Daily Briefing - 4/5/07: IPCC, Biodiversity, Al Franken, and Global Warming

Today's briefing is brought to you in honor of NWF's ROC-extraordinaire, Jerry Karnas.

MW

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The Jerry Karnas (Daily) Briefing – 4/5/07
578 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- "What you saw today is that Florida has gone, in a matter of four months, from Category 5 denial to Category 5 action. We are feeling a hurricane force wind of change on this issue. And it's unprecedented," said NWF’s Jerry Karnas,
o Man, that’s some powerful stuff. I feel like there’s no point in going on… but I guess I have to. SighIt’s all downhill from here.
- Climate panel is confident warming is underway… and that humans are responsible
o Already affecting the world’s flora and fauna, and decimating biodiversity
o Report may have some problems reaching deadline in time
- John Tierney, curmudgeon-extraordinaire
- Kennebec Journal: Time for Congress to address global warming
- The Saratogian: Global warming should be a national effort
- Warming hurts health
- Christian Science Monitor launches global warming website
o And here it is!
- US lags on plans
- Warming thins herd for Canada’s seal hunt
- Hot planet, poisonous fish
- John and Teresa Heinz Kerry: Addressing global warming is good for business
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- Gonzalez prepares to fight for his job
- David Broder: A dubious electoral idea
- 3 Republicans part with Bush on Syria
- Gotta love recess appointments
Potential ‘08ers…
- Edwards (Elizabeth is quite the draw), Obama ($25 million?!... otherwise known as Big Bucks Barack), Obama again (fundraising gives him respite from stumbles), Clinton (standing among blacks is on the line), Romney (“a lifelong hunter?”), Edwards again (cashing in on cancer?), Romney again (the Mormon advantage), Giuliani (roe woe?), Giuliani again (don’t be surprised if he wins it), Romney again again (wants to end tax on savings), Dodd (supports civil unions), Gingrich (offends Latino community, apologizes in Spanish), Thompson, Tommy (first day officially on the trail), McCain (retools money team, delays entry)
- Early ’08 fundraising has a clear blue tint
- DNC will sanction six monthly debates starting in July
Other News from the Media
- Captives freed by Iran arrive in Britain
- Woohoo, a channel all about us! Well, maybe not just us but we’re included in the “green movement.”
- A plug-in hybrid… and a school bus
- Washington bans PBDEs
- Top ten utility green power programs
…and the Blogosphere
- Hotline: Al Franken pulls in $1.3 mil
- Blue Hampshire: Portsmouth Mayor jumps into Senate race
- David Sirota thinks John Edwards is the “people-party candidate”
- Fred Thompson: Real American Idols
- TomPaine: More pollution does not equal less
- Grist:
o An interview with Duke Energy CEO
o Will the environment be a factor in ‘08
o A remarkable consistency
o Green parenting
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Hey, who wouldn’t want one of those fresh and toasty sandwiches?
- Bone of Joan of Arc actually from a … mummy? Huh?
- My Maps… yet another ridiculously cool product from Google
- The page program flourishes. I guess that whole scandal thing was a draw? Yeesh, I’ll avoid saying anything else…
- John Kerry, you are THE MAN
Quotes O’ the Day
“Look for the ridiculous in everything and you will find it.” ~ Jules Renard