Here I sit, in the press gaggle, watching the crowd awaiting the President to start speaking ... in a few minutes. (first posted with 40 minutes or so to go ...)
Honestly, this is probably the best seat that I have had for an Obama speech (other than sitting at home with a beer in hand) since he was Senator Obama.
And, the benefit of sitting in the media gaggle -- WH press office wifi and sitting in the shade. (If you can't tell from the photo above, essentially all the 'invitees' are hanging out in the shade, avoiding the seating area which is in the sun.)
For once, it seems, we have a major speech on Climate Change that is not hit by snow or a cold snap. Instead, Washington DC is in a real June day (upper 80s) and we have parts of the nation (Alaska, anyone, in the 90s ...) with notable climate change influenced extremes.
Before the fold, some running thoughts as to the pre-speech material, and otherwise ...
Background WH call
Yesterday, the WH held a background call with "senior" officials.
If anything, this felt like a 'reduce expectations' call although there was a long litany of (legitimate) bragging about achievements (such as fuel standards).
And, there is much 'threading the needle' to the talking points and plan.
A preeminent example, from an interlocutor, "You can't simultaneously prevent climate change and promote an "all of the above" strategy on energy." And, yes, "all of the above" reared its head multiple times yesterday.
Perhaps most frustrating to me, more than a few reporters asked "cost". While there are reporters that were frustrated that the WH didn't have cost estimates, what frustrated me is that the WH "senior officials" weren't prepared to hit this question out of the park. What I would have liked to hear:
It is time to stop talking about cost but about investment.
We've gotten this calculation, as a nation, wrong time after time with exaggeration -- by everyone -- of the costs of action and understatement -- by everyone -- of the benefits of action.
These actions represent paths for investment which will have huge returns on investment.
They will benefit, not hurt, the economy while helping insure us against climate change.
It is time we start speaking honestly not just about risks, but about benefits. ..."
Prepping for the speech ...
Georgetown University's President is speaking, emphasizing that this location is one with many Presidential speeches, dating back over 200 years to President George Washington -- Obama as 14th President to speak here.
Talking about Georgetown and the Georgetown Climate Center, including its most recent polling work documenting that Americans -- by vast majorities -- support EPA regulations to protect health and help address climate change.
He spoke and said 'program is about to begin' and we have long waits, pauses ...
VIPs making their way into the sun ...
Believe that was Nancy Pelosi who just sat down in the front row, with a nice round of applause. Believe that Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (the White House should be paying a lot more attention to him) sat down in that first row next to him.
Key to this speech ...
For me, the key to leaving this speech happy is to not set expectations too high. The President is giving a major speech on climate change. And, there are long documents to absorb discussing what the Administration plans to do with Administration power. Keystone XL will NOT be killed (or approved) today. There won't be a carbon fee. We won't ... see many things that merit doing, for any number of reasons. Perhaps the most powerful elements from the fact sheet/policy paper:
- a commitment to end the financing of coal power plants overseas. This is, in fact, quite significant, a change of policy, and something that can have real impact.
- Plans to extend fuel efficiency standards for trucks/large vehicles. Again, another potential major impact item.
- Others ...
Awaiting ...
Lots of chatter as we await the speech ... there are helicopters coming over every so often ... as I sit here watching, in person, the Weather Channel's host to the speech making comments along with other media outlets trying to get things done. Now, by the way, we need to give some credit to Weather Channel, where the climate story has been an ever more serious part of its overall news reporting.
10:52 AM PT: The President's opening is fantastic ...
From discussing "Earth Rising" to the science to the fact that climate change is already having an impact on our lives, in serious ways, from disasters
"Americans across the country are already paying the cost of inaction."
This is talk that we've needed to hear from the Oval Office.
10:54 AM PT: Cheering ... As a father, as an American, as a President, we have to act ...
NOTE :: My updates are taking a long time thus it will be hard to do 'live blog'.
10:56 AM PT: Choking on "All of the Above" bragging ... our oil production ... our natural gas production ... should we expect praise for increased coal exports?
But, pointing to the United States is reducing carbon emissions.
"We're all in the heat because we know that there is more to do ..."
10:58 AM PT: Speaking of Clean Air Act passing unanimously in Senate and with just one opposition vote in House ...
"This used to be a bipartisan issue ..."
Note: wish that he would talk about how opponents of action AND advocates overestimated the costs of action and underestimated the benefits by a very large margin.
11:03 AM PT: YES !!!!!!!!!!
The President is speaking about how opponents have screamed "will decimate the economy ..."
YES !!!!!
The disaster predictions ... "none of it happened" ...
"Problem with all these tired excuses for inaction show a lack of faith in American businesses and ingenuity ..."
YES!
This is, to me, a great messaging ... that is truthful.
11:09 AM PT: There are many, many quotable and tremendous lines here.
Speaking to "transitioning to a clean energy economy" while speaking about drilling more oil ...
"Our energy strategy must be about more than drilling more oil and about more than one oil pipeline ..." Speaking now about Keystone ...
"I do want to be clear that allowing Keystone XL depends on it being in our national interest ..." It cannot "significantly" worsen the climate challenge.
11:19 AM PT: Much of this is now truthful ...
President Obama is setting a target of stabilizing emissions -- does that mean reduction to 80% below 1990 or what -- while stating, leading into climate adaptation/resliency that this won't occur over night.
11:20 AM PT: "FInal part of plan ..." is about American leadership ...
Talking about how foreign students ask him about climate change leadership from the United States.
Largest economy, second largest emitter, innovator, leader in crisis, "we have a unique responsibility ..."
11:24 AM PT: To be clear ...
This is, as one interlocutor has put it, a 'd*mned good speech ... Extraordinary even ...'
I will need to read, rewatch, etc to absorb it. Read, closely, the documents. And, determine what to cheer and what is frustrating.
But as a framing, this is excellent.
As a staging, to have the President in the sun in DC in June is excellent.
The speechwriters did some excellent work.
Standing ovation occurring at this time ... need to pause to stand up.
11:27 AM PT: "I am convinced this is the fight American can and will lead in the 21st century ... but it requires all of us ..."
We are all in this ... we can all contribute, we can all benefit, we can all ...
"Those of us in power need to be less concerned with the judgment of special interests and more concerned about the judgment of posterity ..."
Now speaking of Republican leadership on environmental and climate issues ...
11:35 AM PT: