Lethal Trajectories - Michael Conley [30]
Fitzwater had never been happier to go to a commercial break than he was today. It was an awkward time for his panelists. They were losing the battle but didn’t know how to respond. Wellington Crane was furious and left the set at the break to lick his wounds. The others turned their conversation to the more innocuous topic of the Washington Redskins. Wellington returned seconds before the break ended, after arranging for Fitzwater to let him ask the first question.
“Mr. Vice President,” asked a rejuvenated Wellington Crane, reeking of bourbon, “I must confess I don’t buy into your observations on energy. They just don’t square with the reality I know. That said, I’d like to switch gears a little and ask you why your administration has put the brakes on economic recovery because of nebulous claims about climate-change.”
“Is that a question or a statement, Wellington?”
“I think it’s both, Mr. Vice President. Care to answer?”
“I’ll try,” said McCarty with a condescending smile that seemed to infuriate Crane. “At this point, I doubt there are many who do not believe climate-change is happening. The debate today is more about the causative factors and not the event itself. Would you not agree, Wellington?” Crane shrugged, not knowing what to say.
“It’s hard to look at greenhouse gas levels north of four hundred parts per million and not think something is happening. It’s hard to look at the polar ice melts and mounting tensions over who owns the mineral rights under them and not believe there’s a problem. The geopolitical conflict over freshwater rights from melting ice in the Himalayas and elsewhere is of great concern. Water shortages and loss of arable land to desertification are accelerating famines all over the world and displacing hundreds of millions of people. Climate-change impacts are visible everywhere and can’t be ignored, so of course it’s a consideration in any economic policy decision.”
“Perhaps so, Mr. Vice President,” Crane responded, “but is it in the best interests of the American people to let climate issues get in the way of economic progress?”
Boy, you really stepped in it this time, Clayton mused. “Let me answer your question in two ways, Wellington. First, when you ask if it’s in our best interests to factor in climate-change, I’d have to say it all depends on whose best interests you’re referencing. If it’s Wall Street looking at quarterly earnings, there’s no question there’s a short-term cost impact for adopting cleaner energy practices. If it’s your children or grandchildren, there’s no question it’s in their best interests. We have an intergenerational responsibility here we can’t ignore.”
Again, the camera panned in on a scowling Wellington Crane. He could hide his body language on the radio, but the camera was definitely not his ally today.
“Second, the development of renewable energy systems is far more than just a nice thing to do for the environment. It’s imperative for at least two reasons: first, we need to develop everything we can to replace a depleted stock of global oil or risk returning to the Stone Age, and second, this could easily be America’s greatest economic engine for new growth. We need to move ahead with an effort equivalent to our transition from a peacetime to wartime economy in World War II.”
“Our time is almost up, Mr. Vice President,” said a battered and wary Nelson Fitzwater. “We have fifteen seconds left and will give you the last word.” Again, the camera caught an apoplectic Crane, so used to having the last word on any show.
“Thank you for having me on your show, Nelson. I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve talked a lot today about oil, energy, the economy, and the environment because they are all so entwined and interrelated. We believe the new Department of Energy, Transportation, and Climate-change will get at many of these challenges in a comprehensive manner, but it will take time. In candor, does anyone