J. D. Vance on climate change!

WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 2024

But also, the New York Times on Vance: We just scrolled through the front page of the New York Times web site. With respect to climate issues, these four headlines appeared:

We Mapped Heat in 3 U.S. Cities. Some Sidewalks Were Over 130 Degrees.

Ukraine’s Devastated Energy Grid Battles a New Foe: A Sizzling Heat Wave

Amtrak Passengers Face Record Delays From Extreme Weather

J.D. Vance on the Issues, From Abortion to the Middle East

Oof! Actually, we copied that fourth headline from yesterday's notes. This excerpt from Adam Nagourney's report explains why we included it in the current list:

J. D. Vance on the Issues, From Abortion to the Middle East

[...]

Mr. Vance has said climate change is not a threat and has said he is skeptical of the scientific consensus that warming of the earth’s atmosphere is caused by human activity. “It’s been changing, as others pointed out, it’s been changing for millennia,” he told the American Leadership Forum. Mr. Vance is a strong supporter of the oil and gas industry—which is dominant in his home state—and has voiced opposition to wind and solar energy, and electric vehicles.

Say what? Climate change is not a threat? Also, Vance is skeptical of the idea that warming is caused by humans?

We were eager to believe the worst—but remembering a classic bromide, we decided to trust but verify by clicking Nagourney's proffered links. Perhaps we could see a fuller sample of what Vance has actually said.

What are the former hillbilly's views about this critical topic? Nagourney's link took us to Monday's report by Lisa Friedman. Headline included, this is the way it started:

J.D. Vance Is an Oil Booster and Doubter of Human-Caused Climate Change

Senator J.D. Vance, Republican of Ohio, is a strong supporter of the oil and gas industry, opposes solar power and electric vehicles, and has said climate change is not a threat.

It wasn’t always that way.

Mr. Vance, a fierce critic of Mr. Trump before becoming one of his most loyal MAGA supporters, also appears to have undergone an evolution on the issue of climate change. As recently as 2020, Mr. Vance said in a speech at Ohio State University that “we have a climate problem in our society.” He praised solar energy and he called natural gas an improvement over dirtier forms of energy, but not “the sort of thing that’s gonna take us to a clean energy future.”

Fast forward to 2022. As Mr. Vance sought Mr. Trump’s endorsement for his bid for the Senate, his positions on climate change took a sharp turn.

There it was, the central claim—Vance has said that climate change isn't a threat. He has also flipped his previous stance on this general topic, Friedman also says.

The shapeshifting isn't hard to believe, but what exactly has he said about the threat from climate change, or perhaps about the lack of same? 

Sad! As Friedman's report continues, this is what—and this is all—she explicitly says:

“I’m skeptical of the idea that climate change is caused purely by man,” Mr. Vance told the American Leadership Forum that year.

He acknowledged that the climate was changing but said that humans had no role in the changes. “It’s been changing, as others pointed out, it’s been changing for millennia,” Mr. Vance said.

Confusing! According to Friedman, Vance said—two years ago!—that he's skeptical of the idea that climate change is caused purely by humans.

At least, that's what he's said to have said in the first of those two paragraphs. Then we reach Freidman's next paragraph, in which he's said to have said that humans have no role in climate change.

We humans! We have no role, or possibly some! As Friedman continues, we see no direct discussion of whether Vance regards climate change as a threat. She focuses on the ways he has favored industry interests since becoming a senator.

In search of even greater punishment, we decided to click the link Friedman provides. We hoped that it would let us see what Vance actually said to that Leadership Forum—and we'll guess that's what it does!

Sad! Friedman's link took us to the videotape of an event which bore this title:

American Leadership Forum | An Evening with the Ohio Candidates for US Senate

As you can see by clicking Friedman's link, the videotape is two hours and 28 minutes long. Apparently, the viewer is supposed to watch the whole thing, hoping to hear what Vance actually said about this topic—rather, to hear what he said on one occasion roughly two years ago.

We're sure there's somewhere we could go to learn more about what Vance has said concerning climate change. Meanwhile, evidence grows that our human race just isn't built for this game. That's true on the "socios running for office" side, but also within the raggedy realm where we humans try to produce solid strong journalism.

Our question:

Has this fellow ever said that climate change isn't a threat? That was Nagourney's opening statement, but after reading these two reports, inquiring minds—wracked by frustration—can still only want to know.