This NYT story makes it clear than among the GOP candidates, the one who takes global warming and energy independence most seriously is John McCain:
Global Warming Starts to Divide G.O.P. Contenders
By MARC SANTORA
While many conservative commentators and editorialists have mocked concerns about climate change, a different reality is emerging among Republican presidential contenders. It is a near-unanimous recognition among the leaders of the threat posed by global warming.
Within that camp, however, sharp divisions are developing. Senator John McCain of Arizona is calling for capping gas emissions linked to warming and higher fuel economy standards. Others, including Rudolph W. Giuliani and Mitt Romney, are refraining from advocating such limits and are instead emphasizing a push toward clean coal and other alternative energy sources….
The same story provides yet another tidbit of evidence that despite having taken his time getting into the race, Fred Thompson is still not ready to be taken seriously:
Fred D. Thompson, after mocking the threat in April, said more recently that “climate change is real” and suggested a measured approach until more was known about it….
Given the lateness of the hour and the fact that even the most stringent measures humans might enact can only have incremental impact in reversing damage, "a measured approach" is Republicanese for "don’t do diddly."
Related Posts
McCain will have plenty of time to deal with the energy issue soon. His campaign is in the lifeboat stage now…
According to the most recently filed FEC statements this month, Ron Paul has more cash on hand ($5M+) than McCain, Biden, Huckabee, and Brownback have COMBINED.
He’s not going to go away. Worst case
scenario for Republicans is that he goes off and runs as an Independent. He’d draw three votes off the Republican side for every one he pulled from the Democrats.
McCain’s been spending like a the drunken sailors he jokes about when talking about Congress while Paul has been a faithful steward of the money he has been given — sort of what we want in a politician, eh?
OK, if McCain is on the skids for having less cash on hand, that would indicate that Ron Paul is going to be the GOP nominee. Is that what you’re saying?
Also, a good steward spends the money on what it was given for; he doesn’t hoard it. Maybe if Paul spent some of that dough, he’d have a chance. Probably not, but as long as he sits on it, I guarantee you he doesn’t stand a chance.
I didn’t say that Paul would be the nominee – the Republican Party would not allow it. I only said that he will be in the race far longer than some of the others because he’s not blowing his cash on consultants, private jets, etc. McCain and Rudy had the highest name recognition coming into this race and McCain has done nothing but go backwards.
How do you explain that more people (including myself) are willing to give more money to support a supposed non-entity like Ron Paul than to a Senator with a national presence? It’s a sign that the know-it-alls refuse to acknowledge.
Here’s the key stat from the latest ReutersZogby national poll:
“Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney jumped from 7 percent to 14 percent and moved past Arizona Sen. John McCain into third place. McCain fell from 13 percent last month to 8 percent.”
I would say any candidate who is in single digits less than three months from the primaries is toast. Better to get out now with some dignity intact.
FYI, Brownback is dropping out tomorrow.
The proverbial tree falling in the forest – if a candidate drops out of the race, and nobody ever knew he was in it, did he ever really run at all?
Here’s the latest from Rasmussen:
Giuliani is now supported by 25% of Likely Republican Primary Voters while Fred Thompson is the top choice for 19%. Mitt Romney is the favorite for 14% while John McCain is at 11%. Mike Huckabee has moved up to 9% support, his highest level of the season.
-Rasmussen.com
Mike Huckabee is showing surprising strength. He is only 5 points out of third place. It’s really hard to see how someone as well known as McCain is going to improve much in the next couple of months. If he was a relative unknown, like Huckabee, that might be possible. McCain’s best chance is if the security situation in Iraq continues to show superficial signs of progress like it has in the past 60 days. If enough gullible Republican voters are fooled into thinking we’re “winning” (whatever that means) then they could get behind the most visibly hawkish candidate, McCain. Right now that seems very improbable.
One more quick note about the Rasmussen pole. For some reason McCain polls the best against Hillary Clinton of all the Republicans. If he could somehow win the nomination he would have a real shot in the general election. This is true even though he is barely hanging on to fourth place in the GOP race.
Take all of the names out of it, and you just described the only kind of candidate I could get enthusiastic about: Someone who would have an uphill climb getting nominated, but would be the most likely among those seeking the nomination to win the general.
That’s the only hope this nation has, our only hope for breaking out of this excruciating, polarizing struggle between the extremists on both sides, so we can actual solve some problems.
McCain, of course, is THE extremist candidate on the Iraq issue.