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Jon Stewart: Steven Chu a Super Hero Battling Global Warming Deniers

Last night's guest on the Jon Stewart Show was Secretary of Energy Dr. Steven Chu.

They spent much of the discussion talking about the Global Warming Denier crowd and the right-wing nutosphere contingent in the House and Senate.

Stewart asked Chu if he had a secret Super Hero identity that battled the deniers - it was pretty funny stuff and begs the question: Why doesn't Stewart become the Global Warming Denier SuperHero and start hammering away at these fringe players? It would make for great comedy.

In a way Stewart already is a Super Hero for putting the deniers in their place on last night's show.

Here's a partial transcript of the Stewart/Chu interview:

Stewart: There is a contingent now within the Congress, within the Senate that believes global warming is a hoax. They have the myths: carbon occurs naturally it can't be bad, it's in nature.

Chu: That is true. But on the other hand water is generally very good, water in great deluges is not good.

[...]

Carbon dioxide, too much of it is unequivocally changing our climate.

Stewart: Climate change is a hoax, I have a petition signed by 30,000 scientists... scientologists. Sorry, no, scientists. It says the planet is not getting hotter, it's getting colder.

Chu: Yes, I don't know where they're getting that data from. The IPCC [International Panel on Climate Change] data that is unequivocal...

Stewart: The IPCC I'm assuming is a leftist organization? No? Alright.

Myth number three: this is just a way for the electricity companies to make a lot of money cornering the big solar... I don't know I just threw that in there.

Is this collusion? Is this an environmental/industrial complex?

Chu: I don't think the environmentalists usually collude with industry. But in any case, the bulk of the science, the overwhelming majority, any serious scientist who are trying to look at this, virtually everyone that I know say its gotten warmer in the last dozen years.

Stewart: And also believe that it is manmade and not something that occurs naturally.

Chu: That's correct and I think that became clear over the last fifteen years. In 1990 the first international panel looked at this and said the climate's changing but there's no convincing evidence that it was caused by humans. By 2007, it said yes the climate's changing and there's a high probability that a predominant part has been caused by greenhouse gas emissions.

Stewart: Has there been no, as someone who has won awards for their science, how difficult is it for you to now transition to the legislative process where people who are elected officials with real power in this country stand on the floor of the Senate on the floor of the House and say things like: But if we curb emissions we'll be taking away food from trees. Which is what I think somone said on the floor of the Senate. Do you physically....

Let me ask you this. Can you physically when you get angry bust out of your clothes and get really big and then destroy them as the Incredible Secretary Chu?

Chu: You mean where the big "S" appear.

Stewart: Ya, where you turn green and go: "Chu ANGRY!"

Chu: No I think....

Stewart: No wait, if you want, I want to jump in here. If you do not want to reveal your identity right now, which I can understand. As a Super Hero you can feel free to perry the question.

Chu: I think I'll save it for the phone booth.

What's next?

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#706134
mascereye. +1; Thu, 2009-07-23 10:36; physics

this guy is no climatologist....just degrees in math and physics. no way he knows what he's talking about...p,r

#706136
admin3. +1; Thu, 2009-07-23 15:10; No, he's not
but he has the sense to get his information about AGW from climate scientists, not from lobbyists for the oil & coal industries.
#706139
mascereye. +1; Thu, 2009-07-23 19:10; The US Government has spent

The US Government has spent more than $79 billion of taxpayers’ money since 1989 on policies related to climate change, including science and technology research, administration, propaganda campaigns, foreign aid, and tax breaks. Most of this spending was unnecessary. so true because thats where all the money is

#706144
John Lefebvre. +1; Fri, 2009-07-24 07:01; ya right
all the money is in climate change. Warming it. You guys should be thanking us for providing the forum for your irresponsible bull shit. In turn we're glad you come here to demonstrate our point. Keep it coming.
#706135
RickJames. +1; Thu, 2009-07-23 14:46; The joking around about being

The joking around about being a super hero is interesting. Theres kind of a "we are the ones we've been waiting for" feel to it.

We are the saviors, the supermen, the geniuses, the special ones, the wondrous light bearers - planet healers, immortals

ommmmmm

#706147
yep. +1; Fri, 2009-07-24 19:12; These people need to be taken to task.
yep

http://www.palmerston-north.info
How dare they try to stop a magnificent wind farm.

#706149
RickJames. +1; Fri, 2009-07-24 19:47; Future of Wind

The future of wind looks like it's going to be a battle over every wind farm and turbine. Nimbyism and other concerns mean that wind is going to die a thousand deaths before it ever amounts to anything - if that day ever comes.

About the climate cover-up

About the climate cover-up

Democracy is utterly dependent upon an electorate that is accurately informed. In promoting climate change denial (and often denying their responsibility for doing so) industry has done more than endanger the environment. It has undermined democracy.

There is a vast difference between putting forth a point of view, honestly held, and intentionally sowing the seeds of confusion. Free speech does not include the right to deceive. Deception is not a point of view. And the right to disagree does not include a right to intentionally subvert the public awareness.

Although all public relations professionals are bound by a duty to not knowingly mislead the public, some have executed comprehensive campaigns of misinformation on behalf of industry clients on issues ranging from tobacco and asbestos to seat belts.

Lately, these fringe players have turned their efforts to creating confusion about climate change. This PR campaign could not be accomplished without the compliance of media as well as the assent and participation of leaders in government and business.

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