Rolling Stone Mag.: ‘Deniers Hit Gingrich on Flip-Flop’: ‘Key players in the Climate Denial Machine, such as web spinner Marc Morano, are holding Gingrich’s feet to the fire’
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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 …
Newt redefines the English language!? Spokesman: ‘Gingrich’s attempt to work with Pelosi is another testament to Gingrich’s willingness to debate his conservative solutions with liberals’
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Watch Now: This is what Newt now claims was actually a ‘debate’?! Gingrich & Pelosi in Gore Ad: Newt declares: ‘We do agree, our country must take action to address climate change’
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Fox News: Gingrich Feels the Heat for Appearing in Global Warming Ad With Pelosi — Newt has ‘a doozy in his closet’ — Climate ad will ‘come back to haunt him’
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Newt’s Presidential Bid Getting Trashed, And It’s Due To His Self-Inflicted Green Idiocy: How He Can Recover
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Newt Responds to Climate Depot! A Love-Fest is Now Called A ‘Debate’?! Gingrich now claims sitting on cozy sofa with Pelosi in Gore climate ad was actually a ‘debate’
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‘Are You Better Off Today Than You Were 10 Years Ago?’ — The ‘Cheney Energy Task Force’ recommendations would have spared America from high gas prices
Written by Italia Federici — Reprinted With Permission
Are You Better Off Today Than You Were Ten Years Ago
By Italia Federici
This month — May 17, 2011 to be exact — marks the tenth anniversary of the Bush administration’s National Energy Policy report, referred to colloquially as the product of the “Cheney Energy Task Force.” In fact, it was the product of the National Energy Policy Development Group, a body headed by Vice President Cheney that included thirteen cabinet members, administrators and senior administration staff whose positions were such that they held sway over America’s energy future.
This report was amongst the very first undertakings of the Bush Administration. White House meetings with NEPD Group non-member-advisors began in February 2001 a mere three weeks into the new presidency. The reason for the Bush administration’s sense of urgency was the then crumbling of America’s energy infrastructure and the need for new domestic exploration to meet the country’s energy needs. That crumbling continues today. Here’s why:
The report’s stated goal in its Overview was to make recommendations that would alleviate a number of America’s energy problems citing that “Many families face energy bills two to three times higher than they were a year ago. […] Some employers must lay off workers or curtail production to absorb the rising cost of energy. Drivers across America are paying higher and higher gasoline prices.”
The report made 105 policy recommendations aimed at fixing the above mentioned problems including recommending that the U.S. build new refineries, engage in new oil and gas exploration, construct new nuclear power plants, plus invest in renewable energy sources.
At the time of its release, so-called environmentalists and liberals from both parties on Capitol Hill vigorously resisted the recommendations in the report. These obstructionists were most vocal in their opposition to new exploration, the construction of new nuclear facilities and the construction of new refineries.
Key among their talking points was that America need not heed the recommendations in the NEPD Group report about domestic drilling because “it would take 10 years for any crude to be delivered to refineries.” Two of the Congressional leaders who voted against domestic exploration at that time were Congresswoman Pelosi and Senator Reid. Well, even under this 10-year worst case scenario, we’d have that oil now, not $5.00 a gallon gas. Are you better off today than you were ten years ago for …
UK Guardian: Newt ‘put on defensive’ after Climate Depot ‘demanded he apologize for appearing in Gore ad’ — Gingrich’s presidential bid ‘clouded by his belief in climate change’
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Watch Video Now! Pelosi-Newt Climate Ad for Gore: ‘Why Newt Gingrich Will Not Be Elected President — Professor reacts to ad by ‘throwing out my quite full barf bag’
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