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

[doomed]

nobody get's it. the republicans have mastered the media. pregnant daughter; kid with down's; getting picked on by everyone. now think about american idol. you going to vote this person off? the republicans are right - it is not about issues - it's about image. And here is the simple sad truth - the general public is obsessed by Brittany, princess Di (and can't think about squat) is going to follow this until nov and is going to vote to keep her (and her lovable old chimp) on the island. we get what we deserve.

[just4shiggles]

OMG!!!! How did Rudy ever get elected for anything? I just don't know if I can stand to listen to his entire speech! Then I have to listen to Palin's grating voice for what will seem like an eternity!!! This is torture but I feel that I have to do it.... wish me luck!

[grata2ude]

Obama is the only choice on any of the issues.

[Synergist]

Back it up. He has no issues.

[sisterdebmac]

You're right, he has no issues. But he does have policy for the most important issues facing Americans today.

[jmaycock]

Pot calling the kettle black. Idiot.

[Daly]

Exactly he has no issues! He will be drama free while Palin is running Alaska like some 3rd world place.
Obama will be executing a plan to get us out of the rat hole; you remember Clinton, the guy that the GOP cheered loudly last evening; he had the country making $.
8 years of Bush and I make less $ now than 8 years ago not to mention that everything cost more.

A gang that thinks it can tell you if you should have a baby would not hesitate to have conscription- Mc waxes on about it every chance he gets.

[RobinSeattle]

The only green McCain and Palin care about is that gained by being tools of the fossil fuels industries.

Obama isn't completely there, either (his talk of the oxymoron of "clean coal"), but he isn't as bad as McCain. And he had better not screw this up or we enter a countdown to extinction.

[Richard22]

Of course, some say that Palin is "too green" for the VP job.

[Vote For America]

The qualifications of a President:
http://voteforamerica.net/editorials/Comments.aspx?ArticleId=44&ArticleName=Qualifications+of+a+President

Obama got a huge bounce today in Minnesota and Iowa in the latest polls, looks to have them looked up. Obama's also hanging on in Ohio.

Obama 297, McCain 241:
http://voteforamerica.net/electoral.aspx

[sheila]

kucinich is back?? hurrah!

[indyleftist]

I disagree; There are 2 green choices left
Ralph Nader & Cynthia McKinney

Obama, like Thomas Freidman want to outsource pollution to China
McCain doesn't care about pollution at all

[Indubio]

Sorry but Nader isn't an option unless you wish to cast a vote for the GOP. I wish that wasn't true but to deny it is foolish. Until our political system changes, and in spite of the GOPs efforts to create a one party system, we remain a two party state. Third parties can affect the out come of elections but they are unlikely to ever win a national election.

[CNBCSucks]

John McCain was never a "green" candidate, not when his primary answer to climate change is nuclear power. About the only thing that is green with McCain's energy policies will be the color of your baby's gills due to genetic mutation from the radioactive toxins that will be in your water supply, guaranteed, if McCain should get elected.

http://cnbcsucks.wordpress.com

[kimhoulian]

Three supreme court justices up for replacement and as a woman that is foremost on my mind. My choice and children choice is a private matter and I want the same privacy Gov Palin is asking the media for this week.

[foxfan]

Just curious. What do you see as "your choice"?

[morganhill]

It doesn't matter WHAT the choice is.... just that it be her choice!!!

[donkat]

Great post - Palin is a nightmare if you care about the environment - actually McMidget is, too.

[StillAmused]

Back to your room, sweaty warmonger. Your timeout runs the rest of your life. Some offenses are beyond forgiveness.

... and leave that flimsy green disguise costume here when you go.

[mesmerize]

I guess making something out of yourself in America doesn't apply to all people. Some in America feel they have the right to lift up some citizens achievements and push down others. I am pride of what Senator Obama has accomplished. A lot of these same people putting his achievements down are probably worst off in their own accomplishments.

[pgobrien]

Sarah Palin is "McCain's Folly" -- Democrats have to do something.

This is not a soap opera. This is not a Reality TV Game. Sarah Palin is not running for Good Will Ambassador.

This is the frigging government of the United State of America we're talking about and we're looking at a real possibility that people will elect a doddering old man and a Hockey Mom.

Aaaaaaaaaauuuuuggghhh!

[JerseyGirl4Obama]

The old man and the hockey mom will not get in if all of us do our part in encouraging everyone we know to register, then VOTE FOR OBAMA-BIDEN2008! Help an elderly person get to the polls. Ordinary citizens can do their part, no mater how small, to see that we elect Obama-Biden in November. If not, we can look forward to a dismal future. I shudder to think where we will be if we have another 4 years with McSame & company.

[just4shiggles]

That's right JerseyGirl! Also we should all work on our family and friends who are getting the nasty email forwards spreading lies about Obama. They are the good and patriotic americans who feel that they aren't being patriotic because those emails claim that if they don't vote for Cotton Hill and Peggy Hill they don't care about the troops etc.... I bet that's how Yosemite got re elected after his first miserable term and it could happen yet again. We have to try to open their eyes to what the gop is trying to convince them is their only choice. They need to see more about where they really plan to lead our country and that it isn't toward a change that will help us. Even though I don't feel that Cotton and Peggy should stand a chance at winning the truth is they actually could and we have to do everything that we can to make sure that doesn't happen!

[iPolitics]

Ding, ding, ding, ding ding. A winner.