Recent Senate testimony on the public-health impacts of climate change by the director of the Centers for Disease Control was watered down because the White House wanted “to focus that testimony on public health benefits,” White House spokesperson Dana Perino said this week. She went on to state that U.S. experts are attempting to determine “what are going to be the health benefits and the health concerns of climate change, of which there are many.” Asked to elaborate on said benefits, Perino said, “Look, this is an issue where I’m sure lots of people would love to ridicule me when I say this,” before implying that climate change will heroically come to the aid of those who “die from cold-related deaths every winter.” The next day, White House spokesperson Kristen Hellmer stated, “It is important to consider both health risks and health benefits of climate change. We rely on the best available science to guide our policy decision process.” So much ridiculing, so little time.
