More Media covering the story: Gingrich, a ‘committed warmist,’ faces rising climate criticism — Pelosi ad is ‘exploding through conservative circles’ — Could ‘derail his political comeback’

Article Reprinted from E&E’s ClimateWire

CAMPAIGNS: Gingrich, a ‘committed warmist,’ faces rising climate criticism (05/13/2011) (Link – Subscription Required)

By Evan Lehmann, E&E reporter

Climate change is pestering the launch of Newt Gingrich’s presidential bid as he faces what some analysts describe as a sharper standard from conservatives who doubt the world is warming.

But the “new orthodoxies” of the right could also provide new challenges for Republicans, as candidates who adopt skepticism about climate science to satisfy primary voters risk offending independents in the general election.

“The more you’ve got to move to the left or the right, the harder it is to make a graceful, or any kind of segue, back to the middle,” said Norman Ornstein, a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. “And it looks from this perspective as if the Republicans are going to make it very hard to make that graceful move back to the center.”

Former House Speaker Gingrich (R-Ga.), who launched his campaign Wednesday, has so far resisted calls to apologize for expressing belief in climate change, and urging the government to address it. But that might become more difficult if video clips showing him on a couch with Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who was House speaker at the time they were recorded, explode through conservative circles.

The online ad captures Gingrich and Pelosi having a cooperative moment. They alternate lines after Pelosi acknowledges they haven’t always agreed on policies.

Gingrich adds, “We do agree our country must take action to address climate change.”

Pelosi resumes, “We need cleaner forms of energy, and we need them fast.”

Back to Gingrich: “If enough of us demand action from our leaders, we can spark the innovation we need.”

The clip might be enough to derail Gingrich’s political comeback, says Marc Morano, a former aide to Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), who believes climate change is a political tool to advance Democratic interests.

Cap-and-trade attacks to resume

Morano, who runs the anti-climate blog Climate Depot, says conservative voters’ views against global warming have solidified in the last two years. Unlike other Republican candidates, like former Govs. Tim Pawlenty (Minn.) and Mitt Romney (Mass.), Gingrich is “defiant” about his past climate indiscretions, Morano says.

That might be enough, he adds, to disqualify Gingrich from the Republican nomination.

“If someone says, ‘You know, I’m not sure on the science; man may contribute; we need to look at