Five major 2020 Democrats to skip this week's MSNBC climate forum

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

At least five high-profile Democrats running for president will not be attending a town hall airing on MSNBC this week focused on climate change — an issue many in the 2020 field count among the most urgent facing the United States and the world.

The campaigns of Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Beto O'Rourke told organizers the candidates will not attend the forum in Washington, according to Kelly Ogburn, spokeswoman for Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service, which is one of the event's hosts.

Staffers for a fifth candidate, Amy Klobuchar, told organizers they would check the senator's schedule but never got back to the university, Ogburn said.

The absence of Biden, who leads in most polls, and Warren, who often scores second in polling, comes just two weeks after one of MSNBC's rivals, CNN, hosted its own climate forum. All 10 candidates who qualified for the CNN event — including the five set to miss the MSNBC forum — showed up.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/the-energy-202/2019/09/16/the-energy-202-five-major-2020-democrats-to-skip-this-week-s-msnbc-climate-forum/5d7ea81d88e0fa7bb93a8b6a/

[FirstLight]

1. That's not cool...

so what, the climate isn't a top priority?

[brooklynite]

2. Will Bernie be saying something he didn't say at the CNN climate change Town Hall?

[FirstLight]

4. I don't know, didn't see that...

But the issue is something everyone should make a top of the list item!

[Hortensis]

6. We shouldn't confuse the ISSUE with MSNBC's program.

One thing we know, our Democratic candidates all take the climate crisis extremely seriously and have reasons for not altering their schedules to make this particular event.

I'd like to be able to point out the savings on jet fuel, an enormous contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, but of course they'll almost certainly all be flying to other places instead.

[NewJeffCT]

3. The other 5 candidates

then get more time to discuss the issue and to promote their solutions

[unitedwethrive]

5. Good for them. It is so important for us to be politically astute about this!

There is nothing to be gained from the candidates trying to 'one up' each other with more things that will just piss off the conservatives. Just as the repubs always know that they WILL use abortion as a litmus test for their judicial candidates (while saying that they won't), we need to trust that any Democratic candidate will be a good steward of the environment, even if they downplay it during the election process.

Just wait, there will be soundbites from this forum incorporated into future political ads.

[mcar]

7. There's another climate forum?

How about a forum on disappearing women's rights? Voters' rights? Worker protections?

[beaglelover]

9. Exactly. There was a climate change forum very recently. Let's discuss other issues too.

[corbettkroehler]

11. You're Right - We Need Similar Events For Those Pressing Issues (n/t)

[Otto Lidenbrock]

8. Lets be honest...the last one was a ratings flop

I'm very sad to have seen the number because we need the public to be educated by our candidates plans for this critical issue (and be educated on the issue in general). But there just doesn't seem to be the interest unfortunately.

[George II]

10. So anyone can just set up a "town hall", invite all the candidates, and they're supposed to drop....

....whatever they were doing and show up?

There seems to be one of these just about every week or two. It's ludicrous for the organizers to expect everyone to show up, and just as ludicrous for those who don't show up be criticized for not doing so.