Posted on 04/12/2007 8:25:01 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON – With his status growing as a national leader against global warming, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger yesterday said in a major speech that those who refuse to address climate change are “fanatics.”
Schwarzenegger, the subject of recent environmental cover stories in Newsweek, Fortune and Outside magazines, said the movement to combat global warming has gone mainstream and those who oppose it are now on the fringes.
“So who are the fanatics now?” Schwarzenegger asked during his address at Georgetown University's Gaston Hall, which was packed with young adults who twice gave him standing ovations. “They are the ones who are in denial.”
The Republican governor, who has been at odds with the Bush administration over how aggressively to address climate change, said mainstream scientists, corporate CEOs and a majority of Americans are convinced “global warming and climate change is real and that we have to do something about it.”
With the environmental movement growing, he said its image must also change.
“Environmentalists were no fun,” said Schwarzenegger, whose speech was part of a Newsweek-sponsored “Global Environment Leadership Conference.”
“They were like prohibitionists at the fraternity party. We have to make it mainstream, we have to make it sexy, we have to make it attractive so everyone wants to participate,” he said.
On the stage beside the governor, perched atop an easel, was a blowup of the latest cover of Newsweek, which shows Schwarzenegger twirling a globe atop his finger with the headline: “Save the Planet – Or Else.”
Schwarzenegger's appearance came as the Field Poll released a new survey showing eight of 10 California voters see global warming as a very serious or somewhat serious problem. Just 21 percent of California voters approve of the job the federal government is doing to address climate change while 66% disapprove.
The survey found that voters split over the state's efforts to address global warming, with 43 percent approving and 43 percent disapproving. The poll has a margin of error of 4.5 percentage points.
The Field Poll also reported last week that the governor's standing among the state's voters has rebounded to nearly its peak level of his first year in office.
Last year, Schwarzenegger and the state legislature passed a groundbreaking law requiring that California reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases – the heat-trapping gases blamed for global warming – by 25 percent by 2020. Earlier this year, Schwarzenegger used his executive powers to require a 10 percent reduction in the carbon content of all transportation fuels by 2020. In February, the governor sought to shape national policy on global warming when he and four other Western governors signed a collective strategy to curtail greenhouse gas emissions.
Some congressional Democrats – including Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer of California – want to use the state law as a model for national legislation. Before signing the state bill, however, Schwarzenegger angered some Democrats by trying to weaken it to appease business interests.
The governor's fight against global warming has earned him some criticism. Michigan's automakers accuse him of costing their industry $85 billion nationally. A billboard in the state reads: “Arnold to Michigan: Drop Dead.”
Schwarzenegger told Georgetown students yesterday: “What I'm saying to Michigan is: 'Get off your butt and join us.' ”
Yesterday morning the governor met with Stephen Johnson, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator, to press for a federal waiver allowing California to further restrict auto emissions. Johnson made no commitment.
In the afternoon, he met with Feinstein, who endorsed his $6 billion water infrastructure plan that calls for building more surface and groundwater storage, protecting the Delta and promoting conservation measures.
Last night, he was to dine in New York with Gov. Elliot Spitzer and to appear at a fundraiser.
Today, he is scheduled to address the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City on his environmental efforts.
Apparently, anyone sane..
Thanks Gub, for clearing up this highly complex issue.
Arnold, look in the mirror please.
Underlines the truism: If a politician is not solid on the fundamental issue of human life he is capable of any stupidity, any enormity.
What did the Dems promise to give him for this?
This clown has made a few entertaining movies, he's better than the alternative, but stil embarrassing...
Are there any Arnold fans left on Free Republic?
It’s interesting that he gave this speech in a Midatlantic city that is experiencing its coldest April in 133 years.
No.
Still love his movies, and he’s a pretty smart fella. But he needs to back gracefully out of politics. He’s never been a super-solid conservative, but he’s become infected.
So Sad.
The RINOnator is one more good example of why we need the electoral college. It prevents idiots from both left coasts from ruling flyover country by decrees that they have no intention of living by.
Yeah, had chunks of global warming actually fall and hurt people this morning.
Commonly known as HAIL.
Easy enough - send all the jobs out of State and less folks will need vehicles, less will need those tooting cows to eat, less will live there and breath out the gasses . . .
April in Minnesota this year is the coldest it has been in 113 years.
All part of "preparing us for our global future," I assume.
Just another attempt to silence debate by characterizing the opponents as fringe. That way, you don’t have to deal with inconvenient facts.
Shows you how effective 15 years of constant propaganda on a subject is.
As an amusing cartoon actor only.
Now the Governor seems to have a diminishing intellectual capacity.
They must continue to try and marginalize any scientific approach to this issue. Truly sad...
It's been hotter then it is now, It gets hot BEFORE C02 rises, and we have enjoyed a wonderful 12,000 year warm period since the ice age ended that no doubt has helped humanity succeed as a species greatly. Water vapor is the main global warming gas Arnold. NOT C02. Nobody denys global warming Arnold. They simply have not provided proof that humans cause anything and that they cannot predict the next 100 years if they cant even predict the next 3 days.
Yeah, but were fanatics.
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