Joe Biden Says He Doesn't Support Clean Coal (VIDEO)

Sen. Joe Biden, on the campaign trail, was asked why he supports what is referred to as "clean coal."

This is a bit of a misnomer for the technology of capturing and storing the carbon emissions from coal plants. It's less dirty. But "clean" might not be fair, if you consider the pollution and damage to the planet that occurs when coal is mined.

Biden's answer -- on video from a 1Sky campaigner below -- seems to be that he doesn't support "clean coal," but the U.S. has to develop the technology in order to help clean up China's coal operations.

As ThinkProgress Wonk Room points out, "clean coal" is a part of the Obama/Biden energy and green jobs policy. John McCain also supports "clean coal." Transcript below the video:

WATCH:

Read the full story here

TRANSCRIPT:

AUWAERTER: Senator, Senator, wind and solar are flourishing here in Ohio, so why are you supporting clean coal?

BIDEN: Say that again? I didn't hear what you said.

AUWAERTER: Wind and solar are flourishing here in Ohio, so why are you supporting clean coal?

BIDEN: We're not supporting "clean coal." Guess what. China's building two every week. Two dirty coal plants. And it's polluting the United States. It's causing people to die.

AUWAERTER: So will you support wind and solar?

BIDEN: Absolutely. Before anybody did. The first guy to introduce a global warming bill is me, 22 years ago. The first guy to support solar energy is me, 26 years ago. It came out of Delaware. But guess what. China is burning three hundred years of bad coal unless we figure out how to clean their coal up. Because it's going to ruin your lungs and there's nothing we can do about it. No coal plants here in America. Build them, if they're going to build them over there make 'em clean because they're killing you.

Comments

[noneIn2008]

11:19 AM on 09/24/2008

It's just Joe. Don't hold him accountable for the specifics.
Also, this is just the lead up to the October surprise of replacing Joe with Hillary.

[texslix]

09:12 PM on 09/23/2008

For those confused why he's referring to China.

China and India are both starting their industrial revolution. If we expect them to join Climate Change Pacts we have to develop the technology for that to work. Right now China is building too fast to develop at the same pace and their energy needs are being met only with heavily polluting sources.

If we develop Clean Coal Tech here in the US then we can put mroe pressure on polluting developing countries to follow global warming guidelines if we have the technology to provide that makes it feasible.

[DiscoStu]

11:49 PM on 09/22/2008

Not that I understood that, but do you people really believe Obiden is going to tell China how to make electricity? He can't say no to Bush's Bailout for Banks.

[GreyFlcn]

01:50 AM on 09/23/2008

Put it the other way.

Let China sit on their hands all they like.

Because we're going to eat their lunch when it comes to the next dot-com boom in Energy Technology.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkUKMVcCt4k

Soon as that happen, they will be right on our heels making a mad dash to catch up to us.

[ohiomark]

11:59 AM on 09/22/2008

That video just goes to show how comfortable Joe Biden is "talking down" to average people because he is so much smarter than the average person..........just ask him.

[Missmn]

03:22 PM on 09/22/2008

Pointing out that no matter what we do with our energy in this country, India and China and their energy needs are huge issues for all of us is not "talking down" to average people.

[DanSmith]

06:26 AM on 09/21/2008

They should ban using any source of coal period. I'm tired of breathing dirty air.

[UnbiasView]

10:21 AM on 09/21/2008

Move out of the city then . . .

[GreyFlcn]

01:14 AM on 09/21/2008

It should be noted.
The acid rain and smog emissions from "Coal Sequestration" plants, would be 40% higher than a conventional coal plant.

So a Coal Sequestration plant wouldn't really be "Clean".
It would actually be quite dirty.
http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/8/14/122934/992
http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/8/8/123534/4485
http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/3/19/16232/9817

So if you want to blame Biden for anything, you could merely complain that he's being too honest.
But then again, isn't that what people keep saying they actually WANT in a politician?

An Honest politician.

[DefeatedAnOfficer]

11:54 PM on 09/20/2008

I have nothing intelligent to add except the picture that was chosen to go along with this story is hilarious. It's begging to be made into a macro.

[Tom95134]

06:53 PM on 09/20/2008

A very misleading headline. Biden thinks that we should develop clean coal technologies so they can be used in countries where they are building new coal plants on a daily basis.

This slam against Biden is just an attempt to put him on the wrong side with labor. In fact, McCain went along with Bush in putting anti-labor, corporate interests in charge of the U.S. Labor Department and the National Labor Relations Board. McCain was also silent on the gutting of mine safety laws. Get with it and do some research instead of just following the McCain liers like a bunch of sheep.

[DrYRHead]

11:50 PM on 09/20/2008

What Biden is saying is the so called "clean coal plants" are not so clean after all.

[GreyFlcn]

02:10 AM on 09/21/2008

Pro-Coal = Anti-Labor
http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/2/1/231335/4191
http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/9/18/12350/0378

It's like demanding more typewriters, at the dawn of the dot-com boom.

[Missmn]

11:06 AM on 09/20/2008

I agree that the headline is misleading. This is from the Obama Energy Plan:

"Coal is our nation’s most abundant energy source and is a critical component of economic development in China, India and other growing economies. Obama believes that the imperative to confront climate change requires that we prevent a new wave of traditional coal facilities in the U.S. and work aggressively to transfer low-carbon coal technologies around the world...As president Obama will significantly increase the resources devoted to the commercialization and deployment of low carbon coal technologies."

The focus seems to be on developing the technology, showing that it works and then selling it to India and China and the developing world, where the largest threat exists.

[mezz1962a]

06:28 AM on 09/20/2008

Ole foot in the mouth strikes again!!!!

Cant wait till the debates I know you give this knucklehead 2 hours in a debate he will say something stupid...Oh what a day it would be if he could ask another crippled person to "Stand Up" LOL

Please lord let Biden have another foot in the mouth comment on national TV

[DianatheHuntress]

11:13 PM on 09/20/2008

Do you think there is anything to the rumor that Biden is going to drop out of the VP race after the debates, citing some serious illness, to be replaced by Hillary? It is all over the web, I just can't believe it.

[loofa]

12:07 AM on 09/20/2008

I think some are confused by the headline or something. Read the exchange carefully and it makes sense. He's not saying he for or against coal, he is saying that he IS for solar and wind energy, but that coal is a fact and that as long as it is, we should do all we can to reduce it's polluting effects. Of course, that doesn't make it great, he's just trying to lessen a harmful thing. But this doesn't mean he doesn't support better things too.

[luckyinnc]

04:17 PM on 09/19/2008

Joe...dude...open mouth, insert foot....is this going to be an every day thing with you?

[mezz1962a]

06:29 AM on 09/20/2008

Well this was bad but not asking a crippled person to Stand Up Bad

[SeenItBefore]

10:31 PM on 09/18/2008

Burning anything that is carbon based IS NOT CLEAN! When will these idiots figure out Chemistry 101?

[BaltimoreSteve]

04:13 PM on 09/18/2008

it's just Joe being Joe, and the GOP spin machine's twisting.

What a refreshing change he will be from Darth Cheney.

[mezz1962a]

06:34 AM on 09/20/2008

If any Republican did this boy oh boy it would be headline news here and on MSNBC.

It made headline just because Palin said whe she would be president they ran amoke with that one or the John Bush comment.

Of course nothing about Bidens comments
When Biden Said...to the crippled person "Stand Up"
When Biden said...Hillary would have been a better VP
When Biden Said...He woud be honored to be the VP of McCain
When Biden Said...Obama is not read. The presidency is not a place for On The Job Training

Cant wait till the debates you know another Biden Foot in the mouth comment is coming

I really really don't want a person who is one heartbeat from being president that we need to defend with the "it's just Joe being Joe"

Maybe with his foot in the mouth comments he will start a war then will you go it's just Joe being Joe

[Gary47]

11:15 AM on 09/20/2008

And when you compare that list to the innumerable list of idiotic flip flops McCain or Palin make in just a week, it's night and day.

[sweetnsassy316]

01:25 PM on 09/22/2008

I can't help but notice that you have repeated yourself 3 times about the "Stand up" comment....Must you repeat yourself to get your point(less) comment across?

Let's see what I can repeat three times fast to get a point across.....

McCain confuses National Gaurd and Army
McCain confuses National Gaurd and Army
McCain confuses National Gaurd and Army

And you would THINK that McCain would not commit such a blunder, being a Miliary man himself and actually knowing the person that he was referring to (Being the son of his running mate)......I don't believe that Biden knew this disabled person personally...hmmm just something to think about.

When you take one comment out of context you can make it look/sound however best to look in your favor....Take your last comment for example "....can't wait for the debates......(Joe) is one heartbeat from being president......" You suddenly sound like a supporter of good ol' Joe.

and regarding your comment " really really don't want a person who is one heartbeat from being president that we need to defend with the "it's just Joe being Joe"


And I do not want a person that is one heartbeat away from becoming a dead president and leaving Palin to run the country. I want someone I can actually get an answer out of.

[SoonerThought]

02:18 PM on 09/18/2008

So, he's darned if he do, darned if he don't. He tells the coal people he's for them, he's pandering. He tells the truth, and he's a "fool." I admire his courage in the face of gotach politics. Biden for Vice President!

[whit4brains]

12:05 AM on 09/20/2008

I agree. I find his honesty refreshing.

Go Joe!

Obama/Biden '08