South Carolina Democratic Senate Candidate Is A Global Warming Denier
South Carolina Democratic Senate Candidate Is A Global Warming Denier
In a debate this past Saturday night, Democratic candidate Bob Conley — who is challenging incumbent Republican Lindsey Graham — firmly proclaimed his denial of global warming science. Asked if global warming is real, this is how Conley answered:
CONLEY: It really is the arrogance of man to think that we are having any effect. I’m an engineer. So I understand that we don’t have constant things in the physical world. We have a lot of fluctuations.
And when we see, looking back how we have had fluctuations in temperature over time. And when we see how when I was a child we were told whether it was global cooling. We’ve been told in recent years well there’s global warming. Well then last year was the coldest — the coolest record in the recent trend. It’s something. I don’t think we ought to be making really haphazard statements of policy or trying to change policies on this side.
Conley also claimed we need to look beyond what “special interests here in the United States” are saying, and instead consider what “academics are publishing in Europe and elsewhere.” Watch it (beginning at 48:00):
Of course, the reality is that the international scientific consensus, as embodied by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, has assessed that there is a 90 percent certainty that human activity contributes to global temperature increases. Even a White House climate report has acknowledged this fact.
Conley’s ill-informed comments echo those of Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK), who argued in a recent debate that “we’re now going through a cooling spell.” Last year was not the “coolest” in a recent trend, as Conley claimed. As an engineer, Conley may want to take a look at the data that NASA reports:
The year 2007 tied for second warmest in the period of instrumental data, behind the record warmth of 2005, in the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) analysis. 2007 tied 1998, which had leapt a remarkable 0.2°C above the prior record with the help of the “El Niño of the century”.
For his part, Lindsey Graham said, “I do believe man-made emissions are hurting the planet. I believe global warming is somewhat man-made.” It will be very difficult to solve the issue of global warming if you don’t understand its root causes.
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You mean I have to start a Monday agreeing with Lindsay Graham?
It’s going to be a Hell of a week…
October 13th, 2008 at 9:04 amI have to agree with zimzone on this one…
let’s hope that Palin or McCain come through for us as they have so often so that we can start the week off properly….
October 13th, 2008 at 9:16 amLook, there’s only one story in town today. Krugman’s Nobel Prize.
No need to focus on some Demo no-hoper.
October 13th, 2008 at 9:18 amAnyone want to bet this guy is a Blue Dob DINO? If he is an engineer, I wonder where he got his degree. He obviously isn’t much of a thinker.
I’m hoping that the Democrats will make it a priority to find good progressive candidates to run against these Blue Dogs the next time around.
October 13th, 2008 at 9:18 amBTW, does anyone know how many Blue Dogs there are? Do we stand to gain enough new seats in the House to make them insignificant?
October 13th, 2008 at 9:19 amThe award to Krugman will have the right wing frothing, but they’re too busy trying to destroy our country to go after him now.
October 13th, 2008 at 9:22 amWha Wha WHHHAAAATTT?
Awesome.
October 13th, 2008 at 9:25 amLovely.
Dems have always had a bigger tent than the moronic head-in-the-sand Republican lemming herd so I guess that means there will be always be the occasional knuckle dragger in our tent but, Jimminie Christmas!
I’ve said it before and I am not the only one to say it, we don’t need more Dems in congress. We need BETTER ones. Conley’s just pronounced himself a Zell Miller. It takes all kinds.
October 13th, 2008 at 9:26 amVerbalKint Says:
The award to Krugman will have the right wing frothing…
Got to ask, when are wingnuts not frothing?
October 13th, 2008 at 9:26 amOf course, they’ll point to Al Gore’s Nobel Prize and then at Krugman’s to demonstrate the illegitimacy and bias of the entire Nobel process.
October 13th, 2008 at 9:33 amAny politician who denies global warming is someone who stands to lose a financial percentage by addressing the issue. In short, money talks and bull**** walks.
Money is no good to you when you don’t have an atmosphere to breathe.
October 13th, 2008 at 9:40 amDitto Zimzone at 1. A “Democrat” is the one making L.G. sound reasonable. Screw Conley. I think I’d just as soon keep Graham and be clear on who the enemy is. DINO’s suck and Conley’s perspective walks hand in hand with Creationism level idiocy. At least a Repig is supposed to spout this crap. We don’t need a “Dem” doing it too.
October 13th, 2008 at 9:40 amEvery one of these head-in-the-sand followers of the deniers says that same thing… If there’s global warming, why did it COOL DOWN last year?
Cripes, they’ll trot out any number of misleading graphs to support their own points, but they can’t seem to read a simple graph of the aggregate temperatures, to realize this “cooling off” was just a tiny, insignificant backslide of the larger trend.
But facts don’t matter any more, on any issue. Only talking points do. As long as Rush and friends can say something that sounds good, it flies, even if taken out of scientific context.
Why are people so willfully ignorant? What is so stupendously unbelievable that if we pump millions upon millions of pound of crap into the atmosphere decade after decade, there might be some effect on the fragile balance of the atmosphere and climate?
In a way, the whole issue is a smoke screen, to prolong our inaction. Never mind global warming… what about the constant massive global pollution that we continue to ignore, just because it might hurt this favored industry or that?
October 13th, 2008 at 9:42 amAren’t there still people who believe that the Earth is flat, the moon trips were hoaxes, dinosaurs lived 6,000 years ago and that George Bush secretly and successfully attacked NYC?
It’s the problem with belief. You get to make up your own facts and pretend reality doesn’t matter.
I agree with wolfsinger, we need BETTER Representatives.
October 13th, 2008 at 9:42 amWell then last year was the coldest — the coolest record in the recent trend. It’s something. I don’t think we ought to be making really haphazard statements of policy or trying to change policies on this side.
I’m guessing his campaign is wholly funded by Big Oil…
October 13th, 2008 at 9:45 amPaul Krugman Wins Economics Nobel
October 13th, 2008 at 9:49 amNew York Times - 33 minutes ago
By Catherine Rampell Paul Krugman, a professor at Princeton University and an Op-Ed columnist for The New York Times, was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Science on Monday.
Princeton’s Paul Krugman Wins Nobel Economics Prize (Update3) Bloomberg
Nobel winner Krugman says world may escape collapse Reuters
People’s Daily Online - guardian.co.uk - Philadelphia Inquirer - The Associated Press
all 597 news articles »
http://news.google.com/ ?ncl=1257240347&hl=en&topic=b
Remember he’s trying to unseat Lindsey Graham so there needs to be a certain amount of lunacy to appeal to that constituency, and by a certain amount I mean a lot.
October 13th, 2008 at 9:50 amFrom wiki:
Michael Cone, Conley’s primary opponent, criticized Conley by saying he is too conservative, that “We’ve nominated a Republican in a Democratic primary.” Conley was a Republican but left the party due to frustration over immigration, trade, and the Iraq War.
Another “blue-dog” republican-turncoat coward. Since the republicans have trashed their own party, they’re simply planning to infiltrate the dems and tank them too.
October 13th, 2008 at 9:52 amIce core specialist will tell you that in our natural fluctuation of planet temperature the ice should be advancing now, not retreating. Perhaps Conley is hoping the independent voter is not well read. It is strange to see a Democrat pulling a Bush.
October 13th, 2008 at 9:55 amDumb_Hussein_Fox Says: Look, there’s only one story in town today. Krugman’s Nobel Prize.
Paul Krugman, New York Times columnist
October 13th, 2008 at 10:01 amWhere’s the Think Fast thread this morning?
October 13th, 2008 at 10:05 amgood morning, faiz…
October 13th, 2008 at 10:06 amno FAST thread this “holiday”?
how ’bout an OPEN thread then, plaese…
He believes there is a cooling trend because it snowed record amounts last year? I’m not sure of the field he claims to be an engineer in, but the engineers I know look at data carefully before drawing conclusions.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:11 amSee! Even Democrats can be idiots.
“You’ve got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know… morons.”
October 13th, 2008 at 10:13 amWhat kind of an engineer is this man?
October 13th, 2008 at 10:14 amEngineers are thought reason and logic among other things.
RUCerious
Many thanks for the Mel Brooks quote. It almost makes up for having to go to work on an alleged holiday.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:24 amwmhogg Says:
He believes there is a cooling trend because it snowed record amounts last year?
Global warming science predicts more snowfall in many places. Warmer air holds more water, and more water in the air means more precipitation. Other places will experience drought, as the climate rearranges itself.
Snow is not necessarily a sign of cold. Heavy snows are most likely to occur when the temperature is just below freezing. At sub-zero temperatures there is very little snow ever. The Antarctic continent is a desert, receiving only about 5 inches of precipitation a year. So many cold weather areas will generally experience more snowfall as the temperature trends upwards.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:38 amMy sense is that he’s got a closed circuit toy train in his back yard. He gets in and toots the horn as he trolleys his way around the yard.
That kind of an engineer…
October 13th, 2008 at 10:38 ampaleolib! {:>} — I always love White Guy finds aboriginal peoples to subjugate day a real break…From traffic on my way in to work.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:41 am“So I understand that we don’t have constant things in the physical world. ”
Like gravity, or the rotation of the earth–why else do you think we have leap years? Check and mate!
October 13th, 2008 at 10:43 amRUCerious Says: I always love White Guy finds aboriginal peoples to subjugate day a real break…
Too funny!
Agreed, Columbus doesn’t deserve a day of honor. What he did to the people in the Americas was pure genocide and tyranny.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:46 am10/13 Daily Kos R2K Tracking Poll:
Obama 52 , McCain 40
(and ABC/WaPo is 53-43)
October 13th, 2008 at 10:48 amYes, but 2007 was an El Nino year, so it is expected to be warm compared to other years from the same time frame. Yet overall, global average temperature as measured by the National Climatic Data Center shows a flat or downward trend since 2002. I think the door should be left open for the possibility that CO2 may not be as strong of an effect as previously assumed by computer models. It is not clear to me that we need to pass tax bills this year, or that by doing so we will save the planet from thermal destruction.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:48 amHey Un! Now if they’d had a Columbo day to honor Peter Falk, I’d be all over it.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:50 amIt is South Carolina after all!
October 13th, 2008 at 10:53 amDon’t run out of gas in this state!
EKennel Says: It is not clear to me that we need to pass tax bills this year, or that by doing so we will save the planet from thermal destruction.
It’s because you lack enough brain cells to understand.
El Nino-La Nina is only supposed to occur every seven to ten years, not every three. You haven’t noticed that it’s now occurring more frequently? Why do you suppose that is?
Silly trolls.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:54 amEKennel Says:
Yes, but 2007 was an El Nino year, so it is expected to be warm compared to other years from the same time frame. Yet overall, global average temperature as measured by the National Climatic Data Center shows a flat or downward trend since 2002. I think the door should be left open for the possibility that CO2 may not be as strong of an effect as previously assumed by computer models. It is not clear to me that we need to pass tax bills this year, or that by doing so we will save the planet from thermal destruction.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:48 am
See the cute little graph above, dingleberry.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:55 amRUCerious Says: Hey Un! Now if they’d had a Columbo day to honor Peter Falk, I’d be all over it.
At least he didn’t kill and enslave anybody… I don’t think :)
October 13th, 2008 at 10:55 amBTW, this planet will not suffer “thermal destruction.” We are simply destroying our capability to survive on the Earth.
Earth will be fine without us.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:56 amOsama was an engineer. So?
October 13th, 2008 at 10:56 amEKennel Says:
Sing along with me, EKennel: “I’m an idiot, and that’s okay….”
October 13th, 2008 at 11:03 amSo they keep dogs in cyberspace? Who’da thunk it? Perhaps the IQ of a mutt rubs off there…
October 13th, 2008 at 11:10 amI need data to back this up. Do you have any links.
The deniers I am encountering are sticking tightly to the notion that this is a natural cycle and that we are actually having very little effect.
October 13th, 2008 at 11:14 amJust what we need, another blue-dog-Democrat-who-is-really-a-Republican moron in the Senate.
October 13th, 2008 at 11:54 amI guarantee this guy used the following thought to prove his very scientific conclusion: “Hm, I remember it being cool last year around my house… must be a cooling trend worldwide.”
October 13th, 2008 at 12:13 pmClusterTim Says:
flagged for spam. Are you a republican. Spammers are all republicans, they want something for nothing.
Contact TP and offer to pay them to advertise your crap or be gone.
October 13th, 2008 at 12:22 pmBilbo Hussein Baggins
I’m a New Yorker who lives in SC. I didn’t know this guy was running until I read this. That’s how strong the Dems are here. There isn’t anyone to run against Graham.
The weather is great most of the time, taxes low, food, etc reasonable…but there are times it is tough to live here. But I can’t afford to go back North, so just keep hoping. Look what’s happening in NC..there might be changes in the future.
October 13th, 2008 at 1:09 pmCouple of things. A label change does not a Democrat make. This obviously wouldn’t have happened if there had been a real Democrat running for that seat in the primary. There was not, and my question is: where the heck is the Democratic Party of South Carolina? Do they even exist?
For insight into Conley as well, I believe this is an important fact: His candidacy has been endorsed by Constitution Party presidential nominee Chuck Baldwin. I wouldn’t disagree with a few of his political beliefs like ending the Iraq War, opposition to the Patriot Act, and getting us out of NAFTA and CAFTA. But the rest of the stuff….wow!! I’m no fan of Graham’s, but if I lived in SC, I’d vote for him, not this so-called “Democrat.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ Chuck_Baldwin#Baldwin.27s_Beliefs_and_Political_Views
October 13th, 2008 at 1:12 pm#49
See my post… There is no Dem party.
And thanks, hanshiro, I didn’t know that. I do read the paper and watch the local TV.. Guess who owns both….
October 13th, 2008 at 1:16 pmHmm “Save the planet vote Lindsey Graham” sounds crazy
October 13th, 2008 at 1:26 pmAll this proves is that party affiliation is NOT a reliable index of “stoopit.” It seems, indeed, far more likely related to socio-geographical factors, regional considerations, and the number of pairs of grand-parents in the lineage. It seems the further one descends into the hog-belly/grits belt, all those factors seem to converge to create the epitome of “stoopit,” such as the aspirant legislator thumb-nailed in the piece above. They have tests for this kind of stuff. This is what the Louisiana legislator’s eugenics/sterilization bi9ll could have prevented…
October 13th, 2008 at 1:29 pmYou want depressing? Think about this: A vote for this guy makes Lieberman more powerful in the Dim wing of the Party of Property than he is now…
October 13th, 2008 at 1:31 pmIt is if we are talking about republicans. Democrats are truly more diverse.
October 13th, 2008 at 1:42 pmtokin librul Says:
All this proves is that party affiliation is NOT a reliable index of “stoopit.” It seems, indeed, far more likely related to socio-geographical factors, regional considerations, and the number of pairs of grand-parents in the lineage. It seems the further one descends into the hog-belly/grits belt, all those factors seem to converge to create the epitome of “stoopit,” such as the aspirant legislator thumb-nailed in the piece above. They have tests for this kind of stuff. This is what the Louisiana legislator’s eugenics/sterilization bi9ll could have prevented…
October 13th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Callin’ anyone “stoopit” just ain’t nice. It ain’t PC neither.
Reckon y’all confuse “stoopit” with creative now and again?
Check out this report from the cyber mist…
Reckon who the mama’ll be votin’ for?
October 13th, 2008 at 2:09 pmThe Dem was once a Republican chair in South Carolina:But moreover you can thanks Harry Reid & Chuck Schumer for putting this piece of crap up as a Dem.Like someone above posted this jackass is worse than Lieberman.
October 13th, 2008 at 2:37 pmAh, yes. A DINO.
Why does this not surprise me?
October 13th, 2008 at 6:04 pmI understand Sen. Jim Inhofe’s credibility has suffered every since he told that story about being abducted by aliens from the planet Guido.
October 14th, 2008 at 2:40 am