Climate Politics

Al Gore on Meet the Press

Following his blockbuster speech on Thursday and his appearance at Netroots Nation yesterday, Al Gore was on Meet the Press today to talk about his new proposal. It was … painful. First off, Tom Brokaw’s questions were, almost without exception, awful. Just awful. They reflected the most brain dead, ill-informed D.C. conventional wisdom you can […]

Grist/ReGeneration.org talks to bloggers about how to address the climate and energy challenge

A few more blogger-on-the-street interviews from Netroots Nation. Here’s blogger Liane Allen, who writes at DailyKos and Green Mountain Daily, on climate, energy, and the netroots: Here’s blogger Natasha Chart, who writes at Pacific View: Here’s Gus Ayer of California: And Ilyse Hogue of MoveOn.org, who also blogs at Huffington Post:

Lessig and Netroots folks on climate change

We’re still here at Netroots Nation in Austin, Texas, where Stanford Law School professor and internet guru Lawrence Lessig just noted that climate change is the “most important public policy issue we will face in this generation.” He also talked up Al Gore, referring to himself as a “Gore-ophile.” Lessig recently launched Change Congress, which […]

Gore at Netroots Nation? UPDATE: Gore at Netroots Nation!

The hot rumor at the moment is that Al Gore is going to appear at Netroots Nation immediately following Nancy Pelosi’s Q&A session (which is going on right now). We’ll keep you posted. UPDATE: There he is! Let’s blog along, shall we? He loves the netroots — informed citizenry, etc. etc. North pole melting — […]

Extreme exceptionalism

“America is the most selfish country. From the way they talk, Americans believe even if the world disappears, America wouldn’t disappear.” — Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara, on the U.S. not joining the Kyoto Protocol

U.S. Senate candidate Jim Slattery discusses energy and environment for rural voters

Jim Slattery, a candidate for U.S. Senate in Kansas, dropped by Netroots Nation this morning to talk about how progressives can make inroads in the heartland. His panel, “Rural America and the Progressive Movement,” took a look at some of the reasons rural voters shouldn’t be written off as red. Energy and environment were two […]

McCain talks up plans for the auto industry in Michigan

Today, GOP presidential contender John McCain visited the General Motors Technical Center in Warren, Mich., where GM is developing the Chevy Volt, and used the visit to talk up his plan for the automotive sector. In the same speech, he argued that states should be able to determine their own fuel efficiency standards. California and […]

Questions for Gore’s energy plan?

This Sunday, Al Gore will appear on NBC's "Meet the Press" to talk about the energy action plan he unveiled in Washington this week.

So, Grist readers, in tribute to the late Tim Russert, what kind of tough questions do you want host Tom Brokaw to lob Gore's way? Offer your suggestions here.

Looking ahead, is it safe to say that Gore stands to get a very warm reception from interim "Meet" host Brokaw? After all, the ex-NBC anchor hosted an Emmy Award-winning Discovery show back in 2006 that explored the reality of climate change and the need to address it. And he's a self-proclaimed environmentalist -- a lover of the outdoors (travels the world with Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard) who touts his personal efforts to conserve energy.

Brokaw also did his part to flack Gore's movie, "An Incovenient Truth."

Will Brokaw embrace his inner Russert and grill Gore about how exactly the nation can meet a 100 percent renewable electricity goal by 2018?

A refresher course on economic principles for the right

The other day, President Bush, in response to a question as to why he has not pushed more for energy conservation, responded that the American people are smart enough to figure it out on their own. This prompted conservatives at the National Review to call for a "Dubya-Love Moment" in honor of what they perceived as the straight-talking truth!

It is truly amazing that a philosophical movement once filled with some of the smartest minds in economics now wears economic ignorance as a badge of honor.

So here's how to respond to those on the right who still don't get it that energy policy requires government intervention, and not just blind faith in markets:

House Dems fail attempt to make Big Oil drill on the land it’s got

A bill that would have required oil companies to drill on leased land they already hold before seeking new conquests failed in the House of Representatives Thursday. The legislation’s “use it or lose it” provision would have required that oil companies exhaust oil exploration on already-leased land before acquiring new acreage. The legislation also would […]