"President Obama made addressing climate change the most prominent policy vow of his second Inaugural Address on Monday, setting in motion what Democrats say will be a deliberately paced but aggressive campaign built around the use of his executive powers to sidestep Congressional opposition."
"'We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that failure to do so would betray our children and future generations,' Mr. Obama said, at the start of eight full sentences on the subject, more than he devoted to any other specific area. 'Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms.'
The central place he gave to the subject seemed to answer the question of whether he considered it a realistic second-term priority. He devoted scant attention to the subject in the campaign and has delivered a mixed message about its importance since the election. Mr. Obama is heading into the effort having extensively studied the lessons from his first term, when he failed to win passage of comprehensive legislation to reduce emissions of the gases that cause global warming. This time, the White House plans to avoid such a fight and instead focus on what it can do administratively to reduce emissions from power plants, increase the efficiency of home appliances and have the federal government itself produce less carbon pollution."
Richard W. Stevenson and John M. Broder report for the New York Times January 21, 2013.
SEE ALSO:
"Gore praises Obama for Speaking 'Powerfully' on Climate Change" (E2 Wire/The Hill)
"Environmentalists Hail Obama Climate Change Focus" (AP)
"Climate Change Moves To Forefront in Obama's Second Inaugural Address" (Guardian)
"Obama Goes Hawkish: Failure To Respond To Threat Of Climate Change, ‘Would Betray Our Children And Future Generations’" (Climate Progress)
"CNN Poll: Do Americans Agree With Obama on Climate Change and Immigration?" (CNN Political Ticker)
"Obama Promises Action on Climate Change" (Politico)
"Obama Brings God Into the Climate-Change Fight" (Slate)
"Climate Change In Obama's Second Inauguration Speech: 'We Must Lead'" (Huffington Post)
"Obama Adds Climate Change To Lengthy To-Do List" (Washington Post/The Fix)
"President Jabs Climate Skeptics Who ‘Still Deny the Overwhelming Judgment of Science’ in Inaugural Address" (The Blaze)
"Obama’s Vow on Climate Change Signals Bumpy Road for Keystone" (Toronto Globe and Mail)
"Obama Calls for Action on Climate Change, Clean Energy in Inauguration Speech" (Eart2Tech/GigaOm)
"Obama’s Chance for a Fresh Start on a Climate-Smart Energy Quest" (Dot Earth)
"Obama Gives Unexpected Nod To Climate as Second Term Priority" (Reuters)
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