Biden Gets Physical With Voter Concerned About Pipelines, Tells Him to Vote for Someone Else
29 January
Politics
Democratic presidential candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign town hall meeting at Vista Grande Jan. 28 in Clinton, Iowa. The Iowa caucuses are February 3. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
Joe Biden put his hand on the chest of an Iowa voter and told the man to vote for someone else when the voter asked the former vice president about his plans to replace gas pipelines, The Independent reported.
<p>In the exchange, which was <a href="https://twitter.com/ZaidJilani/status/1222258335342366721" target="_blank">captured on video</a>, a former Iowa state representative, Ed Fallon, tells Biden he will support him in the general election if he wins the nomination and asks the candidate about the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-crisis" rel="noopener noreferrer">climate crisis</a>. </p><p>"I like you, and I'm going to support you if win the nomination because we have to get rid of [Donald Trump]," Fallon said, "But what are we going to do about climate change? ... We have to stop building and replacing pipelines."</p>
<div id="e85f7" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9WJTX91580325344"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1222258335342366721" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">A man in Iowa asks Joe Biden to stop supporting the building of new pipelines. Joe Biden tells him to go vote for s… https://t.co/xRw3Z5rZ3j</div> — Zaid Jilani (@Zaid Jilani)<a href="https://twitter.com/ZaidJilani/statuses/1222258335342366721">1580244070.0</a></blockquote></div><p>At one point in the exchange, Biden grabs Fallon's lapels and asks him if he really thinks Sen. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/bernie-sanders">Bernie Sanders</a> can stop <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/oil-and-gas" rel="noopener noreferrer">oil and gas</a> <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/pipelines" rel="noopener noreferrer">pipelines</a> by 2030. </p><p>When Fallon replies that he's actually supporting presidential candidate <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/Tom-Steyer">Tom Steyer</a>, Biden responded, as <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/biden-tells-iowa-man-vote-someone-else-accuses-him-supporting-sandersman-says-hes-actually-1484511" target="_blank">reported on Newsweek</a>:</p><blockquote>"Tom Steyer? Well, that's good, he's the guy that..." what Biden then says is partially inaudible due to aides loudly urging Fallon to move the line along, but Biden seems to be making reference to Tom Steyer's alleged <a href="https://twitter.com/keithboykin/status/1197351923730530304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">investment</a> in coal mining, which Biden has mentioned before on Twitter.</blockquote><p>On <a href="http://boldiowa.com/biden-didnt-need-to-do-this-to-me/" target="_blank">Bold Iowa</a>, Fallon wrote an open letter, saying why he supports Steyer. "My reasoning is simple. The climate crisis is an existential threat that trumps all issues. Steyer is the strongest on climate. Sanders is second," Fallon wrote.<br></p><p>Fallon goes on in his <a href="http://boldiowa.com/biden-didnt-need-to-do-this-to-me/" target="_blank">letter</a> to describe his exchange as "disturbing on a number of levels. Biden doesn't even attempt to address my concern. All he says is that serious climate action by 2030 isn't realistic."</p>
<p>"And despite his repeated calls for unity, Biden rejects my offer to support him in the general election. That really shocked me. What was even more shocking was how Biden pushed and poked me, and then took hold of my jacket with both hands as he lectured me."</p>
<p>Steyer quickly rebuked Biden on <a href="https://twitter.com/TomSteyer/status/1222271988535705601" target="_blank">Twitter</a> for his treatment of a Democrat.</p>
<p>"This is no way to treat an Iowan. He said he'd vote for the Dem in the general b/c he knows how important it is to beat Trump. We need immediate action on climate. If you don't agree, happy to talk @ debate. But don't take it out on voters we need to win in Nov," Steyer wrote, also posting a link to the video. </p>
<p>Despite, Fallon's insistence, The Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund does not agree that Steyer has the most comprehensive plan to address the climate crisis.</p>
<p>Yesterday, the organization released <a href="https://centeractionfund.org/environmental-report-card/" target="_blank">its report card</a> for the top seven Democratic candidates polling above one percent. </p>
<p>They gave Sanders the top grade, with an A. Sen. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/elizabeth-warren" rel="noopener noreferrer">Elizabeth Warren</a> was just behind him with an A-. Steyer was third with a B. Biden came in fourth with a C+. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/Andrew-Yang" rel="noopener noreferrer">Andrew Yang</a> was fifth, earning a C. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/Pete-Buttigieg" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pete Buttigieg</a> came in sixth with a C-, while Sen. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/Amy-Klobuchar" rel="noopener noreferrer">Amy Klobuchar</a> ranked last with a D. </p>
<p>"The Democratic nominee for president needs to be a bold, visionary champion of the environment, with a track record of rising to the challenge of saving our planet," said Kierán Suckling, president of the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund, in a <a href="https://centeractionfund.org/sanders-warren-get-top-marks-in-environmental-voter-guide/" target="_blank">statement</a>. "Democrats have taken environmental voters for granted for far too long. It's heartening to see Sanders and Warren leading the charge on these issues. The rest of the party needs to follow suit."</p>
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Democratic Candidates Face off on Climate in the Last Debate Before Primary Voting Begins
15 January
Politics
Tom Steyer (L-R), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) listen as former Vice President Joe Biden (3rd L) speaks during the Democratic presidential primary debate at Drake University on Jan. 14 in Des Moines, Iowa. Scott Olson / Getty Images
Six Democratic presidential candidates squared off Tuesday night in Des Moines, Iowa for the seventh primary debate of the season and the last before voting begins with the Iowa caucuses Feb. 3. The climate crisis tied with health care for the No. 1 issue important to Iowa voters when choosing a candidate, according to the latest Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa Poll. So how much attention did it get during the debate?
<p>A fair amount, <a href="https://grist.org/politics/at-the-7th-democratic-debate-candidates-took-every-opportunity-to-talk-climate/" target="_blank">Grist reported</a>. While CNN and Des Moines Register moderators didn't bring it up until the last half hour, the candidates themselves incorporated it into their answers early and often.</p><p>"Debate moderators may take ages to get around to climate change in these debates," Zoya Teirstein wrote for Grist, "but the candidates have gotten increasingly adept at weaving the issue into their answers to other questions. This time around, Wolf Blitzer, Abby Phillip, and the Register's Brianne Pfannenstiel could barely keep a lid on the climate action in the first half of the debate."</p>
<div id="9978e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="J08DNB1579096231"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1217291431544360960" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">10:39pm on the east coast, people are tuning out, parents are tucking their kids into bed...
@CNN: "Alright, let's… https://t.co/nSVYhqb4Tv</div> — Sunrise Movement 🌅 (@Sunrise Movement 🌅)<a href="https://twitter.com/sunrisemvmt/statuses/1217291431544360960">1579059868.0</a></blockquote></div><p>So how did the candidates stand on various climate-related issues?</p>
National Security
<p>The first climate mentions came in response to the first question, about which candidate was best prepared to be commander-in-chief.</p><p>Both former South Bend, Indiana Mayor <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/Pete-Buttigieg" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pete Buttigieg</a> and Sen. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/elizabeth-warren" target="_self">Elizabeth Warren</a> (D-Mass.) listed the climate crisis among new national security issues they would tackle as president, according to a transcript provided by the <a href="https://eu.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucus/2020/01/14/democratic-debate-transcript-what-the-candidates-said-quotes/4460789002/" target="_blank">Des Moines Register</a>.</p><p>Philanthropist Tom Steyer brought up the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/australia-wildfire-deaths-2644394434.html" target="_self">wildfires in Australia</a> when asked how he would use military force as a president, suggesting that the climate crisis might require large international mobilizations.</p><p>"[T]here's a gigantic climate issue in Australia, which also requires the same kind of value-driven coalition-building that we actually should be using in the Middle East," he said.</p>Trade
<p>The next time the candidates brought up climate was during the discussion of a new trade deal struck by President Donald Trump with Mexico and Canada. Sen. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/bernie-sanders" target="_self">Bernie Sanders</a> (I-Vt.) came out strongly against it, largely because it does not mention climate change.<br></p><p>"[E]very major environmental organization has said no to this new trade agreement because it does not even have the phrase 'climate change' in it. And given the fact that climate change is right now the greatest threat facing this planet, I will not vote for a trade agreement that does not incorporate very, very strong principles to significantly lower fossil fuel emissions in the world," he said.</p><p>Democratic lawmakers had pushed for a commitment to the Paris agreement to be included in the deal, but that did not make it into the final draft, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/14/us/politics/fact-check-january-debate.html" target="_blank">The New York Times pointed out</a>.</p><p>Sanders also fought back when Pfannenstiel tried to shift his answer from climate to trade more narrowly.</p><p>"Well, they are the same in this issue," he said, according to the transcript.</p><p>Steyer joined Sanders in saying that he would not sign the deal because it failed to mention climate.</p><div id="9a8a3" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8OU2EK1579096232"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1217275336251015175" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">We can do much better than a Trump-led trade deal that does not even have the phrase “climate change” in it.… https://t.co/t3iNjmP5WP</div> — Bernie Sanders (@Bernie Sanders)<a href="https://twitter.com/BernieSanders/statuses/1217275336251015175">1579056030.0</a></blockquote></div>
'Managed Retreat'
<p>The first question directly raised by the moderators about the climate crisis brought up last spring's <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/flooding-nebraska-bomb-cyclone-2631998694.html" target="_self">disastrous flooding</a> in the Midwest and focused on what candidates would do about farms and factories that could not be relocated.</p><p>The question first went to Buttigieg, who spoke generally about the need to act on climate until the moderators repeated the question.</p><p>"We are going to have to use federal funds to make sure that we are supporting those whose lives will inevitably be impacted further by the increased severity and the increased frequency," he said.</p><p>The question then went to Steyer.</p><p>"Look, what you're talking about is what's called managed retreat," Steyer answered. "It's basically saying we're going to have to move things because this crisis is out of control. And it's unbelievably expensive. And of course we'll come to the rescue of Americans who are in trouble."</p>Fracking
<p>Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) received some pushback from climate activists when she defended her decision not to call for an all-out ban on <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/fracking/" target="_self">fracking</a>.</p><p>"When it comes to the issue of fracking, I actually see natural gas as a transition fuel. It's a transition fuel to where we get to carbon neutral," Klobuchar said.</p><p>Her remarks come less than a week after a <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/us-oil-gas-emissions-2644654513.html?rebelltitem=3#rebelltitem3" target="_self">study</a> found that new oil and gas emissions projected for the next five years could nearly cancel out the decline in coal emissions, partly enabled by the fracking boom and the falling price of natural gas.</p><p>"I cannot believe I am listening to<a href="https://twitter.com/amyklobuchar" target="_blank"> @amyklobuchar</a> talking about fracked gas as a bridge fuel in 2020," Sunrise Movement co-founder Varshini Prakash tweeted in response.</p><div id="dce9f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="BYCNS21579096232"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1217291975226986497" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">I cannot believe I am listening to @amyklobuchar talking about fracked gas as a bridge fuel in 2020.
#DemDebate</div> — Varshini Prakash 🌅 (@Varshini Prakash 🌅)<a href="https://twitter.com/VarshPrakash/statuses/1217291975226986497">1579059997.0</a></blockquote></div>
Climate Credentials
<p>Over the course of the debate, the candidates attempted to position themselves as the best person to take on the climate crisis in office.</p><p>Steyer emphasized that climate was his top priority.</p><p>"And I'm still shocked that I'm the only person on this stage who will say this. I would declare a state of emergency on day one on climate," he said.</p><p>Warren, meanwhile, painted herself as the best person to get to the root cause of decades of climate inaction.</p><p>"Mr. Steyer talks about it being problem number one," she said. "Understand this, we have known about this climate crisis for decades. Back in the 1990s we were calling it global warming, but we knew what it was. Democrats and Republicans back then were working together because no one wanted a problem. But you know what happened? The industry came in and said, we can make big money if we keep them divided and make no change. Priority number one has to be taking back our government from the corruption. That is the only way we will make progress on climate, on gun safety, on health care, on all of the issues that matter to us."</p><p>Sanders, for his part, pointed to his plan for a <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/green-new-deal" target="_self">Green New Deal</a> to transition to 100 percent renewable energy in 10 years.</p><p>"If we as a nation do not transform our energy system away from fossil fuel, not by 2050, not by 2040, but unless we lead the world right now — not easy stuff— the planet we are leaving our kids will be uninhabitable and unhealthy," he said.</p><p>Former Vice President Joe Biden, meanwhile, pointed to his legacy.</p><p>"[B]ack in 1986, I introduced the first climate change bill — and check PolitiFacts (sic); they said it was a game-changer. I've been fighting this for a long time. I headed up the Recovery Act, which put more money into moving away from fossil fuels to — to solar and wind energy than ever has occurred in the history of America," he said.</p>From Your Site Articles
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Democratic Candidates Spent 13 Minutes on Climate Change in Second Presidential Debate
01 August 2019
Politics
NPR / YouTube screenshot
Democratic presidential candidates spent 13 minutes on climate change in the second presidential debate Wednesday evening in Detroit — one more minute than the 12 spent on Tuesday evening, according to a Washington Post tally.
<p><br/></p>
<p>Washington governor Jay Inslee, whose campaign has centered around the issue, kicked off the discussion by centering climate change as "all the issues that we Democrats care about. It is health. It is national security. It is our economy." Sen. Cory Booker (NJ) joined Inslee in targeting former Vice President Joe Biden's plan to continue <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fossil-fuels" rel="noopener noreferrer">fossil fuel</a> use and Booker calling out Biden's brag that he will rejoin the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/paris-agreement" rel="noopener noreferrer">Paris agreement</a>. "Nobody should get applause for rejoining the Paris climate accords," Booker said. "That is kindergarten." As Robinson Meyer writes in The Atlantic, tech mogul Andrew Yang's argument that a universal basic income is the best way to mitigate climate impacts "is not a good response to losing your house to <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/sea-level-rise" rel="noopener noreferrer">higher sea levels</a>."</p>
<p>As reported by <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/08/pretty-good-democratic-debate-about-climate-change/595276/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Atlantic</a>:</p><blockquote>Climate change is a sprawling, scary, cinematic problem, and its remedies involve the less-than-inspiring technical undergirding of society: <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/08/why-cities-flood/538251/" target="_blank">stormwater management</a>, the electrical grid, <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/12/ocasio-cortez-green-new-deal-winning-climate-strategy/576514/" target="_blank">dirt</a>. And dirt management will never be as engrossing as, say, Medicare for All. The party may also benefit, in a sort of shallow but undeniable way, from its monopoly on climate concern. Since any Democrat would do more to fight climate change than the current president, what's the point of airing dirty laundry about it in public?</blockquote><blockquote>"We have all put out highly similar visions on climate," South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg said on Tuesday night. "We will deal with climate if and only if we win the presidency."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A new poll shows that 96% of Democratic voters want leaders to prioritize climate action and 91% want universal health care like <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MedicareForAll?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MedicareForAll</a>! The people want bold ideas to solve our toughest problems, which is why so many progressives won in 2018! <a href="https://t.co/nLbG4SMgm6">https://t.co/nLbG4SMgm6</a></p>— Pramila Jayapal (@PramilaJayapal) <a href="https://twitter.com/PramilaJayapal/status/1123633574161334272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong><br/></p><p><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/08/01/more-electability-than-foreign-policy-second-debate-topics-by-numbers/?utm_term=.46407b9751a0" target="_blank">Washington Post</a>, <a href="https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2019/08/joe-bidens-climate-plan-melted-during-the-debate/" target="_blank">Mother Jones</a>, <a href="https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/7/31/20749498/democratic-debate-climate-change-cory-booker-paris" target="_blank">Vox</a>, <a href="https://komonews.com/news/local/inslee-preaches-climate-change-at-latest-democratic-debate-gets-big-reaction" target="_blank">KOMO</a>, <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/08/pretty-good-democratic-debate-about-climate-change/595276/" target="_blank">The Atlantic</a>, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/here-s-why-democrats-debate-over-issues-mattered-n1038051" target="_blank">NBC</a>, <a href="https://theweek.com/articles/856262/jay-inslee-just-wants-save-world-from-climate-change" target="_blank">The Week</a>. Commentary: <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/08/andrew-yangs-horrific-debate-answer-climate-change/595267/" target="_blank">The Atlantic, Robinson Meyer analysis</a>, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/31/opinions/jay-inslee-2020-witnessed-climate-change-devastation/index.html" target="_blank">CNN, Jay Inslee op-ed</a>)<br/></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" target="_blank">Twitter</a> </em><em>and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, and sign up for daily </em><a href="http://climatenexus.us4.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=d1f5797e59060083034310930&id=7c84c08aaa" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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