Obama Sends a Strong, Clear Message on Global Warming

Posted by Steve Benen, Washington Monthly at 4:06 AM on November 19, 2008.

A two-day gathering called the Bi-Partisan Governors Global Climate Summit convened this morning in Los Angeles, and Barack Obama made an unexpected video presentation, vowing a "new chapter in American leadership on climate change."

If you can't watch clips online, the Washington Post has a full transcript of the text, but I'd note that Obama offered unambiguous remarks on the issue, criticizing the federal government's recent failures, touting a federal cap and trade system, promising to "invest $15 billion each year to catalyze private sector efforts to build a clean energy future," and citing specific annual targets on emission reductions.

Obama also spoke to the international delegations (12 counties sent representatives to this week's event) on hand in L.A. "Let me also say a special word to the delegates from around the world who will gather in Poland next month: your work is vital to the planet," Obama said. "While I won't be President at the time of your meeting and while the United States has only one President at a time, I've asked members of Congress who are attending the conference as observers to report back to me on what they learn there. And once I take office, you can be sure that the United States will once again engage vigorously in these negotiations, and help lead the world toward a new era of global cooperation on climate change."

In other words, don't worry about that Bush guy; hope is on the way.

As Greg Sargent noted, "Pretty refreshing to have an adult as incoming president."

Tagged as: bush, obama, global warming