It's the Green Economy, Stupid

At Dem debate, candidates agree on green jobs, fight over everything else

Posted at 9:10 PM on 21 Jan 2008

Photo: AP/Mary Ann Chastain

At the acrimonious Democratic presidential debate on Monday night, the three leading candidates bickered over a whole range of issues, but they all agreed on one thing: the need to invest in creating green-collar jobs. The CNN moderators didn't ask any questions about the environment, but Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, and Barack Obama all brought up the importance of building a clean-energy economy when they were asked about the country's economic health. "I want to put money into clean-energy jobs, green-collar jobs," said Clinton, borrowing talking points from environmental-justice leader Van Jones (we're betting he didn't mind). "We could put hundreds and hundreds of young people to work right now, putting solar panels in, insulating homes," she continued. Edwards and Obama echoed those points. No word on how that message resonated with Americans for Balanced Energy Choices, a coal industry lobbying group that sponsored the Monday matchup as well as previous debates.

source: CNN

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Comments: (6 comments)

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Lack of environmental questions

Thanks Grist for pointing out that a coal lobbying group sponsored the debate. There is not much doubt why CNN failed to ask any questions about environmental issues. They knew there wouldn't be a fight, and their host wouldn't like it either.

This is the kind of subtle censorship that takes place all the time in the commercial media.

by Boyscientist at 5:40 AM on 22 Jan 2008

Aluminum Siding Repairmen

"We could put hundreds and hundreds of young people to work right now, putting solar panels in, insulating homes," she continued.

Yeah, Hillary, give the kids some panel trucks and a contractor's license and let them rip off some pensioners with cheap siding and roofing.

by jabailo at 11:11 AM on 22 Jan 2008

Ross

We could put hundreds of people to work across the country, but why not just put a few dozen?

In all seriousness, where were Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel? They're still in the running!

by inkabinkaboo182 at 4:41 PM on 22 Jan 2008

Where is the League of Women Voters?

I am tired of these fake debates. We need The League of Women Voters to run the debates. I am tired of these Corporate run debates. We need to hear from all the Candidates not just the ones Corporate America has decided are acceptable to them. There is not 2 cents worth of difference in the three Democrat Candidates .Oh! Ralph why have you forsaken us? You have abandoned Dennis and Wonder Woman and have left us in the wilderness. Please come back and spoil the DNC's party!

You must be the change you wish to see in the world. -- Mahatma Gandhi

by sycamore at 8:00 PM on 22 Jan 2008

thanks

Ya its hard to find free press these days. thanks Grist. The big news sources all seem to cater to their advertisers.

by gohuskies at 9:58 AM on 23 Jan 2008

Promise

Promise US a US built plugin hybrid economy car Hillary. With milliom unit orders for government service, local, state, and federal. At affordable mass produced prices.

It's the "jeep" in this battle for US manufacturing and job recovery and against GHG climate disaster.

How about millions of geo heat exchange heating/cooling systems too? mass production, in the good old USA, it's a good thing.

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog John Schneider, Northern Wisconsin

by amazingdrx at 10:08 AM on 23 Jan 2008

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