With Hillary Clinton's speech yesterday introducing her strong Energy and Global Warming Platform, every Democratic candidate at some level OPPOSES the construction of new coal-fired power plants without the capacity to capture CO2.
After a strong week, highlighted by Nobel Peace Prize recipient Al Gore's speech before the nation's mayors in Seattle, a Bright Line on COAL-FIRED power plants is drawn between the parties' presidential candidates.
But Gore also reminded the crowd of recent findings that the polar ice cap this year had melted more than in any other year on record.
"This is the alarm bell," Gore said. "It's time to act."
So he suggested halting new coal-fired power plants unless they are set up so that in the future they can quickly be adapted to capture and store greenhouse gas, Gore said.
ALL of the Democratic candidates understand what Al Gore is saying about COAL-FIRED power plants.
NONE of the Republican candidates understand what Al Gore is saying about COAL-FIRED power plants.
It is fortunate that ALL of the Democrats have distinguished themselves from ALL of the Republicans on this issue. In poll after poll, the American people have expressed their concern. And around the world, a majority of people in every country know it is time to take real action.
Let's hope that as the campaign goes forward, the Democrats, who are on the correct and popular side of an important issue, can frame No New Coal as patriotic, responsible, and enabling the biggest growth industry of the 21st Century.
And instead of perfecting the circular firing squad, maybe the Dems can practice shooting at Rudy Giuliani, who has been systematically bought off by the coal, oil, and gas industries to deliver at least 4 more years of pure delay on global warming regulation.
With 52 weeks before the election, here is where the candidates stand:
THE UPDATED PLEDGE
All new COAL-FIRED power plants should be built with carbon capture and sequestration capacity.
Joe Biden YEA
Hillary Clinton YEA
Chris Dodd YEA
John Edwards YEA
Barack Obama "IF NECESSARY"
Bill Richardson STARTING IN 2010
Rudolph Guiliani Nay
Mike Huckabee NO POSITION
Duncan Hunter NO POSITION
John McCain NO POSITION
Mitt Romney NO POSITION
Fred Thompson NO POSITION