McCain Could Have Gone Experienced, Female, Light Green; Instead, He Chose a Dark Future

John McCain has made the choice. Already a hypocrite in talking the talk when it came to Global Warming, but taking the oil walk, choosing Sarah Palin put the nails in the coffin as to any shred of a claim that John McCain represents change in the Republican Party when it comes to acknowledging anthropogenic causes for Global Warming.

Let us be clear, very clear, John McCain had a choice. He could have gone 'green' (or at least light green) when choosing a female Republican governor. He actually had multiple 'light green' options in front of him.

Experienced.

Female.

Republican.

Governor.

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Reasonable 'light' green credentials.

Hmmm.

Let us look to three.

Linda Lingle is in her second term as Governor of Hawaii. Lingle not only believes in Global Warming, but also believes in acting. Under her leadership, Hawaii has set targets of reducing GHG emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 (inadequate target, but a start ...) and, even more impressively, moving from 90+% of electricity coming from burning oil to 70% renewable electricity by 2030. Hawaii has put solar hot water into the building code as required for new construction. And ...

Christine Todd Whitman served from 1994 to 2001 as New Jersey's governor before going on to be the first Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency under George W Bush. While much could be said about 'moderate' Todd Whitman, re Global Warming, she sees humanity's role and supports Cap & Trade as a response. Let us look at her recent words re Global Warming:

There's no question that the climate is changing and scientists will tell you that one of the outcomes of that is more frequent and more severe storms, droughts, and floods. They just can't tell you when or where these things will actually occur. ... Scientists will tell you that there is a definite correlation between these temperature changes that we're seeing and the frequency and intensity and severity of storms.

M Jodi Rell has been Governor of Connecticut since July 2004 and was Lieutenant Governor for the prior decade. In 2007, she co-wrote an OPED with California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger: Lead or Step Aside, EPA: States can't wait on Global Warming.

It's bad enough that the federal government has yet to take the threat of global warming seriously, but it borders on malfeasance for it to block the efforts of states such as California and Connecticut that are trying to protect the public's health and welfare.

Just this past June, Rell signed a Global Warming bill.

"Connecticut continues to lead by example in our environmental efforts," Governor Rell said. "As stewards of Connecticut, a healthy environment is one of the most important things we can pass along to our children. This new law requires actions that will benefit not just Connecticut but the entire nation by decreasing pollution, saving energy and reducing our dependency on foreign fuel. By capping greenhouse gas emissions, we will reduce our carbon footprint, conserve energy and improve air quality in Connecticut while leading the way for the rest of the nation."

Neither Lingle nor Whitman nor Rell rate marks as rabid environmentalists, battlers for stretch targets to protect humanity from catastrophic climate change. They do, however, have some claims to credibility in 'light green' terms when it comes to trying to find solution paths to real problems.

They are , as well, experienced and with far more serious credentials than Wasilla, Alaska's former Mayor and less than two year Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin.

If John McCain wanted to provide a basis for arguing that there were real options in the ballot box for dealing with Global Warming, these female Republican Governors could have provided substance to that argument. But, John McCain rejected the concept of moving to protect us (the US) against catastrophic climate change with his choice of Sarah "Pit Bull with Lipstick" Palin and his embrace of the anti-science and anti-knowledge fringe of the Republican Party.

Now, these women continue to drink their Party's kool-aid. They have spoken up (vehemently) in defense and support of Global Warming-denier Sarah Palin. It isn't just on global warming terms that this is hard to understand. While speaking glowingly of Palin, in the past, Linda Lingle actually rejected donations from extreme Christian fundamentalists of the ilk of Sarah Palin's church.

If John McCain actually were concerned about Global Warming and wished to choose an experienced Republican female Governor to join him on the ticket, Linda Lingle, M Jodi Rell, and Christine Todd Whitman provided him a choice. It isn't only when it comes to a woman's right to control decisions about her body that John McCain is viscerally anti-sensible choices.

Comments

[KillTheMessenger]

The only "light" the Republican base is interested in is the white light at the end of the tunnel that most of them can see faintly already.

[A. Siegel - Huffpost Blogger]

We must wonder what share of W's 26% is "end of time" community? Of people fanatic for Palin? If you believe in end of time, that sort of puts you at odds with anyone talking about global warming and other issues with continuing impacts 30, 50, 100 years from now ...

[A. Siegel - Huffpost Blogger]

This is a sad statement on so many, fundamental levels.

For you, it is clear, paying attention to science and the scientific method is an item of religious faith.

This is not about "Gore" but about fact, reality, and science.

[ProgressiveGoat44]

He picked a Pentecostal instead of a Gorman. All presidential candidates in recent memory have had to pass the faith test. How in this age can we have a leader who does not believe in the principles set forth by Al. This is a sad day indeed. There were many candidates who espoused a more Gorman viewpoint from which he could have chosen.

[charleydan]

2500 scientists signed on to global warming and only 250 were climatologists.

4500 scientists signed against global warming be a man caused affair. Oh yes, 70 of them were Nobel Prize Winners.

Want to talk facts.

Gores book and movie got charged in the courts of England for what? Falsehoods. They can not teach it in the Education System without pointing out the lies.

So to state it as fact is wrong, but to state it as a political football to be reckoned with is.

[A. Siegel - Huffpost Blogger]

Sigh ... thank you for desire to contribute to confusion, deception, and rejection of reality.

Want to quote the substantive elements of that judge's ruling?

the film is "substantially founded upon scientific research and fact." The judge also said he had "no doubt" that the defendant's expert was "right when he says that: 'Al Gore's presentation of the causes and likely effects of climate change in the film was broadly accurate.' " See: http://mediamatters.org/items/200710170001

You are not presenting "facts", but distortions and truthiness.

Amusing, by the way, that you seek to claim (falsely) about scientists but seek to justify your attack by citing a lawyer (judge ...).

[dryhole]

Charleydan Good post but I read it was only 6 climatologist and the majority of the so called scientist were socialist or other similarly non related scientist.
The book "Little Ice Age" is a must read for those so inclined to scientific knowledge and the pursuit of historical truth. The government forest has abandoned the method of silverculture initiated by the Pinchott the first manager of the Forest service and the partner of Olmstead. Both recovered the land around the Biltmore Estates in Ashville NC and designed and created the process for Central Park in New York city, Louisville, KY in particular and other areas. Silverculture is the method of slow burning the undergrowth in forest reducing the fuel that permits a fire ladder to the tree tops and thus massive destructive burn. And you know how many cows the enviro dudes will have when one mentions burning the forest.

[KillTheMessenger]

Let me put it clearly to you:

YOU are a troll. Now go away.

[fem56]

HuffPost's Pick

It looks like they are not pistol packing hot mamas that went to five colleges in six years to become a journalist specializing in sportscasting. There are quite a few repulican woman who are sober(I don't mean that she is an alcoholic) thoughtful, intelligent public. servants. I am still scratching my head to think that any of these women are happy about McCain's choice. It is rather insulting as well as frightening.

[PumaAnn]

They are thrilled. And Mac has now distanced himself from Bush, so he can start talking like Mac really thinks.

I will never quite get this "insulted" business by some women. She's a breath of fresh air to me. She is who she is........nothing more, nothing less. Certainly nothing scary.

[A. Siegel - Huffpost Blogger]

"Mac has now distanced himself from Bush"????

On what basis? On almost every policy position, McCain has become closer to Bush through the past few years, not distanced. It is not just voting with Bush 95+% of the time, but it is also the campaign's policy positions.

Sadly, John Mccain is not "McSame" but McWorse. Why McWorse? Because George W Bush started his disastrous tenure in the Oval Office on the backs of the boom cycle of the Clinton-Gore years. McWorse will start with the horrible situation that Bush-Cheney have fostered and McCain-Palin Administration would almost certain worsen the situation even if there is a chance (though Palin choice reduced that chance) that McCain would not be as bad as Bush.

[greenshirt]

She may be a breath of fresh air to you but she is also a conservative republican, a member of the party that has been in power for the past 8 years. If you elect Mac and Pal you will be in effect rewarding the republican party for bad judgement. The republican party knows you will think she's a "breath of fresh air". They want to fool you into voting them into power once again and if you do, 4 years from now when things are even worse, and you ask them why nothing has been done, why Mac and Sara have not fulfilled the promises they made they will stare at you and smile as if they don't know what you're talking about. They will tell you they've done everything they said they were going to do. When you point out what they haven't done, they'll tell you the democrat party stopped them. Oh, you don't believe that? Well, ask Sara. Oh, you don't believe her anymore? Oh well, next question :)

[nel]

If I lived in a small town in Alaska I probably would have wanted to spend my college years in different places in the lower 48. When you pay your own tuition it often takes longer to graduate than 4 years. Palin is getting more attention since her nomination than Obama and that is surely the reason McCain selected her -- no one was listening to his message before her.

[KillTheMessenger]

Nobody is listening to his message after heir either. They are all staring at her...

[yvonne61]

I'M STILL SHAKE MY HEAD THIS PICK WAS WRONG IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO HIM YOU TELL ME SHE THE RIGHT ONE TO STEP IN THAT CRAZY. SHE DON'T HAVE EXPERIENCE IN NO NATIONAL OR FOREIGN POLICY BUT THAT OK WITH VOTERS. MCCAIN JUDGMENT HAD BEEN PUT ON THE TABLE. THIS LET US KNOW HE NOT THE RIGHT ONE FOR THE JOB. WE HAVE 2 WARS, RUSSIA, BIN LANDEN RUNNING AROUND. AND YOU PEOPLE THINK SHE THE RIGHT ONE? YOU PEOPLE NEED A REALITY CHECK. THE LAST EIGHT YEARS GOT US AMERICAN IN A LIED WARS 4000 KILLED, JOB TRYING TO STAY IN YOUR HOMES, KEEPING FOOD ON THE TABLES. PLUS, KEEPING GAS IN THE CAR BUSH SAT IN THE WHITE HOUSE FOR 8 YEARS AND DID NOTHING FOR US AMERICAN. MCCAIN GOING AROUND ACTING LKES HE GOING TO CHANGE WASHINGTON AND HE PART OF THE PROBLEMS IN WASHINGTON WHAT A JOKES. AND PEOPLE EATING UP.THE TWO HAVE NO PLANS OF ISSUES FOR AMERICAN PROBLEMS. HE WANT TO KEEP THE RICH RICHER AND THE POOR POORER. HE HAVE TALK ABOUT WHAT HE GIONG TO DO FOR THE MIDDLE-CLASS NOT ONE TIME. THIS TICKET IS SCARY FOR ALL AMERICAN. PEOPLES BETTER WAKE UPAND MAKE A GOOD DECIDE IN NOVEMBER LIFE DEPENDS ON IT.

[LetMeUnderstandThis]

"He just doesn't understand"

Obama-Biden 08

1) Register
2) Vote

[kjdwyer]

This is an excellent post.

The answer to it is, obviously, that the Christian Evangelist base is more important to Republicans than any talk about Global Warming.

However, this could be an extremely strong point of attack with regards to Palin and Democrats should take note of your article. If they can paint her as out of touch with the majority of americans on this issue, it could serve to discredit her and the Republican ticket in general.

Similarly, they should identify other issues (such as no abortion in case of rape or incest) that are out of the mainstream and hit Palin hard.

Thanks for your contribution.

[PumaAnn]

I think that Democrats opposed to Palin represent a kind of fringe group that is turning off the entire country.

If the Republicans wish to transform their party, why would anyone on the side of this country object to this?

It's a good thing.

[A. Siegel - Huffpost Blogger]

Have to say that I find this comment to be entirely off the mark.

Sarah Palin's anti-science (doesn't believe in Global Warming being related to human causes), anti-knowledge (wants creationism taught alongside evolution in science classes), severe anti-choice, pro-oil, abuse of power, separtist (Alaska Independece Party allegiance of husband and Sarah's (at minimum) fellow traveler statuse), etc views and practices are antithetical to the views, beliefs, and morality of the majority of Americans. Who is the "fringe"?

[lemonyashes]

PumaAnn troll what transformation are U talking about? Republican Hippocracy?

[BCubedReg]

Unbelievable that you could be talikng about "fringe group(s)" with a login name like yours "PumaAnn". Just your name alone shows the hypocrisy in your statement. Go away.

[jacqmac]

Didn't Whitman resign her position at the EPA because G.W. and Co. were foot dragging and 'waiting for conclusive evidence of Global Warming" before they did ANYTHING? What was McCain doing then? Beating the war drum obviously. But where was he on the GREEN issue? Where was he on Global Warming? Point is that McCain doesn't HAVE to say anything that would get him into trouble whenever Palin is with him. Just wait for the days ahead-when both go their separate ways. They HAVE TO. They can't be joined permanently at the hip and expect ANYBODY except legally declared mentally incompetent folks to BUY their 'new' (NOT) Republican image. "Meet the new boss-same as the old boss....We won't get fooled again" At least I HOPE not!

[A. Siegel - Huffpost Blogger]

Earlier this decade, John McCain was leading edge for a Republican politician on the issue of Global Warming. While far from adequate, the McCain-Lieberman global warming bill represented far more than this Administration was willing to do to deal with Global Warming. Sadly, McCain talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk re the need to tackle Global Warming's challenges. He has walked away even from the inadequacies of that earlier bill.

[RepublicanBrain]

Both Lingle and Whitman are pro-choice, which is not McCain's position. Rell was just like Palin, who hasn't been in office for very long.

It's not a surprise these are your lists of candidates. They are quite liberal for Republican women. Decent politicians in their own right, but this is a Presidential election: such a compromise would be unbecoming and alienate voters. Such the reason why Obama didn't go after Hillary.

[A. Siegel - Huffpost Blogger]

"such a compromise would be unbecoming and alienate voters. " So, instead, John McCain reaches into the anti-science and anti-knowledge fringe of the know-nothing elements of the Republican Party. He has chosen someone, someone for whom there are more questions and concerns virtually by the hour, who appeals to the extremes of the 'base' and whose views are counter (on a wide range of issues) those of most Americans. Hmmm ... perhaps compromising to someone who would have appealed to most Americans might have attracted, not "alienate", voters.

[RepublicanBrain]

You state "anti-science" but, really, Palin is only against global warming. Last I checked, global warming is not the only thing science has to offer. And honestly, global warming research is rife with it's own problems. The IPCC report didn't factor solar albedo, which is the most significant cause of global warming (for all those who don't know, albedo is, in a nutshell, how much light the Earth absorbs from the Sun. This will heat it).

This race is not just about global warming. Global warming is only one factor. It's not even the most important issue to "most Americans."

It seems you just wanted McCain to become more like a liberal and pick someone who is liberal-ish, if not outright liberal. Liberalism isn't even what most people want: People are against higher taxes, government involvement in daily life, and affirmative action.

[Winekno]

Thanks for posting this--I mean there has to be more qualified and accomplished GOP women out there. I had forgotten about Whitman--who actually stood up for her principles against George W. when they kept bullying the EPA to go easy on all those polluters.

By picking Palin, it becomes painfully obvious that McCain did not put country first--he put himself first--in order to win. If he gets elected and something happens to him--does he really think that this woman is going to carry the mantle and run the country? That's not putting America first--he is delusional. By the way, Mr. Palin didn't put country first--he was Alaska first with that group for Alaska to break off from the Union--a group that Mrs. Palin addressed several times herself, and I doubt if those addresses were about keeping with the country first.

Intelligent and accomplished women of both sides of the aisle should be horrified at the pick.

[A. Siegel - Huffpost Blogger]

It is amazing that there is not far more prominent discussion of Sarah's "my guy" and his allegiance to a separtist party. Can you imagine what the reaction would have been from the Republican Party and the traditional media if Joe Biden's wife had turned out to be a member of Delaware's equivalent of the Alaska Independence Party.

And, of course, that is not even raising Sarah's own close ties to the AIP.

The Republican Party has someone on the ticket married to a separtist ... and who quite possibly is a 'fellow traveler' of that separtist party. Truly shocking. And, shocking that this is not on the front page of every newspaper of the nation and on the lips of every radio/TV commentator in the nation.

[JFaye]

Mind-boggling ... complexly mind-boggling.

[rafael44]

can we just tackle the OLD MAN Mccain I am gettign tired of the bloggers fixation on Pailin. Time to move on folks. I dont want to empower her more We need to comment on McCain's "policies" or lack thereof.

[MsLiz]

We need to know who Palin is, because of John McCain's age and health. As you mention, he is old, and perhaps not as healthy as other 72 year old men. Palin is a relative unknown, and she is shiny and new. We have determined in less than ten days that she is a fraud and a liar. Revealing the truth about Palin reveals a deeper truth about McCain.

If you are tired of blogs discussing her, don't read blogs discussing her.

[A. Siegel - Huffpost Blogger]

Absolutely agree.

Palin is important because of what choosing her shows about John "Erratic" (not maverick) McCain's judgment (or lack of ...).

And, she would be a heart-beat away from the Presidency. We deserve to know about her ... and, sadly, everything that we learn raises even more questions about the selection.

[RepublicanBrain]

There are plenty of policies on both sides. Why don't you just say what you really mean: he's not what you want.

[JinChicago]

seeing as she is the person keeping the old man floating, we need to concentrate on her just as much!

she is the only thing im worried about at this point personally.

[Kestrel451]

Great article, A.! Lots more on Sarah Palin's environmental record is available at:

http://planetpalin.wordpress.com/

[A. Siegel - Huffpost Blogger]

Thank you ....

Good start at catching the web discussions of Palin.

[ORSunshine]

But Lingle, Whitman, and Rell are ugly... and Palin is Caribou Barbie with her trademarked hairstyle. Besides, the lunatic right fringe really likes this gal -- she's the kind of lady they'd like to have coffee with (kinda like GW Bush was the kinda guy you'd want to drink a beer with). Those other women -- they're out of touch with real "women." Duh!

[bronceye]

She's the kind of gal thay would like to slip a date drug to.