GOP Debate: Candidates Launch Insurrection Over Global Warming Question
By Nicole Belle Tuesday Dec 11, 2007 4:46pm
h/t Heather
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What a strange time to display "leadership". When moderator Carolyn Washburn, editor of the Des Moines Register, asked for a show of hands of whether the GOP candidates thought that global climate change was a real and serious threat and caused by human activity, Fred Thompson led the rebellion, refusing to raise his hands on principle--or was it just laziness?
Pretty soon, the candidates had grabbed control of the debate from Washburn and any serious points to be made by the likes of John McCain got lost in fray.
Obviously, I'm not the potential voter from whom the Republicans are seeking to woo a vote, but I have to wonder if any of them think this kind of ridiculousness makes them look good.
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by the time republicans realize Global warming is REAL
the boat they all are on will be SINKING.......
He should have just stomped his widdle feet and left in a huff.
Faux New Opinion Poll, 12-12-2007
Please vote:
Is there a reason why the vast majority of Americans are Right-handed?:
A. Yes, Right is never Left.
B. Yes, Right is never wrong.
C. Yes, it is a God-given right.
D. All of the above.
On the one hand, I have a sneaking admiration for Thompson for actually "sticking it" to the moderator, who seemed far too controlling. I wish Dems would do that to Tim Russert et al.
OTOH, choosing to vacillate on global warming? That's just stupid.
Support the Science Debate!!
what can you say........ignorance is bliss.............................i guess.
It wasn't rebelliousness, nor laziness... he's comatose.
http://sciencedebate2008.com/www/index.php
http://sciencedebate2008.com/www/index.php
http://sciencedebate2008.com/www/index.php
Actually good for them, the hand show is a cheap cop out BS media way to cause conflict without actually discussing an issue.
Blue Buddha @ 6:
Watching Fred Thompson is like watching a bad sequel to Weekend at Bernie's
Wait a second? When did Alain get in on the race?
"but I have to wonder if any of them think this kind of ridiculousness makes them look good."
I turned to Faux News after the debate and watched a session they had with Frank Lutz and some undecided Republican voters. Those voters said they did like it.
You know I actually liked Fred getting upset here because I'm so sick of this presidential debate tactic of hand raising. These people want to be president not some goddamn school secretary or something. And I hated the host.
But really McCain and Huckabee had good answers, but Keyes had the most hilarious.
impeachbushnow @ 1:
We're on that boat too, thanks to the cowardly Democrats in office!
Also, I wanted to hear Fred drone on for a minute to see whether he's actively in denial or just clueless. Would have been great fodder for campaign ads.
nine piles of shit debating. what do you think you will get..........intergrity?
i think not. these idiot assholes have no morals. why would you expect a serious debate?
Uhh......I thought they generally did pretty well on this. McCain, Guiliani, Romney...all said this was a real threat, human caused (or contributed) and that we need to do somthing about it. Also, I was impressed that the discussion went along the path of....green tech is good for our economy, get off of foriegn oil....did we watch the same clip?
Whats important here is the even the top GOP candidates acknowledge this as a serious problem, know that we have to do something about it and note that it can contribute the the economy.
By the by @ 14:
Haha, now your talking. If she really wanted to get back at him for showing the world what a dolt she was - she should have just let him answer because every time he talks and drones on he shows how dumb he is.
Our country is going to hell, and what does Yahoo display as front page news?
Scientists discover how pregnant women keep from tipping over!
http://tinyurl.com/34979d
WTF!
Sorry I missed it. How did the "is gravity real" vote go?
Uh. Hello? These are the people who are going after the Religious Right. The Anti-Immigration crowd. Anti-Choice (abortion) crowd (a bit redundant). The Anti-Science crowd. Ect., ect.
Needless to say, it makes them look like rock stars to their demographic. As we all know if the Democrats support it, they have to oppose it. Two party system you know.
Swashbuckler @ 11:
Exactly.
It plays to the GOP base, who gobble up all the Limbaugh they can, like Rush gobbles up all the Oxycontin he can.
The problem fer Thompson and his fellow non-believers is that they would have to explain themselves in the general election.
And Thompson's bullyin' of the editor of the Des Moines Register will play well to the base, too. But I don't think Russert and his pals- who are a bit more used to this type of confrontation- wouldn't be cowed as easily as Washburn.
environmentalist @ 16:
right, i don't know why people want to debate whether global warming is real or not - even if it proves to be a big exaggeration by some nutty college professors and the media what would we have lost by becoming more earth friendly? It will only leave the earth in better shape. If global warming is a hoax and we clean up our air and water because of that hoax it will be no loss to us anyway.
It's an Ice Box here. I hope it warms up soon!
Scytherius @ 19:
Or the "6000-year-old Earth" question? I wanna hear Huckster explain that one.
Every time you heard one of them say we should get away from "relying on foreign oil" what I heard was they want to drill all over our damned country and off every beach of our country. That's their idea of weaning ourselves from "foreign" oil. They are thinking of "domestic" oil.
McCain has been about the environment for a long long time. I will give him credit for that.
Romny said something to the effect 'It's called global warming, not America warming. The rest of the world has to catch up and help out too". It's amazing how ass backwards this guy can be. Hey Mit! The rest of the world is well ahead of us in combating global warming. It's the US that's dragging its feet on the issue. What a moron!!!
Yes. McCain made some serious points. And then it went down hill
We call it Global Warming not American warming. So let's not put a burden on us alone. And have the rest of the world skate by without having to participate in this effort. It's a global effort...
So I guess in Romney's mind the U.S. has been in the forefront on this issue. And then Keyes started going on how These folks represent the very elites who year after year betrayed our Constitution...
I think Keyes got confused and thought they were talking about the current administration.
Also interesting was their falling all over themselves to yak about how quickly and how high they would build "the wall".
Conscious Incompetence!
Serenity Now @ 26:
That's the equivalent of saying if none of the neighbors in my area take care of their lawns why should I take care of mine. The answer is because you benefit from it if your lawn is clean and cared for. Just because everyone doesn't do it, that's no excuse for not trying to do something yourself.
WTF? When did Alan Keyes become a viable enough candidate to get onto a national debate?
The germ theory of disease is just a theory, you know. No one has PROVED that disease isn't divine retribution for wearing white after Labor Day.
Sigh.
Learning how the world works is not a "burden." Reality provides us with both challenges and opportunities.
We've allowed ourselves to be backed into a moral corner on issues like global warming and stem cells.
Now, if anyone does anything with anything that's NOT a stem cell, well, that just PROVES that Bush was right to ban it.
Now if this or that item of global warming data turns out to be false or misinterpreted, well, that just PROVES that the jury is still out...as though Piltdown Man put natural selection into serious doubt.
How much more? How much more will we fucking take? Presidential candidates evade, poo-poo and dismiss anything that impacts the "reality based community," preferring to spend more time debating what Jesus would have done about illegal immigrants.
Here's a news flash: JESUS WAS NOT AN AMERICAN!
Oh, wait, I'm hearing from the Romney camp that he was. Never mind.
Shall we gather at the riiiiiver?
The beautiful, the beautiful riiiiver?
Secret History of the War on Cancer
Author: Devra Davis
Bibliographic Data: Hardcover, 528 Pages, Basic Books, September 2007
List Price: $27.95
Status: In Print
ISBN: 0465015662
Location: Health Medicine & Diet > Medical Narratives
Description: From the National Book Award finalist and author of "When Smoke Ran Like Water" comes this searing, haunting, and deeply personal account of how a major public health effort was diverted and distorted for private gain.
November 21, 2007
Devra Davis On the Offensive
Cancer Terrorists Unmasked
By BRIAN McKENNA
Last month a close friend of mine, a man in his late 40s, got cancer. It was of the colon. He now confronts an uncertain future but his prognosis is good. He's an unrelenting fighter so my bet is that he'll join me in the cancer survivor's club. Mine was melanoma, back in 1992.
These days whenever I think of cancer I think of another cancer fighter, a cultural warrior named Devra Davis. Her new book, "The Secret History of the War on Cancer" is a disturbing, beautifully rendered work that details how corporate suppression, government inaction and social amnesia have combined to cause an epidemic that makes a mockery of President Nixon's War on Cancer in 1971.
Ten million cancers over the last thirty years were entirely preventable argues Davis.
Secret History was twenty years in the making. In 1986 Davis was offered a hefty advance to write a book on all that was then known about cancer prevention. When she informed her boss at the National Academy of Sciences, an arm of the federal government, about the offer he told her that she would lose her job if she wrote it. Davis, now 61, is Director of Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh. With more than 170 peer reviewed publications, an extensive career as a Presidential appointed governmental researcher, and a National Book Award bronze medal under her belt (for When Smoke Ran Like Water in 2002) anything Davis writes on cancer commands widespread attention.
Consider her assessment of aspartame. An artificial sweetener now widely used in cookies, cakes and candies around the world, aspartame was judged to be unsafe by the FDA in the 1970s after widespread testing. It was suspected of being a possible cancer causer. In 1977 the FDA formally asked the US attorney general to indict Searle corporation, aspartame's major producer, for knowingly making false and misleading statements about aspartame's safety. Searle responded by hiring a top Washington official, formerly with the Defense Department, to be its chief Executive officer. Aspartame was defeated in 1980 when the FDA review board voted unanimously against its approval. Then, in 1981, after Ronald Reagan's election, Searle reapplied for approval, and its CEO "called in my marks" at the FDA. Within a year aspartame was approved for all liquids and vitamins. The name of the CEO? Donald Rumsfeld.
It sometimes seems that the entire Bush team cut its eyeteeth on undermining cancer prevention efforts. It is true for my cancer. It is not well known that sunscreen is a cause of melanoma since it generally does not protect well against UVA rays. People sopping on the gook or sprays have a false sense of security in the sun. But the FDA has not changed sunscreen labels to alert consumers of this fact. In contrast, the European Union in 2006, did so, arguing that claims like "sunblockers" and "total protection" do not exist.
Read the Rest @:
http://www.counterpunch.org/mckenna11212007.html
Don't believe ANYTHING the Bush administration and their minions SAY ABOUT ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!
petrino just left the atlanta falcons head coaching job to be head coach at arkansas. he's getting a bootstrap from all the analysts, players, commentators, etc. openly calling him a coward and a liar.
i mention this because of the stark difference between political commentary. oh what just a touch of honesty would do...
impeachbushnow @ 1:
Its already too late . . . but we need to do what we can. Building glass domes over our cities and moving the old folks away from the coast would be a good start. New Orleans is a past memory.
Maybe Barrack can deliver a moving speech and convince the earth to cool down a bit. He is that good!
Kevin @ 31:
He did jump into Michael Moore's mosh pit.
i'd love to see them asked..
"is reality a serious threat caused by those bloggers in the internets"
8)
Keys was in this one today yet I'm hearing that Dennis will not be in the democratic one tomorrow. How can that be? Will Gravel (sp?) be in the one tomorrow? Wait, Gravel is a dem candidate isn't he? It's been so long since I heard anything about him, I can't remember his party.
I don't understand why Thompson had a hissy fit over a "show of hands" question.
Does he have a physical problem raising his hands? I recall John Kerry had a problem with one of his arms - so was Fred embarrassed to admit he had a physical problem???
Or was it because he forgot to spray deodorant under his arms and he felt a bit whiffy there???
I'm guessing the latter!
So sad that America is now the only developed nation not to ratify Kyoto - but given some of the Repuke candidates do not believe in evolution - no real surprise hey?
Thank goodness we in Australia corrected an 11 year nightmare and now have a leader who is afforded respect and courtesy on the world stage as seen recently at the Bali Climate Change Conference with Mr Kevin Rudd!
Well we endured over 11 years with mini-George W ie. John Howard - so hopefully in 2009 - you'll get a President who makes the whole world RESPECT you once more!
Unless of course Bush passes legislation (yet again) allowing him to stay on indefinitely....
Hmmm isn't Hugo Chavez trying to do this at the moment - and his people are protesting loud and clear! If Bush does manage to stay on for another term or 2 - will the American people sit back and let it happen???
Would be very interesting if it occurs...
No hand show?
Isn't this the same bunch of yokels that happily raised their hands when asked who were creationists?
It costs too much to think. The Republicans do not like to spend too many calories to think. Its cheaper to deny and remain ignorant in the GOP's way of "thinking."
Hey, their idiot Fox News crowd cheered. They just love conflict-- even when it makes no sense. Especially when it makes no sense, actually.
Reich-wingers are too cowardly to raise their hand to a simple question and they are suppose to protect America?
Alan Keyes looks and sounds like a white guy in blackface.
How cute, Alan Keyes still thinks he's relevant.
Dennis Kucinich is being excluded from the Iowa debate tomorrow. I'm REALLY pissed. They're reason given for excluding him is because the man who runs his campaign in Iowa works from home, instead of having an outside office.
This is nothing more than a way to keep his message from being heard.
Today, Alan Keyes, who has ZERO support was allowed to participate in the Republican debate.
I'm beyond outraged!! This is total BS.
http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2007/12/were-only-surpr.html
Does anyone else think that the debate is now getting closer and closer to the talking points the republicans want. It doesn't really seem like anyone wants to ask about the Iraq war failures, where is Bin Laden, spying on US Citizens, suspension of habeus corpus, or torture in these debates.
It seems like media coverage has become more about the economy, immigrants, and who is more holy....just the kind of wedge issues that will be used to win the election.
'tribute @ # 20'
Less than 60% of eligible voters vote . Its worse for local elections.Most people are single issue voters. Some voters are loyal brand types and vote for the same party all their life no matter what idiot will become president.Some voters will never vote for a particular party because of some issue that came up 30 or 40 years ago. Some people have no clue how government works and vote in people that have no clue how government works ( the former Mayor of the city I live in was in office for 25 years and it wasn't til the last term that it became apparent that he knew nothing ). Etc. Etc.
So what you end up with is candidates like those you see here trying to catch the attention of the bubba's and guber's that make up the electorate.
Most of these candidates will go flying like bowling pins when the primaries start.
Anyway I would also like to know how the " is gravity real vote' went.
I'm so glad I voted against Keyes in 04. Best vote I ever made.
Annoyed Canuck @ 44:
Alan Keyes campaign song :D
dennisscarescorporateamerica @ 46:
Iowa is where the fix begins. Last time we traded in Howard Dean for Bush's frat brother Kerry.
Kucinich has to be silenced because he is telling truth.
Dr. Matt @ 45:
He thinks he's Jesus.
Avid Reader @ 52:
He's there to secure the Uncle Tom vote for the GOP.
Kucinich booted from Iowa debate, but Polls Beg to Differ
By Klaus Marre | Posted 12/12/07 9:15 AM [ET]
December 12, 2007
Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D) is being excluded from this week’s Iowa presidential debate because he has not rented office space in the Hawkeye State, his campaign said Wednesday.
The Des Moines Register informed the campaign that Kucinich is not invited because the newspaper determined “that a person working out of his home did not meet our criteria for a campaign office and full-time paid staff in Iowa,” the campaign said.
Kucinich, who is running his second consecutive presidential campaign but is doing poorly in national polls, has received strong support in online surveys from liberal groups such as Democracy for America. The Ohio lawmaker’s anti-war campaign resonates with parts of the Democratic base even though that support has not boosted Kucinich from the lower tier of candidates.
The campaign blasted the decision to exclude the lawmaker from the debate.
“The Iowa caucuses have been portrayed as having national implications, and if the Register has decided to use hair-splitting technicalities to exclude the leading voice of the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party, then the entire process is suspect,” the campaign said in a statement about the “arbitrary and unreasonable exclusion.”
The campaign claims that Kucinich has also been barred from public appearances by “the Iowa Democratic Party, Iowa Public Television, and well-funded political interests…”
With nearly twenty candidates running for the nominations of the two major parties, the format of the debates have been an issue all year long.
Some of the lower-tier candidates have repeatedly complained that they are not being asked as many questions as the frontrunners. Meantime, some of the White House hopefuls have sought to limit the crowd. In July, former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) was overheard discussing the issue with Democratic frontrunner Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.).
http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/kucinich-booted-from-iowa-debate-2007-1...
btw - In today’s Daily KOS On-line Poll of Democratic Candidates, Kucinich tied Hillary for Third.
2007 2006
Dec Nov Oct Sept Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec
Edwards 39 33 31 39 34 36 40 39 42 38 26 35 28
Obama 30 27 16 21 29 27 22 24 25 26 25 28
Kucinich 8 9 5 6 4 3 2 2 2 4
H. Clinton 8 9 9 11 8 9 6 6 3 3 4 4 5
Dodd 3 7 21 7 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
No F'ing Clue 5 4 5 5 5 7 7 5 8 6 * * 3
Other 2 3 6 5 7 9 6 5 9 8 * * 3
Biden 2 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1
Richardson 2 1 2 1 6 5 8 13 8 6 5 4 2
Gravel 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 0 0 0 0
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/12/12/114232/71/974/421099
I truly admire anyone with the patience and/or medication to watch this. I made it to about the minute mark before I closed out and felt as though I had just watched a first grade play.
I Am A Banana @ 10:
See? He was right. He is getting ignored. :-)
I'm going to go out on a limb and say MSNBC brought Alan Keyes in as the token black guy because it makes for an interesting story. Serious, when politicos don't even know you're running, you aren't a viable candidate. I remember writing a column on Republican candidates last year for my schools newspaper, and I even included Huckabee, Brownback, and Hunter. But no Keyes...
Flash! Global warming caused by Fred Thompson's farts!
It's a stupid question, and deserved to be shunned.
Some of them believe in climate change, but don't believe it's anything we can control, a natural cycle of events. How can you get that across with a show of hands. You can't.
It'd be like asking someone "Do you support lower taxes for all americans?" if you asked a dem, they can't just say no.. they'd need to explain WHY we can't afford lower taxes.
Climate Change - Is CO2 the cause?- pt 1 of 4
Climate Change - Is CO2 the cause?- pt 2 of 4
Climate Change - Is CO2 the cause?- pt 3 of 4
Climate Change - Is CO2 the cause?- pt 4 of 4
Liberal AND Proud @ 53:
He got beat by Barack Obama in 2004 about 7 to 1 because the IL Republican party could not find anyone to run against him. Keyes is a genuine looney tune.
Gary @ 59:
Except for the minor fact that they know the questions beforehand. If some of them believe in climate change, the answer would seem to be a pretty easy yes, as that was the question afterall.
Climate Change - Is CO2 the cause?- pt 1 of 4
Climate Change - Is CO2 the cause?- pt 2 of 4
Climate Change - Is CO2 the cause?- pt 3 of 4
Climate Change - Is CO2 the cause?- pt 4 of 4
ashton @ 61:
But to keep your hand assumes that you don't believe in climate change at all. To raise it means you believe in man made global warming. Surely a topic this serious and important deserves more than a show of hands and warrants at least a minute to discuss.
Don't get me wrong, I hate the republican field (minus paul) but I really don't think this made the republicans look idiotic, In fact I think Thompson actually did some good for himself there, and now we know from that tiny bit of activity that he's still alive.
I Am A Banana @ 10:
Yea....ok guess the movie quote: "have I been asleep? Have I slept?"
oh no that's right, it's just my "mainstream media" not reporting anything if it doesn't have to do with Paris or Britney.
while I agree that the 'show of hands' thing is retarded, but that they can't give a yes or no answer...that's shows their stripes.
McInsane's version of Pascal's Wager is actually pretty good...
Nice.
Gary @ 59:
They weren't shunning the question, only the prescribed way to answer it. Fred didn't want to show hands without the opportunity to spin it for a minute. What the moderator should have done is said "great Fred doesn't want to answer, anyone else want to answer? Great, I will take your non-answers as a sign that you don't feel this topic warrants any thought by you at all, therefore to you it is not very important. Moving on......"
Did they ask if any of the candidates preferred pearls or diamonds?
I think Huckelberry likes a nice pearl necklace. Oh yes, I said it.
Global waming? Why don't they stick to important issues like:
- flag pin wearing
- school vouchers
- Hillary's use of pants suits
- the rights of brain dead individuals
- War on Jesus's holidays
- Why stem cell research, global warming and evolution are the work of the devil.
Two words on why wingnuts deny global warming - Oil Industry
CNN Poll Prefered GOP Candidate
December 3-6
Huckabee 32%
Romney 20 %
Thompson 11%
Mccain 7%
Giuliani 5%
Tancredo 2%
Paul 2%
Hunter 1%
Keyes 0%
wow... these are some impressive candidates, huh? LMAO!
Hey, I know I haven't been following the plot line of this third-rate circus all that closely, but when did Alan Keyes get added to the bill? Did somebody at RNC HQ decide the white, male, christian segment of the party was just a little too well represented?
Whatever, I think it's an extremely entertaining move! Keyes isn't just a kook, he's a Righteous Kook who apparently thinks he's delivering his wacko pearls of wisdom from a mountain top. Every time he opens his mouth it's a "WTF?!" moment. He makes Huckabee look rational.
budda @ 12:
Absolutely. This is the best answer I've seen the Republicans give so far. Well all except Paul. I just wish that guy wasn't so extreme then I could really get behind him.
Wow, they didn't object to the show of hands when they asked "who believes in evolution?"
She should have asked for a show of hands on the topic "who here is for torture"
"Who here wants Jack Bauer as Secretary of State?"
Eighteen frantic hands reach for the heavens.
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/908
read it.....
Kevin @ 31:
It's the Republicans way of showing support for Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity.
You're insane. Most of them agreed that Global Warming is a real threat. Watch the video again!
Meanwhile ... back at the whitehouse the idiot in charge once again used his Veto power to deny the SCHIP program. It's like a goddam NY street magic act, you watch one hand while your shit is being stolen by the other.
bobnchristy @ 74:
Why on earth would you be so desperate to support anyone on the GOP platform? Almost a century of pro-actively undermining this country isn't enough for you that you need second helpings of what passes for conservatism in this country?
Sometimes I honestly think that portions of this country is suffering from Stockholm/Abused wife syndrome....
Idea:
Create a website, with names and photos of ALL public figures who support torture AND show a loop video to the right with footage of waterboarding !
Guiliani and McCain made some sense (Keyes did not) But I suspect Guiliani is just talk and no action. McCain actually seems very sincere about the issue and realizes the urgency to act. Quite a feat for a republican considering the party consists of guys like Inhofe adn Rhorbacher (or whatever his name is?)
Romney reminds me of mr Bush. "We cant do this alone! We need the rest of the world to help! Help us please!" Well we in the rest of the world are doing something and China and India are beginning to loosen up to the idea. Its the US whos stalling the process and international action.
Bush has been doing the exact opposite of what was needed the last 7 years, cutting climate research funding, supressing science, delaying climate change reports etc etc.
My favorite Bush action to "fight" global warming is his goal to reduce greenhouse gas intensity 18% by 2012. Its so clever. GHG intensity is the ratio of emissions to GDP. In a growing economy reducing GHG intensity still allows emissions to grow. In fact GHG intensity in the US decreased by 1-2%/year the last two decades, the same pace Bushs plan is proposing, while emissions continued to grow rapidly. GHG intensity will continue decrease almost naturally as long as the economy grows faster than emissions (which it has over the last decades
So it sounds like mrBush is doing a lot while in reality doing NOTHING! US emissions can grow 12% by 2012 and he will still make that phony intensity target of his! Well done mr Bush!! The republican candidates could learn a thing or tow from you
how is it that crazy john is able to sound lucid on occasion???
what happened to the mccain who made that statement on global warming....i want that guy back
Kevin @ 31:
Forget viability, when did Alan Keyes become a candidate?
Matthew @ 85:
Keyes is 'standing in' for Sharpton, who has a butt-ache.
I heard the reply of the segment on Hannity's radio show. What I couldn't understand is why raising your hand was so insulting and childish?
Thompson is so full of hot-air. He saw an opportunity to dodge the question and tried to play it off as the cool guy. His remarks of "I can't answer that. I have to explain myself." It shows that he's so far behind that he's doing damage control every time he talks.
I think if this is the case then they should have a 'YES/NO' debate. Only answer that can be given is yes or no. No explaining, no paraphrasing the question, no attacking the other candidates.
I understand that most of the topics are beyond, i.e., "Would you solve the Medicare crisis by raising taxes?" "yes" and that may be controversial but it would put an end to this stumping that goes on whenever a question is answered. Or the Guiliani answers of "On 9/11 I would fix that by using a 9/11 style of leadership against an enemy the size of 9/11, 9/11". It would stop the answers that mislead and confuse people into thinking that these Republicans do not support torture when they actually do support it.
they were right not to participate in this ridiculous show of hands trend. It's silly and it should stop.
repubs believe the oil companies are god and can do no wrong
If Guiliani could clip his answers more and elaborate less he could fool people into thinking he is intelligent. Romney would agree that Martians are responsible for global warming if it got him elected, Thompson needs to wake up, McCain needs to get back on the bus, and Keyes needs to put down the crack pipe.
Even if governments and nations, such as our own and China, two of the worlds biggest polluters (China much more so) were to all of the sudden recognize it and attempt to do anything, it would be too late. It's been too late for a long, long time. The scientific community started to warn the worlds governments as far back as thirty years ago that this was going to happen if something wasn't done about developing a clean source of energy and get off of the fossil fuel addiction. If by some miracle, the emission of all greenhouse gases were stopped forever tomorrow, it would still take the the earth at least a century for it to 'heal' itself. All that can be done now is to plan for the day when crops start to fail and the water dries up. I doubt that will even be done. It used to bother me that there are so many moronic people in the world that still don't believe that climate change is real. Now it doesn't as I'll probably be dead as will many people reading this when whole nations start to be wiped out by it. I still have to wonder though, it's one thing not to care for yourself, but what about the kids? Oh well I guess we'll just have to let them worry about it, huh?
The way I feel is that if a republican win, then kiss the earth good bye. I think it's too late to stop global warming, but not to late to save mankind. But I do think the worse has yet to come.
I remember back in 1976 when Jimmy Carter, the evangelical, had the "Global 2000" report written by the EPA. He had solar panels on the White House. There were tax credits given to encourage solar energy. What happened? Reagan and the Republicans happened. James Watt (Reagan's Secretary of the Interior) happened. The solar panels came down, the Global 2000 report was shelved, the tax credits went away. Reagan was too much of an optimist to think that the sky might be falling even though he did not know squat about environmental science. Now the Republicans are getting on board. Well, it is about F----ING TIME!!! We just wasted 25 years spending huge sums of money, energy and blood fighting wars for oil. This same money, energy and blood we could have used to transform our economy. Let's get on with it, shall we?!
McCain actually pointed out what I was thinking for a long time: No matter if you believe in global warming or not, investing in green technology will do only good, i.e. clean air, modern technology etc.
Romney gave a nice answer too yet a rather ironic one saying not only America should act. Well, currently there's a conference in Bali in which the absolute majoritiy of delegations are trying to convince the USA to act.
But it's great to see that now the Republicans are grabbing on to the topic as well and that they're mentioning the fact that a fight against global warming would not harm the economy but help it.
JerryO @ 92:
Also, check out the news storys this week about the rate that the polar ice sheet is melting. Even the scientific community where shocked. We may not be able to do much now, but for our kids sake the world has to try and do what we can. These morons would just have us stick our heads in the sand and hope god takes care of us. These creeps just pray at the altar of greed and money, while the rest of us just die.
The worst host I've ever seen. She got punked by Thompsom big time. Reagan did the same thing in his Nashua debate and won the election. Watch out!
[Deleted. Banned]
maybe were wrong maybe polar bears want to to be closer to california so they can start their own "re-conquista" just like the mexican want to do.... fred fred fred ... any laazier and you would be called a teamster ....
Awwww, man! You just made me agree with the GOP! Shame on C&L!
The "show of hands" thing is pure idiocy, Thompson is right. It places the interviewer at the center of the dialog, not the candidate. If they want to cover more issues, get more network time or less commercials. It's that simple. If the issue has any importance at all, the candidate deserves at least a few seconds to explain themselves. We've gone from 10 second sound-bites, to 5 second sound-bites, to 1 second no sound at all bites. More dumbing down of America. Did you notice that on the last few debate "talk clocks" the moderator has wasted more time than almost any of the candidates? NOT an accident I assure you. Advertising for the "moderator's" home network.
"Who here has stopped beating their wife, show of hands? Oh- NO vocal responses please. Hmm, one hand down... he must still beat his wife then. Next question... if you were an ice cream what ice cream would you be? No vocal responses please, we are short on time; just act the flavor out through the power of interpretive dance and mime. HAHA! You all look retarded! Now whomever things a nuclear Iran would be a threat, rub your tummy and pat your head! YEESSSS! I am not a moderator, I'm a GOD!! Er... OK, folks, we'll be back after this important message from your sponsor for more
Simon SaysImportant Debate!"What a damn joke. The "moderator" is supposed to ask a real question, and let the candidates talk about it. You know, DEBATE! If the candidate wants to waste that time lying or talking in circles, fine. We'll pick up on that, and hold them accountable (or their debate opponent will).
the sky is falling!!!!!!!!!!!the sky is falling!!!!!!!!!!!!!! all you chicken liberals rush on up there and feed the starving vanishing polar bears...the earth has warmed a little but Mars has too.........how many men on Mars???????????????????????????????got no polar bears either......that proves it........the is falling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Aintnosaint @ 101:
I assume science wasn't one of your better subjects.
Just a hint, read about the orbits of planets around that thing called a sun.
Great catch, C&Lers. Total anarchy on the stage and it made the Republicans look foolish. Who would think the Republicans can address the issue, when they can't even address talking about the issue.
Though, McCain's point *is* the core of the basic visionary message that every rational candidate should be pushing... If we solve the issue -- regardless of whether climate change is real -- then we've solved our energy independence issue, are lessening the degree to which we're funding our enemies, tackled a huge chunk of our trade deficit issue, have stemmed job losses, if done right, and a myriad other benefits; if we don't address the issue, and climate change is real, the consequences are apocalyptic.
Choose Your Future.
I Am A Banana @ 10:
He jumped in a while back, apparently, but has been in very few (any?) debates...
http://www.renewamerica.us/news/070914keyes.htm
Michael @ 8:
Yes, it is. Even if she was using it for good cause -- to identify on whom to focus questions for each "side" of the issue -- the "show of hands" approach is bad form for most questions -- since the answer to most questions is not boolean.
If the moderator needs to know to whom to direct questions, he/she needs to do research before the forum.
It's All Over @ 13:
And the people who put them all in office. Right?
swarmofkillermonkeys @ 100:
Still laughing. Thx.
All opposed to GW theory please raise one finger please.
I noticed that at the very beginning, when she asks for a show of hands, some of the republicans were starting to raise their hands (assumedly McCain, Romney and Giuliani), some seemed to get halfway up, and then when Fred made his "no hand show comment" some of the Republicans who were raising their hands stopped and lowered their hands!
What a bunch of group think losers! It's like they were all looking at each other to determine what to do. Then she asked it again and some raised their hands and some didn't.
I don't think there is a problem with "raise your hand" questions at presidential debates, as long as the question is a simple, non-loaded one with a simple yes or no answer. In regards to the hand raise question on "who believes in Evolution?", isn't that more efficient than asking each of the 9-10 Republian candidates individually and having them waste time with a long answer when a Yes/No would suffice? Also it puts them on the spot, they can't spin their way out of the question or avoid answering the question by changing the subject.
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