Daily Briefing - 12/5/06

Starting things off, it looks like Senator James "greatest hoax ever perpetuated on the American people" Inhofe will be holding a hearing tomorrow on climate change and the media. Oh boy, can't wait to see how this turns out. Meanwhile, Grist is telling us not panic...worry, but do not panic. Try telling this to the people in the Hudson Valley (NY) where global warming looks to have some pretty bad effects. In positive news, a Scottish energy firm wants kids to see An Inconvenient Truth. Scottish energy firm...one step ahead of our science teachers association... greeeaaat.

In Washington, the lame duck session kicks off today with hearings on SecDef nominee Robert Gates and discussion over offshore drilling bills and fetal pain. 08ers continue to maneuver, whether its by schmoozing with key players (Hillary and McCain), cozying up to donors (Obama), entrenching yourself directly in the political center (Bayh), or thoroughly shooting yourself in the foot (Biden).

In other news Senator Boxer plans to stop late night rollbacks of environmental standards. Keeping them in the light of day should help, I guess. We hear some good news out of Brazil as they moved to protect a large section of the Amazon. That's good, maybe this will make Brazil a viable option for tourists who were considering a jaunt to a certain island that has been overtaken by a military coup. All this, as well as a permanent camp on the moon and no more trans fats in NYC, and more in the briefing!

MW

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Daily Briefing – 12/5/06
It’s the most… wonderful time… of the year!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- Sen. Inhofe to hold last ditch hearing on climate change and the media
- Feeling the effects where I grew up, the Hudson Valley
- Courting Danger
- Nairobi talks made progress on forest conservation
- Putting ski resorts out of business in Spain
- Portland-based Northwest Earth Institute is teaching locals about global warming
- Nuclear power is contraindicated as a solution to global warming
- Grist: Worry, don’t panic
- Scottish energy firm offers to pay for pupils to see An Inconvenient Truth
- The Obfuscation Agenda: A letter from Sens. Rockefeller and Snowe
o And the editorial about it
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- Soon-to-be-former Representative Jim Leach a possibility for UN Ambassador slot
- House to vote on Senate’s offshore drilling plan
- Smuggling, theft and bribery at the Department of Homeland Security… boy oh boy do I feel safe
Potential ‘08ers…
- Vilsack (The Fix argues against), Edwards (finds a manager), McCain (holds a Christmas party), Clinton (reaching out to Iowans), Obama (New York mag is dreaming), Obama again (meeting with donors), Biden (please-insert-foot-in-mouth), Bayh (centerizing himself)
Other News from the Media
- Developing world’s crops under increased threat
- Sen. Boxer says, “No more environmental rollbacks”
- Brazil protects great swath of Amazon
…and the Blogosphere
- What makes a front-runner?
- The Caucus: Looking for a ticket
- Arianna Huffington: Obama Happens
- From Grist:
o Environmental orgs. on animal welfare
o Sometimes ‘needs more study’ is the right answer
- TPM Muckraker: List of scandalized Administration officials
- Jonathan Singer is urging Democrats to play hardball at MYDD
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Well, I won’t be vacationing in Fiji anytime soon…
- Pakistan makes a peace offer to India
- Deportation avoided for State Senator’s wife
- NASA wants to set up a polar moon camp
- NYC health board bans trans fats
Quotes O’ the Day
“Illegitimacy is something we should talk about in terms of not having it.” ~ Former VP Dan Quayle