McCain vows to fight global warming
By Michael Kranish, Globe Staff
CONCORD, N.H. -- In his final push for a primary victory, Senator John McCain arrived here this afternoon and made a pitch that might have surprised voters: He cast himself as the environmentalist of the presidential campaign.
"I will clean up the planet," McCain said. "I will make global warming a priority."
McCain often says that he wants to reduce dependence on foreign oil and that he wants to increase the use of nuclear power. His usual line is that these efforts also will help reduce global warming. But yesterday, appearing before a crowd of several hundred in this relatively liberal city, he focused solely on the environmental argument. He didn't mention nuclear power. He was appealing directly to the state's sizable environmental community, which includes many independent voters who are taking one last, close look at McCain. The widespread perception is that McCain is battling for the independent vote most strongly with Democrat Barack Obama.
Forty-five percent of the state's voters are registered as undeclared, or independent, making them the biggest bloc of voters. McCain won overwhelmingly among independents in 2000 and more narrowly among Republicans. This year, McCain is once again battling for the votes of both groups.
The environment is a major issue in New Hampshire, a state that attracts new residents not just for its low taxes but also its high mountains. When former President George H. W. Bush ran for president here in 1988, he said he would be an environmental president and he vowed to battle acid rain. The pitch helped him prevail here -- and he did, in fact, win passage of the 1990 Clean Air Act.
McCain, who is far better known for his credential on issues such as campaign finance and national security, said that he learned during his 2000 campaign here that "young people care about climate change."
Speaking outside the statehouse, McCain was cheered by a group of sign-wielding environmentalists. McCain cheered them back: "Way to go, global warming folks!" A hoarse-sounding McCain told the crowd: "I want to assure you I will make this planet clean ... we will hand to you a cleaner planet than the one you were living in before I became president of the United States, I promise you that."
Moments later, as if on cue, a chunk of melting snow from the statehouse roof landed near McCain. Momentarily surprised, McCain assured the crowd he was OK.
"It's just snow, thank you," McCain said. "That's that climate change there."
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I think that Hustler magazine has a great interview and article on global warming this month. The interview is with George Monbiot on his new book. The other article is about the heating up of the controversy over global warming. I suggest picking the issue up or go to www.hustlermagazine.com, real good reading.
I was at this rally, and he speech was incredible. John McCain has my vote for sure.
Yeah!
Unfortunately, the climate is more sensative to CO2 than previously and commonly thought. According to Dr James Hansen of NASA, the red-line number for dangerous warming is 350 ppm (it is at 383 ppm now). Furthermore, the Cheney 3C rule states that if the CO2 level is doubled from the pre-industrial of level of 380 ppm (in other words, to 560 ppm), then the temperature will rise 3C in the short run. Much more worrisome, Dr Hansen says that it will then rise an additional 3C in the long run from feedbacks.
If Senator John McCain (or any other politician) wants to cut our emissions so fast and drastically to avoid either abrupt climate change or runaway global warming, he'll have to get the world to agree to cut their emissions on the order of 80% by 2020-a plainly unfeasible goal that the Bush administration has called impossible.
Instead, any feasible planetary rescue plan must include a method of removing the CO2 from the air-I suggest the low cost and highly scalable method of "biosequestration." Read my blog at www.myspace.com/dobermanmacleod for more information. I don't hear Senator McCain (or any other politician) calling for a Manhattan-like project to develop a method of CO2 removal-so I am forced to conclude they are making false promises (sorry John).
Obviously, the pre-industrial level of CO2 was 280, not 380.
1. It is very unlikely that mankind will cut emissions so fast and drastically that a climate catastrophe will be avoided.
2. The last severe global warming episode ended because ocean life removed the excess carbon from the air over thousands of years.
3. I suggest we improve nature's ability by seeding an extensively tested genetically modified organism into the ocean.
Support:
"We now have evidence from the Earth's history that a similar event happened fifty-five million years ago when a geological accident released into the air more than a terraton of gaseous carbon compounds...we have already put more than half this quantity of carbon gas into the air...and as a consequence the Earth is now returning to the hot state it was in before, millions of years ago, and as it warms, most living things will die." (The Revenge of Gaia)
"But getting billions of humans to make serious cuts in CO2 emissions anytime soon may be even less realistic politically. As Dr. Lovelock and Dr. Rapley write: Processes that would normally regulate climate are being driven to amplify warming. Such feedbacks, as well as the inertia of the Earth system — and that of our response — make it doubtful that any of the well-intentioned technical or social schemes for carbon dieting will restore the status quo. What is needed is a fundamental cure." (New York Times, Oct. 1)
"A rapid cutback in greenhouse gas emissions could speed up global warming...because current global warming is offset by global dimming - the 2-3ºC of cooling cause by industrial pollution, known to scientists as aerosol particles, in the atmosphere." http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2007/10/29/eaclim129.xml
"Last time Earth suffered a carbon-induced fever, it was the oceans that helped saved the day...the last severe global warming episode 55 million years ago was accompanied by several thousands of years of ocean plant life kicking into high gear...unfortunately, this process is slow and thus lags the buildup of carbon in the atmosphere..."
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/12/26/global-warming-ocean.html
There is not any convincing evidence that CO2 emissions have much or anything to do with warming, or cooling. See comments from 400 climate experts at http://epw.senate.gov and look in the minority report section.
The hysterical stuff is being promoted by politicians who want carbon taxes or cap and trade because they want the money or are socialists who dislike the capitalist economy.
England is a good example. There every household pays $800 a year in "Green taxes." The promise was that the funds would finance Green projects. The reality is that the funds just go in the treasury. Is it any wonder the British see it as a scam?
Never before have so many, been so wrong, on so many things.
John McCain lost my vote when he decided to not vote for renewable energy standards and an extension of the PTC (production tax credit). This important legislation fell ONE vote short of being passed. Mr. McCain simply did not vote for the bill, he simply abstained from the vote. The only senator to do so! How am I to believe a man who stands up and says renewable energy and global warming are his priorities, yet fails to take vote for an action that would move America towards a greener country? I can't and neither should you.
I get sick of hearing about the "400 climate scientists" who doubt the truth of manmade globalwarming. Who do these idiots think they're fooling by posting such junk? Why don't they do just a small bit of investigating before posting such garbage? Its all been exposed as more down right lies from the James Inhofe bunch of over paid and misquided naysayers who are hell bent on debunking the truth. Its only a matter of time before all of these liars will be exposed, ridiculed, and laughed at.
As mankind faces the most dramatic natural disaster in history we are squabbling instead of taking action. Quit arguing and let's come up with a plan.
Our poles are melting, temperature and weather patterns are changing. Those are facts. Whose fault it is, man made or natural is almost irrelevant. The important thing is that we take action to prepare for the unavoidable consequences of climate change NOW.
Past climate changes have happened quick, the most recent having taken only about a decade. We have seen weather patterns change over the last few years, lost a bunch of ice, witnessed massive amounts of species going extinct and see a slow-down of the ocean's conveyor which regulates temperature patterns around the globe. My gut feeling is to say that we are in the midst of climate change. Whether it's caused by CO2, an active sun or any other cause is not the issue. The issue is... we can't change, avert or avoid it so we have to figure out how to deal with it and survive it's effects.
The focal point of all the issues surrounding climate change is energy. More specifically, present and future energy. The energy we currently use, which most say changes the climate, and the energy we will need in the future to supply more people and to stave off the effects of a changed climate. We need cleaner fuel now, not only because of pollution or the fact that we are running out, but because we will need much more fuel in the future.
The world economy is currently dependant upon CO2 emitting fossil fuels and we won't just be able to throw a switch to convert to another source so we have to start now. We have to stop spending billions fighting over the remaining oil. No matter who owns it, we will use it up. As demand increases and supply dwindles it will become more expensive and economic factors will dictate that we replace it. If we're lucky, mankind will be reasonable enough to spend more money finding new energy sources than fighting over obsolete ones. That's a long shot but there's always hope.
We will need more energy and there is no denying that burning oil and coal pollutes our planet. We have 2 choices if we want to survive as a species.
1. Come up with more, preferably cleaner energy.
2. Shrink our global population to a size that our current energy supply can sustain.
The first is preferable but considering our primitive human nature, the second is more probable. Let's let common sense overpower human nature and strive towards option 1.
Think about it. There are many sources of energy, known and yet to be discovered that we can use. Wind, water, tidal, and solar are clean technologies that we have explored and can improve. We have started tinkering with ways to use the Earth's magnetic field. There is gravity and countless types of cosmic rays that we haven't even tried to harness yet. Nuclear has been around for decades and if it doesn't blow up on you, it is extremely clean.
My suggestion, no, my demand is that mankind stop it's economic and religious squabbling and start taking the action we need for our survival as a species. It will be impossible to get mankind to act as one, but someone has to start. If the US trimmed it's government and military to a minimum, keeping enough troops and nukes to sustain sovereignty, we could save billions and use it to develop energy sources.
That scenario might even be good for the economy. Imagine all of the workers needed to make electric cars or cosmic ray powered toasters. Besides, whoever discovers a technology usually has a lead when it comes to selling it's usage or the products it spins off.
New energy won't solve global warming but it will help us deal with it better. Right now it's the only option we have so let's get on it!
Ron
http://moreronnie.blogspot.com
Caused by man or nature global warming will make things hard for us in the future years.It's coming and get used to it. Are there any plans to combat the rising sea levels? No because politics has gotten in the way of finding ways to adapt.Never seen such stupidity on high government levels in all my life.Maybe the Japanese will find ways to work it out since they don't run all over the globe shoving their way of life down everybody's throat.
How long have the polar bears been around. It`s the sun that`s warming the planet
forget about CO2 that just makes plants grow.
Hey guys the GW swindle is almost over. And besides McCain will loose, thank God.
That quote says nothing about what Mccain plans to do about global warming. All it says is that is an issue. Be weary of any politician who takes such a neutral stance. I guarantee he will change on almost all of his policies if he is elected.
im just wondering if mccain is really going to do something about this problem or if hes just saying it to get more votes. i would really like to have a cleaner planet and a better and cooler planet for the future people. but uf he's being 100% real about doing something then i've got his back. it also kind of sounds like he's saying there is something going on but nothing really about what he's going to do about it if anything. i just hope that if he is elected then he will do something about this problem.
Meanwhile, researchers say global warming is taking a break for about 10 year. Amazing.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aU.evtnk6DPo
Brad Arnold,
What are you blathering on about. Please try to contain yourself sir. Are you aware that CO2 is to plants, what O2 is to humans. What is it you are envisioning...killing off our food supply? No thank you. It would seem you are working yourself into a tizzy over a very fool hardy plan.
Malachi
It's too bad that John McCain has bought into the 'Global Warming Hoax'. Much money and energy will be diverted to trying to solve a non-existent problem. Mr. Hansen, though given much credit for his part in NASA and this hoax is a quack of the first order.
Europe has become discouraged trying the 'cap and trade route' plus higher taxes. We should learn from their mistakes. CO2 is not a poison and is not a bad thing. We drink soft drinks every day! The climate is not warming and may actually be in a cooling stage...all of which has happened over history. Let's get politics out of the field of science and realize that scientists, by their very nature, seldom arrive at concensus. Many of them disagree with the global warming hypothesis. Many more than stand behind it!!!
We can wait for the politicians to act or start surfing and searching with green search engines like www.treehoo.com that plants trees for most of the profit.
mccain is too damn old
Barack Obama is an idiot! He's ok with abortion and that is wrong!!! I don't believe in anything he says!
Barack Obama has one arm
Abortion is not wrong. It's whoevers having the babys choice. They brought it into life, they can take it out.
Yay for McCain fighting Global Warming.
Abortion is not wrong. It's whoevers having the babys choice. They brought it into life, they can take it out.
Yay for McCain fighting Global Warming.
boring.. already heard..
we need immigration laws.. those that are going to make me a citizen
To the person that said "Many of them disagree with the global warming hypothesis. Many more than stand behind it!!!" There are many more scientist that don't know what they are talking about than those that do.
Just so you know, Rob (11), the CO2 is what is keeping the sun's warmth in the earth's atmosphere.
I am completely confused and concerned so please send your response directlty to me. From what i have heard in the last 9 years is that there is 77 thousand tons of nuclear waste in the Nevada Desert so why on earth after Cherynobol or our mile island almost- meltdown would we" Americans want a highly toxic and vulnerable energy source such as nuclear power plants built anywhere it seems as if we want to recreate the dinosaur. Am i wrong to assume that there are several other clean technologies that would really benefit US and the world..please please let me know.
john mccain rocks vote 4 mccain p.s. save the trees
Stephen For President!
Hi
ellos dicen ayudar alos immigrantes pero no hacen nada!
mccain is nuts if he thinks using a nuclear plants will help if he does that he'll sure lose my vote.
noo way he does not get my vote obama is the best he will bring change to this country!!
What an idiot everyone knows sat global warming is fake.
IDIOT GLOBAL WARMING IS NOT FAKE!!! WAIT UNTIL, YOUR THERE DROWNING UNDERWATER, THEN YOU'LL WISH THAT YOU PAID MORE ATTENTION TO GLOBAL WARMING.
if global warming isn't fake, then why did the arctic grow the most ice this year (summer in North winter in south) than ever before recorded? and why did temperature cool in the 70's? why were they high in the 30's? it doesn't make any sense!!
awesome info really great but it says in other sites that hes doing nothing about it
How is nuclear power supposed to reduce global warming?