Hi everyone - for environmentalists like me out there, this shows you are not alone in your support of Barack Obama. The national organization, Friends of Earth, has endorsed Obama for President:
We endorse Senator Obama because we believe he is the best candidate for the environment,” said Friends of the Earth Action President Brent Blackwelder. “The ‘gas tax holiday’ debate is a defining moment in the presidential race. The two other candidates responded with sham solutions that won’t ease pain at the pump, but Senator Obama refused to play that typical Washington game. Instead, Obama called for real solutions that would make transportation more affordable and curb global warming. He showed the courage and candor we expect from a president.”
Note what pushed them over the edge, the "gas tax holiday" debate. I've said this before and will say it again, Clinton's position may actually help her with voters - but it's killing her with Super Delegates, Washington insiders, and anyone who knows anything about public policy. They all see it for the transparent pandering it is. More below:
Blackwelder cited Obama’s strong pro-environment record, his policy proposals, the profile he has given global warming in his campaign, and the broad mandate he is building for change as other reasons for the endorsement. Obama earned a 96 percent rating from the League of Conservation Voters during his first two years in the Senate. Blackwelder said Friends of the Earth Action plans to inform its more than 100,000 activists in the U.S. about its support for Obama and to campaign for him in remaining primaries.
Friends of the Earth Action previously endorsed John Edwards in the Democratic primary process and engaged in early state independent expenditures on his behalf.
Look, when it comes to the environment, it's clear there is no comparison between either Democrat and the Republicans. However, since the day Hillary Clinton said last fall that the way to go on global warming was "incremental change," I have been incredibly suspicious of her. It struck me as incredibly odd that on this issue (a political winner for Democrats), she would already signal her willingness to compromise BEFORE any negotiations took place.
From that day I suspected she would sell out the environment for her own political gain, and this gas tax holiday is confirmation of that.
Great to see a national environmental organization join this debate and I hope all progressive Democrats see that for true environmental progress, Barack Obama is the clear choice.