Last night in Boston at a mid-dollar fundraiser John Edwards gave a fantastic speech. It was one the loosest most charismatic speeches I have seen him give. Many of the points and line were from his standard stump speech but there was a definite confidence and sense of humor in his delivery.
He also dwelled on the environment more than I have seen him do in other speeches. The environmental section kicked off with with a good and true line that got a big ovation: "On global warming: Al Gore was right."
He then laid out his agenda to fight global warming. He proposes to impose an auction, cap and trade system on carbon emissions that gradually decreases the cap, reducing greenhouse pollution by 80% by 2050. The auction part is key both because he uses that money to fund alternative technologies and conservation initiatives makes the system more like a tax and because it makes the polluters accountable.
Then he said something else note worthy he considers his current caps a minnimum. If the warning signs and science become worse he believes they may have to be reduced faster.
In addition, Edwards noted we're in a competition right now with China to be the worst greenhouse gas polluter and that's a competition we don't want to win. But, in order to lead the world on global warming we have to start at home.
Already the environmental blog Gristhas called Edwards plan the best of the top three Democrats on global warming.
John Edwards is running left. What mixture of genuine sentiment and political calculation is behind that strategy only he knows, but it's translated into far and away the strongest, most comprehensive climate and energy plan among the three Democratic front-runners. He's stumping for 80 percent cuts in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050, and fleshing that goal out with detailed proposals for big boosts in renewables and fuel efficiency, changes to the energy grid and efficiency standards (the only front-runner to emphasize these), a green-jobs program, and more. On these issues, Edwards has done his homework and he's not trimming his sails. -- DR
A plan I am thrilled to see him highlight.