As World Warms, White House Aspires: "Global warming meltdown in Bush message machine"

[DeepModem Mom]

WP: As the World Warms, the White House Aspires
By Dana Milbank
Friday, June 1, 2007; Page A02


"The United States takes this issue seriously," the Bush administration said with a wink. (By Chip Somodevilla -- Getty Images)

Yesterday, as the temperature pushed toward 90 degrees in the capital, global warming caused a meltdown in the Bush administration's message machine.

Just as President Bush was about to wheel out his "new international climate change framework," the NASA administrator, Michael Griffin, declared that there is no need to take action against global warming.

"Whether that is a long-term concern or not, I can't say," he said in an interview with National Public Radio, adding: "I am not sure that it is fair to say that it is a problem we must wrestle with." In fact, Griffin found it "rather arrogant" to suggest that global warming is a bad thing.

A couple of hours after the broadcast, Griffin's boss took the stage at the Ronald Reagan Building to endorse just such arrogance -- an initiative aimed at reducing greenhouse gases. "The United States takes this issue seriously," Bush said.

This mixed message led to a rather cool reception for Jim Connaughton, the president's adviser on the environment, as he briefed reporters on the plan at noon.

"Will the new framework consist of binding commitments or voluntary commitments?" asked CBS News's Jim Axelrod.

"In this instance, you have a long-term, aspirational goal," Connaughton answered.

Aspirational goal? Like having the body you want without diet or exercise? Or getting rich without working?...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/31/AR2007053102190.html?nav=most_emailed

[htuttle]

1. It's "rather arrogant" to consider widespread drought and massive coastal flooding to be a bad thing

"Who knows whether the deaths of billions will be a 'long-term concern' or not..."

:eyes:

[tulsakatz]

2. now that is truly arrogant!!

to say that the deaths of billions of people could be a good thing is truly arrogant!!

[central scrutinizer]

3. Coastal flooding will affect blue states the most so why bother?

And once they privatize the water supply, drought only has an upside for Bushco

[Dhalgren]

4. Remember, "Water will be the next century's oil"...