Steyer: Get GOP Candidates On Record Early On Climate; Raise Competency Question Early

Words have consequences. Words mean things. And words have a way of following you…

If it’s true, that even the most staunch purveyors of climate denial are now in full retreat (see below) – that makes for some pretty interesting campaign contortions for candidates who have wedded themselves to science denial, and who still have to face a rabidly crazy, self selected slice of the Republican electorate in upcoming Presidential primaries next year.

Huffington Post:

Tom Steyer’s climate-focused political group is already gearing up for the 2016 presidential race, announcing on Monday a new effort that will focus on putting Republican candidates on the defense when it comes to global warming.

NextGen Climate’s chief strategist, Chris Lehane, said in a call with reporters that the group’s mission heading into 2016 is to “disqualify” candidates who deny that climate change is real or caused by human activity by proving that “they don’t have what it takes to be president.” The effort will be called Hot Seat, and NextGen Climate says it will involve media and on-the-ground campaigns in key electoral states aimed at linking Republican deniers to the Koch brothers and other interests that seek to undermine climate science. The idea, NextGen says, is to force Republican candidates who are skeptical of climate change to defend their views right out of the gate.


“If you’re in a position that is different from 97 percent of scientists, that does raise basic competency questions in terms of whether people are going to want to give you the keys to the White House,” said Lehane. Their first target, Lehane said, is Rand Paul, who is expected to announce his candidacy Tuesday in Louisville, Kentucky. The group is planning to hit Paul with a stunt involving a “lie detector test” to force him to go on the record about his views on climate change, and will also follow the candidate to Iowa. Paul has previously questioned the consensus view among scientists that greenhouse gas emissions are warming the climate, but has also tried to moderate his stance somewhat in recent months.


EDIT

http://climatecrocks.com/2015/04/07/as-climate-denial-implodes-the-record-will-haunt-politicians/#more-23362