Last evening, PBS and Frontine had a “sneak preview” of the documentary HEAT in Washington DC. This looks to be a worthwhile show to watch. Associated with the preveiw was a discussion of climate change with representatives (or surrogates) from the two campaigns and other energy and climate experts. Reportedly (I was unable to attend), part of the evening went like this:
Question: How do the two campaigns differ on climate change?
McCain representative: Really, there is little substantive difference between the two campaigns. For example, Obama supports a target of 80 percent reductions by 2050 and McCain 58 percent. This is far off and fungible, a difference in details not substance.
David Sandalow, senior fellow, Brookings Institution, author of Freedom from Oil, advisor to Obama campaign:
I guess I could sum that up in two words: Sarah Palin. … I think that has to give pause to anybody who cares about this issue
My sources state that Sandalow received a loud round of applause with this line.