Must Read Grist Magazine Interview with Kerry about the Environment

[DJcairo]

Here's my favorite part. The interview is quite extensive and well rounded. But, none of teh other candidates come close to Kerry on this. Kerry ought to welkcome a debate on environmental issues with any of them.

Kerry: This fight is such a part of who I am; it's not just an issue on my resume. I think I have the longest, strongest, clearest, most accomplished record on the environment of any of the candidates running. I began in 1970 when I spoke at Earth Day. I was chairman of Earth Day New England in 1990. I chaired a governor's task force on acid rain when I was a lieutenant governor and we developed a national platform for acid rain. I've been chairman of the Oceans and Environment Subcommittee of the Commerce Committee. I've rewritten our fisheries laws, our marine mammal protection laws, our plastic pollution laws, our flood insurance protection laws, our coastal-zone management laws. I've lead on tuna/dolphin safety issues, on banning driftnet fishing. I've been to all the major conferences -- Rio, Buenos Aires, Kyoto, The Hague -- on global warming. I led the fight to stop Newt Gingrich from attacking the Clean Air and Clean Water acts in 1996, and I've led the effort in the Senate to stop the drilling in the Arctic wildlife refuge. I put together the first-ever sustainable development conference in Asia. I am proud of my record of accomplishment on the environment.

Yea...take that!!!!
http://www.gristmagazine.com/maindish/kerry092303.asp

[Feanorcurufinwe]

1. This part impressed me:

Grist: It's interesting to me that unlike other candidates, you've actually gone to Iowa, for instance, which has a strong United Auto Workers base, and argued for CAFE standards, putting yourself in conflict with what we traditionally think of as anti-environmentalists.

Kerry: You have to tell the truth and let the chips fall where they may. But the truth, in this case, should be appealing to UAW's workers: I believe I can put them to work. I believe I can have them working making cars; they can just make cars that are more efficient. It's not that hard. We can make cars that use biomass ethanol, cars that use hybrid-electric engines, that get 100 miles to the gallon by just being smarter. Somebody has to lead us there.
http://www.gristmagazine.com/maindish/kerry092303.asp

Not only is Kerry willing to say what he thinks even when it is not the most politically correct thing for the audience is facing, but he has the ability and vision to show leadership. For too long the environmental community has allowed the debate to be framed as 'jobs vs the environment'. We need a strong environmentalist as President who can use the bully pulpit to educate this nation that that is a false choice.