And Al Gore Helps John McCain into the White House
So John McCain is moving towards a more moderate position so he can build himself up for the general election. And the way he is doing it is quite fascinating if not surprising.
First, his advisers can read polls and recognize the daunting right track/wrong track polling headwind that is gusting in their face.Differences between Bush and McCain will be "discussed at great length," promises one aide.
"He'll be direct about it. He's never gratuitous, never disrespectful, but there are going to be policy breaks where it couldn't be clearer." Two areas of difference McCain will highlight: global warming and spending.
And why would John McCain be trusted on climate change? Perhaps because Al Gore is saying he should be trusted.
Gore's spokeswoman, Kalee Kreider, declined to comment on the Obama offer and was complimentary about the presidential candidates, including Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona."Former Vice President Gore thinks that both candidates are very strong. Both of them have offered plans to address the climate crisis ... as has Senator McCain," she said.
I asked Kreider why she is praising McCain, considering that Bush lied in 2000 about his intent to deal with climate change. Here's her response.
The key threshold issue for most NGO's and people working on climate, ourselves included are: Does the policymaker, work, support, vote in favor of, introduce legislation for mandatory reductions in pollution or not. McCain has, Bush has not.
And there we go. If you want to know why John McCain is trusted, it's not just that he has a base in the media. Democratic Party elders - including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton - just fall all over themselves to praise him (he's met the commander-in-chief threshold how, exactly?).
Al Gore has tried extremely hard to build a movement without politics, and it just isn't working. As a candidate, he tried to run without attacking Bush, and as a global icon, he has launched an apolitical TV channel and hosted a bunch of mega-concerts that didn't really advance the argument on climate change. And now that Republicans are poised to use climate change as an excuse to siphon money off to industry, Gore is jumping on the McCain bandwagon.
Better party elders, please.
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The League of Conservation Voters has given McCain a rating of zero for his 2007 Senate voting record. His lifetime rating with the group is a dismal 24. Obama and Clinton have lifetime ratings of 86 and 87.
I love Gore, but what the hell has he been smoking lately?
Maybe he's been smoking the Nobel Peace Pipe? Sorry, I couldn't resist! :-)
Matt Stller:
Your last paragraph is way too harsh on Al Gore. He has made tremendous progress on the issue. While there are still of flat-earthers out there, I find that acceptance of GW as a scientific fact is now much more readily accepted. Furthermore, people are beginning to accept the scientific fact that the accelerated rate of GW is a direct cause of human activity. Of course, in scientific circles, this has been known for almost thirty years. I think Al Gore should get credit for his major contributions in increasing public awareness. Without it, political action would be difficult, if not impossible.
I support Al Gore's approach of welcoming support for this cause from all, irrespective of political party or candidate. If the Democratic candidates want more support on this issue, they should earn it by showing their commitment to it. It is up to them, not up to Al Gore, what positions they take and what they propose to do about this issue.
Stoller is inciting comment with his supposition that Al Gore is helping McCain. I think that Gore is rightfully acknowledging anyone who is on the global warming bus or even standing at the open door ready to take that first step into geophysical awareness. Gore is not petty!! Stoller should now write a scenerio for the dems to turn away from Clinton and Obama and nominate the brightest and best world leader who fights for all humanity everyday. Al Gore!! His campaign would not stoop to silliness. I can't imagine Gore giving a rat's ass if someone used the word bitter or dug up 30 years ago college-day remarks. What are Democrats waiting for? The writing is on the wall: Republican dirty campaigners are not even in full-mode yet. They will turn McCain into everybody's tough and sweet old grandpa--------and dems into anti-values weaklings who constantly quibble---
I'm not buying your argument. All the candidates to some extent support doing something about global warming. None have been great on the subject. It's not wrong to draw people to your side with praise. However, I don't believe McCain will be adequate on the subject.
To me, if there is one issue in this election that is even bigger than war a foreing policy, it is Climate Change. Of course, I have no expectation that any Republican would ever be devoted to addressing this issue. But, I have been disappointed by both the Democratic candidates as well for paying nothing more than lip service to the issue. I am sure that Al Gore knows what they might have said privately, but I see very little from either Obama or Hillary on this issue.
Soon after we have a Democrat in the White House, I would get involved in all efforts to push meaningful action on Global Warming. It is THE moral issue of our generation.
I say that we as americans "SNAP OUT OF IT" There are those among us who would just as soon see our way of life end for their own personal gain, there are those among us that would tell us that they are against NAFTA when they in fact supported the entire aggreement, and at this very moment ,are seek aggrements with columbia, that would result in the same situation for americans, there are those among us that would tell us that we should stay in iraq for 100 years and would be happy as hell to bankrupt our economy to support their illegal effort despite the will of the american people, so those of you that are having economic problems i say to you sort it out, figure it out for yourselves, but the difference should be as clear as glass, the democrats have your back, and the republicans have your ass!!!
GHENT007: Great post!!
Why is this a surprise? McCain has been trying to pass his bi-partisan legislation (McCain-Lieberman) on climate stewardship since 2003. He has walked the walk, and he's had to buck his party over it.
Personally, as a McCain supporter, I think he's wrong on this, but he's the only one of the three candidates who's actually reached across the aisle and sponsored legislation on this, and he's paid a political price for it.
Obama says he'll act on this and transcend the political divide, but McCain. has. actually. done. it.
If you think speaking with lie ber man is reaching across the isle, I think you should star in the film "clueless in seattle" or where ever...
McInsane is just an another shrub, we do NOT need another one of them.
i am outraged that i just saw on the news that 1 .3 million americans are currently unemployed, and that moron bush refuses to sign off on the unemployment extention, democrats and any like-minded republican, and independents, if we vote together we can change this situation, lets have those responsible for this current economic disater join us on unemployment, i say vote every one of those asshole sellout republicans out and have them meet us at the unemployment office!!!!
Mr. Stoller, your post makes little sense to me, you equate complimenting John McCain on his genuine support for global warming initiatives with an endorsement for POTUS - how is it that you are able to make that leap? If I were Al Gore I would demand that you print a retraction.
More Huffing for Obama... anyone who doesn't support our candidate must be a turncoat Republican. If they aren't with us, they're against us!
Did you read the article??? Obviously not.
I think Hillary put Gore up to this. You know Hillary, she'll do anything to destroy her opponent and his immediate family.
I fail to make the connection between Al Gore stating that John McCain is sincere in his support for global warming initiatives and endorsing him to be the next president of the United States of America - this feels like yellow journalism.
agreed.
Why shouldn't McCain be trusted? He has stated he supports cap and trade for a long time. He has a strong history of supporting financial solutions, remember the savings and loan issues? He has gone to Port Barrow more than once in the late summer to witness the absence of sea ice.
The real issue is whether Al Gore has dropped cap and trade for the carbon tax, or supports both, as he has stated in the past. Also, if one looks at his March 2008 video presentation he openly expresses frustration with Obama, Clinton and McCain. The subtext is not clear, but may be the carbon tax v. cap and trade issue. A carbon tax alone will never pass because the earner of money is the government, with cap and trade all sorts of private industries can game it to their advantage, and the traders always get their percentage.
what do you expect from Al? he's never given Katie McGinty credit for writing Earth in the Balance and he jets around in chartered planes leaving a carbon foot print that would fill the grand canyon
Al also touts the crap about carbon emission trading that is a false paradigm
and his latest plan is to pay for commercials about filling up thousands of black balloons and releasing them to create a visual image of carbon emissions - failing to acknowledge that this gesture is stupid and polluting in of itself
also Al has been such a proponent of ethanol which is a losing proposition it takes more energy to produce ethanol than to refine petro and only marginally reduces CO2 emissions because of all of the petro that is wasted in the production process
also the ethanol production adversely impacts the costs of other food grains
Al Gore what a snarky creep is he still heavily invested in Occidential Petroleum and tobacco companies
This article is wrong in several important respects. First, John McCain has done a lot more than promise to do something about Climate Change - he is one of the key advocates for the McCain-Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act. That isn't the best of the climate change proposals on the table, but it's a very good bill that would have significant impact. McCain's open support for this proposal has given cover to other moderate Republicans and conservative Democrats to support the bill, and it's a big part of why McCain-Lieberman is by far the most likely of the possible proposals. His support is a good example of biparisanship, and if I were him, I'd run on it as well.
Second, we should expect our political leaders to tell us the truth, even when it isn't good for our party. We've seen what happens when political parties start to take an us versus them attitude that says that any cover or praise we give to an opponent is the betrayal of the party. Al Gore is praising McCain because McCain deserves praise on this issue, whether or not it helps the party.
Dude have you read McCain-Lieberman? It's a gift to the coal industry and will not help to reduce CO2 emissions nor protect the environment. have you ever seen west virginia
get a grip McCain's environmental record is a manufactured myth that his friends in the media love to perpetuate
To clear the record, Matt did not post the entirety of our conversation. As I explained to Matt, Senator Clinton and Senator Obama clearly have much more fully articulated plans to address the climate crisis and I would encourage all of you to read the plans of all three candidates. However, Senator McCain has, at least, said that we need mandatory measures to solve the climate crisis--a step that President Bush has not taken. This is a nuance, but an important one. Let me explain. Would we want voluntary measures to ask people to wear seat belts or mandatory ones? That is the difference between President Bush and Senator McCain.
As you know former Vice President Gore has not endorsed any candidate for President and has not announced any intention to do so, but I did feel the need to keep Matt from twisting my words to make the baseless case that somehow Mr. Gore is attempting to elect any candidate. I hope that this clears the record.
If you think lie ber man is across the isle....I think you should star in the film "clueless in seattle" or where ever....
Matt is right. You should *never* say anything nice about a political rival. The Republicans wouldn't be caught dead doing it.
Sadly, that is correct.
I agree. Gore had so much potential on this issue a year ago. Those stupid concerts were a joke. And his refusal to be honest about what really needs to be done (we need a whole new energy economy people - zero carbon; it's a lifestyle change that we have to start talking about) and McCain certainly isn't going to get us there. He'll be too worried about not pissing of the corporate interests he'll need to get re-elected.
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