Update: Mike Huckabee dropped out of the presidential race on Mar. 4, 2008.
Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, who served as governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007, touts energy independence as one of his top priorities. He dodges the issue of whether humans are responsible for global warming, saying we don't know for sure, but argues that we should still act to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. Whenever he's asked about climate change or the environment, he wraps in religion, saying we have a spiritual obligation to protect God's creation.
Read an interview with Mike Huckabee by Grist and Outside.
Key Points
- Places high priority on energy independence. On his campaign site, he says, "The first thing I will do as president is send Congress my comprehensive plan for energy independence. We will achieve energy independence by the end of my second term."
- Is not convinced that climate change is largely driven by human activity, but believes we should take steps to curb greenhouse-gas emissions anyway.
- Supports a mandatory, economy-wide cap-and-trade system to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions in the United States.
- Supports expansion of nuclear energy.
- Supports oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and offshore in U.S. waters, but says, "In the long term, we need to get off oil altogether."
- Supports raising fuel-economy standards for automobiles to 35 miles per gallon by 2020.
- Emphasizes that there's a religious and moral imperative to conserve resources and protect the earth.
Video & Audio
Watch Huckabee answer a question about global warming at a May 3, 2007, debate between Republican presidential candidates:
Watch Huckabee answer Glenn Beck's question about global warming:
Watch Huckabee talk about conservation with Chris Matthews:
Watch Huckabee answer a question about energy independence:
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Comments View as Flat
BeauZeau Posted 3:23 pm
19 Nov 2007
I Don't Care - He's a Republican and a Pastor
I do not want a president who wishes to counter climate change because "God" wants him to. I want a president who will take global climate change seriously because of the scientific, economic, social, and political reasons that make it imperative that we do something now. God is notorious for giving leaders bad, if not terrible, instructions.
I do not want another president who thinks that God wants him to be president. I don't want another president who will claim to be one thing, and then turn out to be quite another, and I think this guy looks like that kind of candidate.
Maybe he's funny. Maybe he's cute. But he's still a pastor and a Republican, and we've seen enough of that sort of thing in the White House, already. No more Republicans. No more preachers. No more presidents whose real agenda is to erode the Constitution and destroy the Federal government in the name of God.
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derek walters Posted 3:14 am
16 Dec 2007
I Do Care - He's A Republican And A Pastor
While I would rather see a Dick Cheney/Dan Quayle ticket more than anything else right now, a Huckabee presidency with a bold energy independence plan is a great second choice. We need sober, straight-forward, humble, honest and reasoned leadership that is driven by sound doctrine (can't get much better than Southern Baptist). We don't need histrionic, calculating, smoke & mirror, paper-tiger, emotion-driven leadership that will put style & poll numbers over substance.
As for Bush - I love GW and he still has my approval....but he hasn't really done much for energy independence. We need a manhattan project & someone to crack the whip and provide significantly more research dollars & goals....Huckabee could do that.
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