Bush fools American press on climate change but not Europe [View All]

[dajoki]

Bush's Climate-Change Feint
By Dan Froomkin
Special to washingtonpost.com
Friday, June 1, 2007; 2:04 PM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2007/06/01/BL2007060101230.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

The White House yesterday showed that it still knows how to play the American press like a harp.

President Bush yesterday put forth a new proposal on climate change that is most newsworthy for its attempt to muddy the debate about the issue and derail European and U.N. plans for strict caps on emissions. Bush's proposal calls for a new round of international meetings that would nearly outlast his presidency. The purpose of the meetings would not be to set caps on emissions, but to establish what the White House -- uncorking a bold new euphemism -- calls "aspirational goals."

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For a more pointed view of Bush's statement, let's travel across the Atlantic, where the style of journalism is less constrained than in the States.

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"The American plan places its faith in free-market mechanisms and technology to solve the problem. . . . Under his scheme, individual countries would establish 'midterm management targets and programmes that reflect their own mix of energy sources and future energy needs'.

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From the President's speech in Washington yesterday:

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"Translation: In recent years, my refusal to acknowledge the reality and seriousness of global warming has turned me into a laughing-stock and contributed to my record low poll ratings. So now I have to look interested.