans and that would generate tons of savings. Innovation is not the GOPs thing. While other countries are leaving us in the dino juice we look to oil as if the good book says that is the only option. open your eyes.

[cosmic]

pass a law: those for drilling should be forced to do it in their back yard with a shovel.

[KillTheMessenger]

Please amend that law: those who are addicted to oil have to go to a twelve step program for recovering addicts.

[genseric13]

He doesn't live a green lifestyle. That's pure nonsense. Palin leads the greenest lifestyle of any of them. She gave back the governor's jet.

[jmaycock]

She doesn't believe that man has anything to do with climate change. So wake up! She is not GREEN

[mamacat]

We have already caught Palin in some pretty obvious lies. She must have known that everyone knew she endorsed both sides of the bridge-to-nowhere, but that didn't stop her from lying about it. As we begin to learn more about her, it will be interesting to find out what other lies she has committed.

[Rivcuban]

The environment is in deep trouble...­and America fiddles.

[yoyo5]

Im going to vote for Obamma instead of mccain.The reason is Obamma didnt pick Hillery for his vice president.­She didnt deserve it.Sorry if the truth hurts ladies.So that means there wont be a woman in the whitehouse for at least 16 years.See miracles do exist.And woman are just stupid enough to wait that long.I know this probably wont be printed because the truth really does hurt.Mccai­n stabbed men in the back when he picked palin..You­r too old dude.Keep women out of our mens club.There is room for women there.Moni­ca.Your a good man Billy.Keep your little girls on the side and Hillery in check.

[DiBaskin]

Did Palin serve in the Military? She throw insults at Obama and Biden. I wonder if she served. I guess you can call the McCain/Palin ticket Negative/More Negative. I guess that is what you do when you have no platform of your own to run on.

[mamacat]

Palin read the speech prepared for her. What she did tonight is show everyone what a great rabble rouser she really is. That doesn't change the fact that she is 110% unprepared to set foot anywhere near the White House.

[Jaybot]

So what color glasses do you have to wear to come away with that conclusion? Or perhaps it depends on what you are smoking?

[dogdoc101]

well i hope u got all your answers and all your doubts resolved now that she said her speech. And I sure hope ur going to vote for McCain and Palin to become our next President and VP. See you at the poll(Il be the one dressed in red)

[just4shiggles]

We won't blame you for blushing and being all red when you vote for those losers. I can't wait! See you there!

[Synergist]

I'm on. They got my vote.

[AgentMacGyver]

It wasn't "her" speech, a Bush speechwriter wrote it. What a sheep you are.

[dogdoc101]

well i hope u got all your answers and all your doubts resolved now that she said her speech. And I sure hope ur going to vote for McCain and Palin to become our next President and VP. See you at the poll(Il be the one dressed in red)

[LiberalDuke]

Yea, go ahead and vote for McCain/Palin. The crap that comes out of these republicans mouths is amazing. You might think these guys were not in power for the last 8 years.

[Daly]

that means you are voting for war, draft, gates of hell and the rest

[NickfromCali]

The chant at the RNC:

" Drill Baby Drill"

If you're an environmentalist you should be scared sh**less!

[CO Redhawk]

I am....in more ways then one.

[just4shiggles]

Looked like the Palin kids were trying to out-cute the precious Obama cuties. Did you see the youngest daughter holding the baby when she licked her hand and smoothed his hair? Wonder if she had been told to do that at just the right time.....

[brat58j]

Who takes care of the children? Is dad a "stay at home dad"? Do they have a Nanny? How much attention does she give her (special needs baby?)