David Letterman's Global Warming Rant: "We Are Dead Meat" (VIDEO)

"We are dead meat," said David Letterman last night in the midst of a lengthy rant on global warming. He blamed a lack of leadership over the last several decades. He also said he didn't think that little steps like reusing party toothpicks or turning lawn clippings into mulch could possibly help.

WATCH the clip:

Related: Grist's David Roberts complains that Thomas Friedman, the guest on the show, failed to be interesting at all.

Who did a better job -- Friedman or Letterman?

Comments

[HBeachbum]

I'm sure Dave has traded-in his Porsche(s) for a Prius ... right Dave?

[redsongia]

I think he mostly jogs.

[NicoleAnon]

I read a report that they could actually be WORSE for the environment than regular cars because you need batteries to charge them or something like that.

Did anyone see the pictures of Leonardo DiCaprio on vacation this summer with his buddies on the BIGGEST yacht I've ever seen?

The celebrities who claim to care about the planet actually damage it more than anyone.

[KillTheMessenger]

You read nonsense about the Prius.

What does Leonardo DeCaprio's rental Yacht have to do with anything?

Does that mean YOU don't have to save the environment for YOUR kids any longer?

[VitriolAndAngst]

Next you might suggest that he recycle his party toothpicks...

... exactly the half-measures he is talking about.

Talk about light-weight trains through every city and suburb, and high-speed rail connecting cities instead of airplanes and you are getting somewhere.

[helloworld2008]

Of course David Letterman voted for and promoted Ralph Nader in 2000.

Thanks Dave for destroying the planet!

[sammy50]

Dave has become an unfunny ,angry old man.

[redsongia]

Old people always think the world is over. They never get it's just them.

Still, I wouldn't mind a little leadership on green technology. Don't blow it THIS time, America.

[LouisianaLiberal]

Poor, silly sammy. Yes, Dave is unfunny here. There's a good reason for that. He’s a father who loves his son and is worried about a not too distant future (2012) where the polar ice cap will be significantly reduced and global warming (no silly sammy, it is not fiction and no we do not have to wait with Bush to find science – he’s not sure where or if it is) will alter life as we know it today. This is not funny and Dave is appropriately alarmed. The question here, silly sammy, is why aren’t you?

[sammy50]

Yes, we shld all listen to the world famos climate expert Dr. Dave Letterman.

Maybe Dave can help us with climate change if he didn't waste so much energy on his many homes.

"Letterman owns or rents plenty of other properties around North America, including a house in New York; a ranch near Choteau, Mont.; a place on Martha’s Vineyard on Katama Bay View Road in Edgartown, Mass.; and a place in St. Bart’s in the Caribbean, according to news accounts and public records."

[mema01]

As soon as Sister Sarah get into office Letterman will be fired.

[VitriolAndAngst]

Yes, we all expect that from a Domnionist and it is why Americans who love Liberty should be opposed to her.

[eveningprim]

i'm glad dave's finally on the ball here... ! jeez! m. brando was talking about this in the early 90's and everyone just laughed..

[NicoleAnon]

Maybe it's just time for humans to become extinct - everything in nature goes in cycles and we can't expect humans to be around forever.

The dinosaurs aren't around anymore either and I doubt it's because they used plastic bags and didn't recycle enough.

[lakat]

So there's nothing we can do about it, huh? Perhaps you'd be right if we were snuffed out because of a giant meteor hitting the earth but we are misusing our planet and most reasonable, thinking people know that. It's hard to go backward and change how we live our lives and perhaps we won't be willing to make the sacrifices needed to turn this mess around and we will be extinct. It's all about adaptability and frankly, I'm not confident we have it.

[Treehuggindirtworshiper]

We may be "dead meat' but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try. Check out pickensplan.com!

[JoeBlough]

Sister Sarah says it is not so. And Bush says the science isn't all in yet.

[MikeDu]

Whenever Bush doesn't want to answer a question he convenes a 'committee' then refuses to respond til the committee returns its findings... and they NEVER return their findings. I'm still waiting for Bush's "internal report" on that undercover CIA being outed by his office!

[pamelagoodenough]

Why is the audience laughing? This is not funny at all. Dave is probably right, but we cannot give up trying. We can begin by voting for Obama and getting those who deny the facts our of power. Those who deny global warming = Bush, McCain, Palin, Inhoff, Graham, and other neocons. Remember, these powerful men are NOT Republicans. They are NEOCONS.

[stardawn]

pamelagoodenough,

Here is a site to inform those who lump Senator McCain into the Bush et., basket when it comes to global climate change.

http://www.stopglobalwarming.org/sgw_marcher.asp?3

Notice the date of the article is 2005.

[katocat]

Too bad it takes a comedian to point out the truth... perhaps someday people will look back at how everyone was laughing it up as the world went down the tubes.

[UncleLiberal]

Wow! That was fantastic! Way to go Dave! Keep it up! It's about time someone did this!

[hipdeep]

This is Dave's truth coming out. It is an answer to his third act -- a cool evolution of his act, irony delivered a new.

[donaldw6]

And at the bottom of this very page, in large bold type, you will see the phrase "Global Warming Hoax", and you can "Find out how scientists, government are fooling the public" if you click on the link.

Unless we see right now how truly malevolent these tactics are, and take charge so we can begin to turn this thing around, we really, really will be dead meat in very short order. What was a whisper a few years ago is now a roar, all over this planet. You're sleeping, America! If you wait for the alarm that will finally wake you up, it will be too late!

[biglith]

I agree with Kurt Vonnegut that the evolution of Homo Sapiens is Nature's biggest mistake. Nature created the one thing that will destroy it. Vonnegut also said it is too late. The greedy interest of the corporate fascist state will never allow the changes needed to save the planet.

[LITU]

All too true. And in addition, unless the human population growth comes to a screeching halt, don't expect any gains in controlling climate change. First things first.

[lw1899]

The Earth will do just fine. We could do our worst and Nature will heal itself over time - just as it did when meteors caused mass extinctions in the past. It might take a while but what's a few million years for a planet that's over 4.5 billion years old.

In the meantime, we're doing a great job advancing our own extinction. People (mainly Republicans) choose to bury their heads in the sand claiming they know more about global warming than the world's leading scientists. Harumph! Silly scientists! What do they know? And all in the name of the almighty dollar.

[RushLiberal]

Great - Finally

[Jackalheadedgod]

Kudos! to Mr. Letterman. He has done the reading and is using his bully pulpit to warn his audience. Bravo!

Cheers,
Jack