Think Progress

Will Bush make a climate U-turn?

By Judd Legum on Jan 14th, 2007 at 2:50 pm

Will Bush make a climate U-turn?

Senior British officials say Bush “is preparing to make a historic shift in his position on global warming when he makes his State of the Union speech later this month.”



68 Responses to “Will Bush make a climate U-turn?”

  1. VerbalKint says:

    Bush is full of s**t, whatever he says won’t mean anything. He and his thugs will continue to favor the fossil fuel industry every way possible.


  2. Tom says:

    GDumbya is apparently ready to declare “War on Global Warming”. You know what that means — it won’t be long before he decides to invade the Sun which is, of course, the “axis of warming”.

    What more would you expect from this bozo –> http://thumbsnap.com/v/6YvXAPG0.jpg


  3. unbelievable says:

    Yep, it’ll be more of the same, while SAYING (only) that they will change their policy to throw the people a bone so that they can get their way on the escalation in Iraq.


  4. DieNowForPeace says:

    Words mean NOTHING to this prick.

    But if he could help change so many dumbasses minds, why not?


  5. Wayne A. Schneider says:

    I’m suspicious, as we all should be. I find it hard to believe that he has done a complete 180 on global warming. It is undeniable that he has lied to us before, and his credibility with people in the three-digit-IQ club vanished long ago. I have to wonder what the catch is. Are his CO2 caps going to be so incredibly high that even a business doing nothing but burning two tons of tires all day wouldn’t exceed them? (In other words, pointless.)

    People have been known to do the right thing but for the wrong reasons. I need to know why he is changing his policy, or even IF he is really changing his policy, or just saying that he’s changing them. Sorry, George, but I just do not have even a single reason to believe a word out of your mouth. And that’s nobody’s fault but your own.


  6. Marie says:

    Who would believe anything he says. He is totally dishonest.
    If his words indicate a reversal in his position on the environment, rest assured there is something in it for him and his friends, and that is his motivation. The man can’t do anything with a personal reward or gain.


  7. Blair is a murderer says:

    word is nothing BUT it makes republicans look very good ………Hes an arsehole and should have done this years ago not just because congress are gonna do it anyway


  8. Wayne A. Schneider says:

    Marie,

    I see that you possess the correct level of skepticism about statements from this administration. I’m curious as to why this was found in a British newspaper and not an American one. Did they only leak this to the foreign press?


  9. Blair is a murderer says:

    Iran and Venezuala are cutting back on Oil production and talked OPEC into that ……… No Oil from Iraq

    what choice does he have ??????


  10. tablogloid says:

    The only shift in Bush’s global warming stance will come from between his butt cheeks during the State of the Union address.


  11. jimbo says:

    are you kidding me, Bush favoring we the people.
    - he corrupted enron
    - he rolled back pollution control in texas, most pollution in the nation
    - healthy forests, yeh right… corrupted whatever that us agency is
    - corrupted epa bigtime
    - laxed coal burning pollution control at least until 2015
    - lie after lie after lie
    - he has done everything possible to favor polluters.

    AND NOW his crooked appointees are resigning right through the
    revolving door to the private sector they were suppose to protect
    us from AFTER those laws were weakened.

    is there one bit of truth to Bush at all…. there sure is —-

    CORRUPT… big time, THE WORST PRESIDENT EVER

    and at the rate he’s going his ratings will be in the teens, their
    already at 28% =

    72% totally corrupted + disgust of the american people
    28% i guess what remains are air heads who believe the industry
    paid “experts” … ya according to the “experts”

    the experts who once was a appointee of the epa but now that
    expert is with monsanto, for that public utility, or exxon, or whoever

    ABSOLUTELY… corruption is a reality

    oh ya…. he serves the people all right, all the wonderful service
    we the people get & guess where the resolution will be… that’s
    right 10 – 20 – 30 years down the road in court… stall… stall… stall

    just look at superfund, how many of those sites were cleaned up
    in the 1980’s

    C
    O
    R
    R BIGTIME
    U
    P
    T


  12. Blair is a murderer says:

    BUSH HAS NO CHOICE – OIL WILL BE EXOENSIVE TA AMERICA SOON , IRAN AND CHAVEZ ARE DROPPING PRODUCTION AND OPEC HIKING PCICES and Iraq is below

    IRAQI militants are taking most of the $US1.5 billion ($1.92 billion) a year that’s stolen from Iraq’s main oil refinery through smuggling and corruption, the government told parliament today.


  13. jimbo says:

    unless you completely believe all the propaganda, it is a fact
    that bush has deceived and lied repeatily. challanged the
    constitution 100’s of times.

    i agree, someone has the right to change their mind, but this is
    not bushs history at all… he says one thing (like pollution control
    is voluntary compliance) while touting “healthy forests or whatever
    the deceptive program name for epa….. numerous LIES

    oh and all arm twisting at 200am 109th congress votes

    NO NO NO…… bush 180 degree change is SNAKE OIL!!!!!!!!!


  14. TripMaster Monkey says:

    Well, apparently Chimpy isn’t a reader of Think Progress, or else he would have seen Jason M. Hendler’s brilliant ‘urban heat islands’ explanation of global climate change, obviating his need to change his stance on the issue.

    (I almost managed to type that entire sentence without laughing aloud.)

    Upon further reflection, perhaps it’s fortunate Chimpy hasn’t been exposed to Jason’s ‘urban heat islands’ claptrap…otherwise, he just might declare ‘War on Cities’. ^_^


  15. JaneESchneider says:

    TMM, I got as far as “Jason M. Hendler’s brilliant” before I laughed! Yes, those famous “urban heat islands” at the North and South Poles!


  16. RMS says:

    Total lies/denials regarding a healthy environment and a decrease in petroleum products use. I have heated my house by burning wood that I have cut by hand off my own property for years. When he realizes that others do the same, a carbon credit tax is in the making. I am proud to say I never voted for Bush I or II for govenor of the state of Texas either election. I am equally proud to state that I did not vote for the thieves for president either. I don’t know how much of that news flash to believe. Read my lips, I do strongly feel that it is not realistic to place too much faith in a corrupt individual that says one thing and then turn around to do the exact opposite.


  17. KQ says:

    So – would that be a flip-flop then? He was against global warming before he was for it? Or is the flip-flop only reserved for Democrats, whereas the GOP can change their minds and it is called an historic shift?
    Typical hypocritical GOP and the equally hypocritical mainstream media.


  18. TripMaster Monkey says:

    KQ sez:

    Or is the flip-flop only reserved for Democrats, whereas the GOP can change their minds and it is called an historic shift?

    No, no…the GOP never actually change their minds, they merely ‘clarify their positions’ so it is obvious that they’ve always held that view, despite massive evidence to the contrary.

    In related news, Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia.


  19. jimbo says:

    carbon tax, guess who’s going to pay for that. we already pay 50%
    or more in taxes for all the wonderful services we all desperately need.

    there’s only one problem, the average person cannot get service at all,
    only the Rich.

    just think 50% paid in taxes, we should literally have world class healthcare
    thrown in, instead healthcare in this country is a disgrace and TOTALLY
    corrupted which of course will be the outcome of the carbon tax too.

    oh ya they serve the people all right like lining pockets of pharm companies
    and producing a economy favoring disease instead of education and healthcare to prevent it… ALL corrupted and all for the absolute “elite”
    and sacred congress/lobbyists/c.e.o.’s.

    that carbon tax will be all wasted. lucky if we get 5 cents out of $1… all
    the rest will be just icing on the cake for the rich and if lucky 5 cents will
    produce any results, if even


  20. Granola Hippy says:

    If Bush starts to believe in global warming, I might just stop believing out of spite.

    In all seriousness, I wouldn’t be suprised if he did. He’s looking to up his approval. What he’s too dumb to realize is that it’s not global warming that’s the number one issue, it’s Iraq. Well, Bush is a notorious dumb dumb.


  21. katy says:

    “urban heat islands” … a crichten “theory”, right?…
    just wait till his next book, NEXT, get into the wingers’ philosophy…
    stem cell research will take another hit…
    he uses just enough of a true story and a few facts to enrich his fiction into a plausible story… like most good fiction authors…


  22. KQ says:

    TripMaster Monkey @18 – thanks for the clarification. : )


  23. CoffinsDrapedWithFlags says:

    Didn’t Bush state that he was going to encourage renewable energy sources such as switch grass at his last SOU speech (2006)? These addresses are nothing more than hot air coming from the frat boy… adding to the global warming with his blah blah blah bullsh*t.


  24. katy says:

    “healthy forests program” = a boon to the logging industry…
    “clear skies initiative” = clear the skies of firds (franken)…

    …what else? … it’s another opposite day in bushco world…

    can’t believe a word they say…



  25. Marie says:

    And Abigail Kimbell will be on hand when he makes his announcement – his new appointee to the US Forestry Service, known for her affection for the loggig industry?

    No thinking person could believe Bush any more – not in the USA nor in the world. He’s worthless, useless and needs to be removed from office.


  26. Zooey says:

    Legacy polishing….


  27. franken says:

    clear the skies of firds
    Comment by katy

    What’s a ‘fird’ ?
    Do they even belong in the sky?


  28. JaneESchneider says:

    Zoo, you can’t polish a turd.


  29. katy says:

    yea – don’t you know about blying firds??? jeesh!


  30. katy says:

    “zooey” – give up on the identity change?

    in high school i wanted to be different, so i changed my name to “katie”… managed to confuse all my relatives, nothing else though…
    heh…

    i’ve been looking to see if the mysterious zelda would show up…


  31. Marie says:

    #8 Wayne
    I do not see this posted on any on line news site except the British. Curious. Perhaps the White House is waiting for the outcry following last week’s speech to die down, so they can fully capitalize on something “positive.”
    I don’t think the American public will buy it ( at least I hope not).


  32. jimbo says:

    LISTEN….

    the only thing i’ve heard from bush since 2003 is terrorist. cheney and
    him, almost every single morning, they cannot shake it, the only thing
    in truth about bush is talking about terrorists

    and the rest are lies……….

    - healthy forrests
    - healthy clear skies

    because the truth is enron and mecury and 2015 and negating on kyoto

    and if that wasn’t enough all his appointees are totally incompentent and
    are hitting the revolving door

    THERE IS ONLY ONE TRUTH TO BUSH AND THAT IS CORRUPT POSSIBLY
    WORSE THAN NIXON

    and do you wonder why his rating continue to fall and he doesn’t care
    about serving the average person either

    how can anyone respect a warlord or madsman as he’s constantly
    referred to… he is well known to intentionally deceive and that will
    be his policy on global warming too.

    now….. SHOW ME THE MONEY and of course things will be different

    enough to make me **** !! :)


  33. ForTruth says:

    Oh boy oh boy, what’s Bush gonna do? I didn’t read the link. Me lazy.


  34. katy says:

    Me lazy.
    Comment by ForTruth — January 14, 2007 @ 5:42 pm

    well, good thing for you he makes that easy…
    just remember – it’s always opposite day… got it?…


  35. JaneESchneider says:

    Marie, Wayne went home, but I’ll tell him what you said.

    You’re right, the American public won’t buy it, only the-what is it now- 25%ers(?) will believe anything out of Bush’s mouth.

    Jimbo, I don’t think there’s any question at this point that Bush is worse than Nixon. I think that Bush, with his far-reaching family/business connections, not to mention his own psychological problems, poses a much greater threat to our country and the entire planet.

    I’m heading home now, too. Tomorrow’s another day.


  36. RealityCheck says:

    This is good. Any information from any source supporting the idea of global warming and encouraging action to combat it – any type of action – wakes people up to what is happening.

    I don’t care how twisted the motives are at this point.

    Maybe Bush will reach the 30% that Gore can’t reach. Everybody needs to be on board for this. Screw the war on terrorism. The real terror to war upon is global warming.


  37. Fools on the Hill says:

    He just removed a ban on drilling in the Bearing Sea. Petro boy isn’t going to do anything on global warming beside stall.


  38. Zooey says:

    Zoo, you can’t polish a turd.
    Comment by JaneESchneider

    Jane, I wouldn’t even try, but GWB keeping rubbing…


  39. Zooey says:

    “zooey” – give up on the identity change?
    i’ve been looking to see if the mysterious zelda would show up…
    Comment by katy

    I tried, katy, but TP blocked me for a day and half, until it occurred to me to change back. So annoying. Maybe when TP gets it’s shit together, Zelda will take a test run. :)


  40. RUCerious says:

    Yeah, and he promised a major effort to promote R&D on alternative fuels.
    HOWS that going for ya WarCriminal?


  41. Zooey says:

    Do over!

    Jane, I wouldn’t even try, but GWB keeping rubbing…
    Comment by Zooey — January 14, 2007 @ 5:53 pm

    Jane, I wouldn’t even try, but GWB {keeps] rubbing…

    Oy.


  42. RUCerious says:

    Zelda? As in Dobie’s hearthrob wannabe?


  43. Dan says:

    UPDATE: Check out the news, Bush admin. officials debunked this rumor as flat out untrue.

    Very sadly for our world, Bush hasn’t changed his mind.


  44. Zooey says:

    Zelda? As in Dobie’s hearthrob wannabe?
    Comment by RUCerious

    A little before my time, RUCerious!

    I’m not sure what katy was referring to when she recommended the name, but I think of “The Legend of Zelda.” The video game. I’m such a princess…


  45. katy says:

    Zelda? As in Dobie’s hearthrob wannabe?
    Comment by RUCerious — January 14, 2007 @ 5:57 pm

    oh wow! … i’d forgotten about her! … boy, are you ever dating yourself! (me too… heh)
    i think it was more along the “legend of” line…


  46. katy says:

    I’m not sure what katy was referring to…
    Comment by Zooey — January 14, 2007 @ 6:08 pm

    actually, i was thinking of a neighbor lady… kinda crazy, but sweet… heh…

    i’m not a gamer, so i admit that the legend of” didn’t come to me until you said “a legend in her own mind” (or something like that)…


  47. Zooey says:

    actually, i was thinking of a neighbor lady… kinda crazy, but sweet… heh…

    Yep, that sounds like me. Ask anyone…

    i’m not a gamer, so i admit that the legend of” didn’t come to me until you said “a legend in her own mind” (or something like that)…
    Comment by katy

    My eldest used to love that game, so that’s why it popped into my mind first.


  48. katy says:

    well, dan, they’re not trying very hard to deny that story… i went to google news a searched for it – most hits were to this similar story, except for this link:

    U.S. denies British rumors on Bush climate change
    Jan 14, 2007 — WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. official on Sunday denied a British newspaper report that President George W. Bush was preparing to announce a dramatic policy shift on global warming in his State of the Union speech this month.

    http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=2794406


  49. katy says:

    zooey – you say you were off-board for a while… know what happened?
    i haven’t been here since thursday night… my daughter was home for the weekend and we did girlie stuff… including a bottle of wine… uoy…


  50. jimbo says:

    listen i’ve heard about all the comments bush is a compulsive liar,
    he’s a madman, he doesn’t care, he does care.

    what amazes me is during his speech to american, he’s just so
    calm, other times he’s a hot head.

    the only way he’s tranquilizing himself is with tranquilizers and undoubtfully he’s probably on multiple prescription drugs.

    and there’s no way a person could possibly have a concious or slip lies and
    not even care….. that guy is definitely dealing with issues with pills…

    that might explain the lack of conciousness, lies… oh how bout the
    corruption…. NOW THAT IS THE REAL BUSH.

    if this guy ever does shake all those prescription drugs i’m guessing there’s
    lots of cob webs, but who cares, just pop a another pill… WORST PRESIDENT EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)


  51. Zooey says:

    zooey – you say you were off-board for a while… know what happened?

    I had changed my name to “Zoo,” and I guess TP didn’t like it, because I couldn’t get my comments to show up for a day and half.

    i haven’t been here since thursday night… my daughter was home for the weekend and we did girlie stuff… including a bottle of wine… uoy…
    Comment by katy

    Sounds fun! I try to do girlie stuff with my sons, but it never goes well. :)


  52. gogreen says:

    Dumbya (or more likely, Rove) thinks by appearing to acknowledge the existence of global warming, that the Democrats will delay any action while they wait nicely to se what the administration will do. By doing this, they will play directly into Rove’s hands, wasting time and energy on another distraction with no substance.

    Congress, as someone noted in an earlier thread, does not comprehend that this has stopped being about progressive vs conservative, or Dem vs Rethug, or whatever other political struggle they envision. This is now about George W. Bush vs the United States. I don’t think Congress can re-align their thinking from election politics to the reality of a constitutional crisis.

    I will be in DC on the 27th. Please join us.


  53. Publicus says:

    The words that come out of Bush’s mouth mean absolutely nothing.


  54. Jesus says:

    Heard late one night after 3 Bourbon and waters and 5 Zoloft:

    Hey, uh, Dubya? Yeah, I ‘m tired of you dicking around with my planet. Unless you want Laura & the twins to burn eternally in Purgatory, you gotta renounce your opposition to climate change science. Oh- and Cheney is the Devil.


  55. Paul in LA says:

    Sure, Bush is going to stop global warming by destroying the earth with nuclear weapons before it gets too hot.

    Don’t you worry your little heads about it. He’s not.


  56. gogreen says:

    Comment by Paul in LA — January 14, 2007 @ 7:16 pm

    Actually, that’s not that far-fetched. He just wouldn’t think of it as a solution to global warming. More likely he sees nuclear warfare as a necessary precursor to Armageddon.


  57. tom baker says:

    Dubbie is gay and retarded – a first for the American Presidency. Flip-floppin’ like a goddamned carp on the riverbank……..what a piece of work.


  58. Marie says:

    #52 Zooey. (Sorry OT)
    That IS a slight problem with sons, of which I have three, whom I love dearly. However, I am an endless source of amusement to them. :)
    It was great raising sons, I think a little easier than girls in some ways, but now that everyone is grown up, I don’t have anyone to share “girlie” stuff.
    My boys claim that I am not very “girlie” anyway, because of being their mother, but a girl (young woman) around would be pretty nice about now.


  59. katy says:

    marie – i just had to respond!
    i agree that raising boys might be easier… though i had only one… and the one girl… he is 5 years older… but the growing up years were by far easier with the boy…
    now, though, as he has cut loose (and living in california), i really enjoy being girlie with my daughter… i was never a girlie-girl myself, and mostly hung out with the boys then guys… until these days, and my daughter is now a young woman and she has brought out the “girlie” in me…
    funny how things go around like that…
    .


  60. Zooey says:

    My boys claim that I am not very “girlie” anyway, because of being their mother, but a girl (young woman) around would be pretty nice about now.
    Comment by Marie

    I’m not sure I would have survived three boys! I think my sons forget I’m a woman sometimes. One of my sisters sends me a little package of “girlie stuff” once in a while, because she thinks I need a reminder. She’s probably right!

    I’m looking forward to a daughter-in-law one of these years. It’s not looking good right now, since Zoo Jr’s best friend at school is a lesbian. He says he’s a “dyke tyke.” That’s a new one…


  61. Marie says:

    Yes, katy, we agree. :)

    I watched the chimp-in-chief on 60 minutes and he is stomach-turning. Arrogant. Defiant. Liar.
    All the fears and trepidation I had when he was first (s)elected in 2000 have been realized and magnified 1,000 times.
    He has to go.


  62. Zooey says:

    …my daughter is now a young woman and she has brought out the “girlie” in me…
    funny how things go around like that…
    Comment by katy

    Didn’t we all like our mom better after we’d been away from her for a while? I know I did.


  63. Marie says:

    Zooey,
    Remember this if your son marries– you will be the “mother-in-law.”
    Just saying….. :)


  64. Zooey says:

    Remember this if your son marries– you will be the “mother-in-law.”
    Just saying….. :)
    Comment by Marie

    She’ll love me. I know how to mind my own business.

    I hope…. :}


  65. thetruthfairy says:

    i tremble at the thought of what this could mean, historic shift ? from this egomaniac it cant be anything good


  66. Paul in LA says:

    When Gw failed to order the guarding of Al Qa-qaa he committed an act of gross criminal negligence by arming the insurgency that would fight our troops with 380 metric tons of IED-making high-explosives.

    There is NO comparable example from U.S. military history of which I am aware. The closest I can think of is Benedict Arnold trying to sell West Point to the British (King) during the Revolution.

    So, don’t pull out your hair over the shock of having a traitor in power — FIGHT BACK, and fight back in terms of the consequences of such an act — and not in the day-by-day reaction machine he wants us to remain.

    We MUST demand justice, justice, justice, justice, justice, justice, justice, justice, justice, justice, justice, justice, justice, justice, justice, justice, justice, justice, justice…

    …and stop acting like this is ‘politics.’ Politics do not allow treason or gross criminal negligence. I –SO– wish people would stop acting like this is politics as usual, or like they have to remain somehow ‘civil.’ Remain nonviolent, and DEMAND JUSTICE!


  67. nofltwlt says:

    Bush is an insecure man with many fears. So, if he has now convinced himself that global warming is happening, and he has listened to those who know it is happening, it scares him. When he is scared he acts.



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