Joining the show today are Mike Barnicle, Cokie Roberts, Jim VandeHei, Rev. Al Sharpton, Eugene Robinson, Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, Chuck Todd, Melinda Henneberger, Tom Brokaw, Greg Burke, Sam Schwartz, Connie Britton, Hugh Evans, Jon Meacham, Father Kevin O’Brien, Maria Shriver, Robert Draper and more.
Pope challenges Congress to be better; Congress continues as usual. Pope Francis, accompanied by members of Congress, waves to the crowd from the Speakers Balcony on Capitol Hill.
It’s not often a senator is rendered speechless.
But Thursday morning, on an extraordinary day at the Capitol, Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska found herself standing in a narrow hallway before the first-ever address to Congress by a pope, her hands, full of rosaries, cupped by His Holiness.
The rules for the 20 or so congressional escorts who would walk Pope Francis into the House chamber were clear: No one was to move from his or her place, reach out or touch the pope.
But in a move true to the reputation he’s built as a benevolent and accessible church leader, Pope Francis spotted the colored beads in Murkowski’s hands and reached out to her.
“I had them in my hands, and as he came to where I was in the lineup, I just put my hands out and opened up the cup of my hands with the two rosaries in them, you know, this pocket of colored beads,” Murkowski said, a few hours after the exchange. “And he looked at me and he came over and he put his hand on top of the beads and then he took my other hand and he cupped it over the pile of beads and just kind of held it. And I couldn’t speak. So [Sen.] Susan Collins [R-Maine] did the speaking for me. And she welcomed him, which was really good because I couldn’t speak.”
The 58-year-old Murkowski was holding the jade rosary she received on her 25th birthday and another strand she received a few years ago for Christmas from her sister-in-law, who lives in Brazil.
Standing just outside the Senate chamber when asked about the moment by Yahoo News, Murkowski wanted to know if this reporter wanted to touch her hand for good luck. I did.
“It’s kind of cool,” she said, still giddy from a brief moment that clearly affected her.
On a sunny and crisp Washington fall day, Congress took a long break from acrimony and gridlock, passing the time with small and emotion-laden encounters with a world religious leader instead of empty quorum calls.
Pope Francis praised Speaker John Boehner’s green tie as a symbol of hope and blessed a weeks-old baby being held by her mother, Boehner’s director of scheduling, as he passed through National Statuary Hall en route to his speech.
C-SPAN footage of the House chamber, where Francis became the first pope to address a joint meeting of Congress, showed multiple weeping members, Democrat and Republican (besides the prone-to-tears Boehner).
Pope Francis pointed to symbols housed within the House chamber itself, focusing on a frieze of Moses, to explain to lawmakers — 30 percent of whom are Catholic — that his likeness provides a “good synthesis” of their work. “You are asked to protect, by means of the law, the image and likeness fashioned by God on every human face,” the pope said.
But outside, the Capitol dome, covered in scaffolding, was also symbolic. The iconic-but-under-repair building was first image Pope Francis saw as he pulled up to America’s legislative seat of power in his trademark black Fiat.
For as much as the pope tried to focus on a hopeful message, of Congress striving for a common good, his visit took place six days before a possible government shutdown. The American political experience, which he praised but also gently prodded in his nearly hour-long speech, is currently mired in partisanship and dysfunction, exactly what he denounced.
“The challenges facing us today call for a renewal of that spirit of cooperation, which has accomplished so much good throughout the history of the United States,” the pope said in his speech. “The complexity, the gravity and the urgency of these challenges demand that we pool our resources and talents, and resolve to support one another, with respect for our differences and our convictions of conscience.”
Members awkwardly applauded, even though they were asked not to, in bipartisan concert: Democrats for impassioned calls on climate change, immigration reform and a global end to the death penalty; Republicans for lines on traditional marriage and against abortion.
Three hours after he left the Capitol, the Senate blocked legislation that would have kept the government open while defunding Planned Parenthood, a bill Republicans brought up just so it would fail.
The depressing reality and mundane nature of the rest of the congressional day stood in stark contrast to the lofty expectations Pope Francis outlined to politicians by reviewing great figures in American history and asking lawmakers to stand for those who are caught in the “cycle of poverty” or otherwise forgotten by government.
After his speech, Pope Francis emerged onto the Speakers Balcony, flanked by Vice President Joe Biden, who like Boehner is Catholic, and the congressional leadership team.
He met a crowd of thousands — dignitaries, celebrities, guests of Congress, reporters and the public — who had congregated on the sprawling terraces and lawns of the Capitol’s West Front to watch his remarks on giant television screens and in the hope of getting a quick glimpse of His Holiness.
Chants of “Papa! Papa!” rolled through the Mall, which, in addition to numerous Argentinian and Colombian flags, hinted at the large number of Hispanics who had come to D.C. to hear his words.
“Buenos dias,” Francis said, as everyone below waved in what was likely the heartiest “good morning” exchange Washington has seen in quite some time.
After brief remarks, he disappeared back into the building, crossed to the East Front, and departed the Capitol complex in his motorcade. House members lined up on the Capitol steps hoping to get one last picture of Francis as his Fiat passed by.
With that, he was gone. But his challenge to Congress might reverberate in the marble halls of the Capitol for quite some time: “Each son or daughter of a given country has a mission, a personal and social responsibility. Your own responsibility as members of Congress is to enable this country, by your legislative activity, to grow as a nation. You are the face of its people, their representatives. You are called to defend and preserve the dignity of your fellow citizens in the tireless and demanding pursuit of the common good, for this is the chief aim of all politics. A political society endures when it seeks, as a vocation, to satisfy common needs by stimulating the growth of all its members, especially those in situations of greater vulnerability or risk. Legislative activity is always based on care for the people. To this you have been invited, called and convened by those who elected you.”
Pope Francis Tells Congress To Abolish The Death Penalty. In his first ever visit to the U.S. and first speech ever to Congress, Pope Francis called on the nation’s hundreds of representatives to make the death penalty a thing of the past.
“Every life is sacred, every human person is endowed with an inalienable dignity, and society can only benefit from the rehabilitation of those convicted of crimes,” he said.
“Recently my brother bishops here in the United States renewed their call for the abolition of the death penalty. Not only do I support them, but I also offer encouragement to all those who are convinced that a just and necessary punishment must never exclude the dimension of hope and the goal of rehabilitation.”
Pope Francis said his stance on the issue stems from belief in the Golden Rule, continuing: “If we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities. The yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time will use for us. The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development.”
Sitting in the House chambers listening to the speech were several members of the U.S. Supreme Court, which earlier this year issued an opinion upholding the use of a controversial lethal injection drug used in several drawn out, painful, botched executions. The decision went beyond allowing the continued use of a method some consider torture, but defended the entire concept of the death penalty as immune to legal challenge.
Yet one of the Court’s most devout Catholic members, Justice Antonin Scalia, recently suggested they could soon reconsider. Speaking to students at Rhodes College, Scalia said at least four of his colleagues believe the death penalty to be unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendment, which bans cruel and unusual punishment.
The Holy See’s call for death penalty abolition is also likely to energize the millions of American church-goers who agree with him, and who have been pushing across the country for a more humane criminal justice system. Faith-based activism, particularly from Catholics, played a major role in Nebraska passing a bill to end the death penalty earlier this year.
Many members of Congress took issue with Pope Francis' progressive stances on climate change, immigration, capitalism, and the death penalty. Just after Wednesday's address, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) cited his time as a prosecutor of "people who’ve committed unspeakable acts," to argue that "the death penalty is a recognition of the preciousness of human life."
"For the most egregious crimes, the ultimate punishment should apply," said the candidate for president and son of an Evangelical pastor.
WMUR/CNN poll: Sanders holds big lead over Clinton; Biden key factor. Democratic primary voters split on whether vice president should run. On the strength of his personal appeal and his overall stand on the issues, Bernie Sanders has opened up big lead over Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire, while likely Democratic primary voters are split on whether Joe Biden should jump into the race.
Trump on top of GOP field while Fiorina surges
After facing attacks in two debates and dealing with controversies almost daily, business executive Donald Trump has maintained a big lead in New Hampshire, while the rest of the Republican presidential field has been shaken up over the past two months.
A new WMUR/CNN Granite State Poll, conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, shows the Vermont U.S. senator leading the former secretary of state, 46 percent to 30 percent, with the vice president at 14 percent.
Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley was the choice of 2 percent, while 1 percent preferred former U.S. Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia.
Asked whether Biden should run for president, 37 percent of likely Democratic voters said yes, 32 percent said he should not, and 30 percent were unsure.
Whether Biden runs is a significant factor, the poll shows, because 40 percent of Biden supporters named Clinton as their second choice and 19 percent named Sanders.
The survey center polled 313 likely Democratic primary voters Sept. 17-23. The poll has a margin of error of 5.5 percent.
View the full poll results by clicking here.
Although Clinton led in the Granite State Poll taken in July, more recent polls have shown Sanders overtaking her. The latest Granite State Poll confirms that trend.
Clinton is no longer viewed as the inevitable winner of the New Hampshire primary, but she is still considered the strongest candidate the Democrats can put up in the general election.
Asked who is most likely to win the primary, 42 percent named Sanders and 42 percent named Clinton, while 6 percent named Biden. In the previous Granite State Poll in July, 68 percent named Clinton as the most likely winner of the primary and only 17 percent chose Sanders.
In July, 67 percent said Clinton had the best chance of winning the general election in November 2016 and 12 percent chose Sanders. Clinton is now named by 51 percent, Sanders by 19 percent and Biden by 15 percent.
Likely voters are generally pleased with their candidates. Asked who they would not vote for under any circumstances, 30 percent said they were “all OK,” and 31 percent said they did not know. Only 13 percent chose Clinton, 8 percent chose Sanders and 3 percent chose Biden.
Clinton was named as the least honest of the Democratic candidates by 33 percent, but 60 percent of those polled said they did not know.
Sanders’ lead is built primarily on his overwhelming popularity, with 78 percent viewing him favorably and 11 percent unfavorably. Clinton and Biden are also highly popular.
She is viewed favorably by 67 percent and unfavorably 23 percent, and Biden is viewed favorably by 69 percent and unfavorably by 17 percent.
Sanders’ supporters most often named his ideas in general as the primary reason they are supporting him, at 16 percent, while 11 percent named his honesty and 7 percent cited his support for the middle class.
Clinton’s experience was cited by 30 percent of her supporters, while 10 percent named her general views as the primary reason they support her, 9 percent cited her intelligence and 7 percent named her support for the middle class.
Sanders was named by 39 percent as the most likable candidate, with Biden at 35 percent and Clinton at 15 percent. But Clinton was named by 44 percent as the candidate with the “right experience” to be president, while 23 percent named Biden and 18 percent named Sanders.
Jobs and the economy were cited by 19 percent of those polled as the most important issue in the presidential primary, while 12 percent named foreign policy/national security, 10 percent named social issues and 9 percent named education. Income inequality and education were each named as the most important issue by 7 percent.
Sanders was the overwhelming choice of men in the poll, by a margin of 56 percent to 20 percent over Clinton. Among women, Sanders was the choice of 39 percent and Clinton, 37 percent.
Like the Republican race, the Democratic race remains fluid. The polls showed only 25 percent of likely Democratic primary voters have definitely decided who they will vote for, while 28 percent are leaning toward a candidate and 47 percent are still trying to decide.
The survey center said 65 percent of those polled were registered Democrats, while 35 percent were registered independents, or undeclared voters. Women comprised 61 percent of those polled, while 39 percent were men, the survey center said.
WMUR/CNN poll: Trump continues to lead, Fiorina now second in New Hampshire. Rubio moves to third, followed closely by Carson, Bush, Kasich. After facing attacks in two debates and dealing with controversies almost daily, business executive Donald Trump has maintained a big lead in New Hampshire, while the rest of the Republican presidential field has been shaken up over the past two months.
See the complete results of the latest WMUR/CNN Granite State Poll on the Republican race in the New Hampshire primary.
Click to watch News 9's coverage.
A new WMUR/CNN Granite State Poll also shows that for the first time, Trump leads when likely Republican first-in-the-nation primary voters are asked who is most likely to win the primary and who has the best chance of winning the general election.
For the complete poll results, click here.
The Sept. 17-23 survey of 344 likely GOP primary voters by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center shows Trump on top with 26 percent. In second place is former business executive Carly Fiorina with 16 percent, followed by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida at 9 percent, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson at 8 percent, and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Ohio Gov. John Kasich both at 7 percent.
Drawing 5 percent each are New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, while U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky is at 3 percent. U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore are each supported by 1 percent of those polled.
Trailing the field at less than 1 percent are former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, former New York Gov. George Pataki and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. The poll shows 11 percent are undecided.
The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 5.3 percent.
On the strength of two strong debate performances and numerous visits to New Hampshire, Fiorina jumped from 1 percent in the July WMUR/CNN Granite State Poll to 16 percent, while Rubio improved from 3 percent in July to 9 percent.
Trump has been the consistent leader in various New Hampshire polls since midsummer, but this is the first New Hampshire poll that puts Fiorina in second place, ahead of Carson.
The field remains fluid, however.
Only 13 percent of likely Republican primary voters say they have definitely made up their minds about who they will vote for, while 28 percent are leaning toward a candidate and 59 percent say they are still trying to decide.
At the same time, there is a high interest level in the primary, although it is still more than four months away. Among likely voters, 54 percent said they are extremely interested in the primary and 31 percent described themselves as very interested, while 15 percent are only somewhat interested or not very interested.
Fiorina is now the most highly regarded Republican presidential candidate in New Hampshire, with 62 percent saying they have a favorable opinion of her and 15 percent viewing her unfavorably. Trump is viewed favorably by 55 percent and unfavorably by 38 percent, while Carson is viewed favorably by 60 percent and unfavorably by 18 percent.
Rubio is viewed favorably by 58 percent and unfavorably by 22 percent.
Trump, while continuing to lead the field, is also the leader when likely voters are asked who they would not vote for under any circumstances. He was named by 25 percent, with Bush second at 11 percent, followed by Paul at 10 percent.
At the same time, Trump was named by 40 percent as the most likely to win the New Hampshire Republican primary, with Bush second at 12 percent and Fiorina at 8 percent. In July, Bush was named by 26 percent, Trump by 25 percent and Fiorina by 1 percent.
Trump also leads, with 22 percent, when likely voters were asked who has the best chance of winning the general election in November, 2016. Bush follows at 16 percent, with Fiorina at 9 percent.
Carson is viewed as the most likable candidate by 24 percent, but Trump is second at 16 percent, followed by Fiorina at 12 percent. Cruz is viewed as the most conservative candidate by 18 percent, trailed by Huckabee at 13 percent and Paul at 9 percent.
Bush leads as the candidate with the “right experience” to be president, at 17 percent. Trump follows at 14 percent, with Kasich at 11 percent and Fiorina at 10 percent.
Meanwhile, the most important issue on the minds of likely Republican primary voters continues to be jobs and the economy, cited by 29 percent. Foreign policy/national security was named by 21 percent, followed by immigration, named by 14 percent. Only 3 percent named social issues as their top issue.
According to the survey center, 58 percent of those polled were registered Republicans and 42 percent are registered independent, or undeclared, voters. Also, 59 percent of those polled were men and 41 percent were women.
Pope to push action on climate, migrants at U.N. Pope Francis will urge world leaders at the United Nations in New York on Friday to act as compassionate custodians on issues including Europe's migrant crisis, world conflict and climate change.
The speech to the 193-member U.N. General Assembly "will expand on the central themes" Francis has already discussed during his trip to the United States and Cuba so far, said Thomas Rosica, an aide in the Vatican press office. Francis' visit to the United Nations will be the fifth by a pope.
Francis' first visit to the U.S. began Tuesday in Washington. On Capitol Hill on Thursday, he gave the first-ever papal address to a joint session of Congress. There, he told lawmakers "building a future of freedom requires love of the common good."
Francis was met by throngs of thousands on his visit to Washington, which came after a four-day trip to Cuba. He traveled to New York City on Thursday afternoon, where he led evening prayers at the city's iconic St. Patrick's Cathedral. After addressing the U.N., the pontiff will lead a multi-religious service at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center. On Saturday, he will travel to Philadelphia.
Francis, an Argentine, described himself as the son of immigrants addressing a nation of immigrants as the world faces the worst refugee crisis since World War II. Future generations should be taught that "to live as nobly and as justly as possible," they should "not to turn their back on our neighbors," he said. Immigrants should be viewed as persons, not numbers, and treated in a way that is "humane, just and fraternal," he added.
Francis is also likely to speak about the environment and climate change Friday, another major theme of his trip so far, Rosica said. On Thursday, he spoke to Congress about the need to "avert the most serious affects of the environmental destruction caused by human activity."
He also spoke about the role all countries should play to minimize and end armed conflict around the world, another topic bound to come up when he addresses the U.N.
"Why are deadly weapons being sold to those who plan to inflict untold suffering on individuals and society?" he said. The answer: "Money that is drenched in blood, often in innocent blood."
Donald Trump is attacking Marco Rubio for being ‘sweaty.’ Why?
Donald Trump is the front-runner to be the Republican nominee for president in 2016. Here's what he had to say about Marco Rubio, one of his main rivals for the nomination, during an appearance on "Morning Joe" on Thursday:
He sweats more than any young person I've ever seen in my life. ... I've never seen a guy down water like he downs water. ... They bring it in buckets for this guy.
So, that is a thing that happened in a race for the most powerful office in the country and one of the most powerful jobs in the world.
At this point, these sorts of personal attacks have become de rigueur for Trump; he's called Jeb Bush "low-energy," said acclaimed pediatrict neurosurgeon Ben Carson was only an "okay" doctor and slammed Carly Fiorina's looks persona. But why? Why, if Trump could be attacking Rubio for supporting a comprehensive immigration reform plan that is unpopular with the GOP base, is he hitting the senator from Florida on his body temperature?
The answer, I think, lies in the fact that Trump is, at heart, a provocateur -- a needler. He's someone who not only enjoys getting under people's skin but is uniquely able to find the one or two things that can really do it. By finding that weak spot or insecurity, Trump believes he can get the other person off of his game -- get Rubio so obsessed with worries about sweat and his personal appearance that he can't concentrate on beating Trump up over his utter lack of policy specifics on almost, well, anything.
The reality is that Rubio DOES sweat a lot. And, it was quite clearly pouring off of him in the last debate.
And not only is Rubio a sweat-er, he also tends to get dry-mouth when he's nervous. Witness his now infamous water-bottle grab during the 2013 Republican response to President Obama's State of the Union address.
So, it's not that Trump is wrong; it's just that he's sort of a jerk about it. Remember the kid who made fun of the girl in sixth grade for wearing the same pair of jeans two days in a row? (Confession: That kid was me. And I am eternally sorry, Leanne Scharfenberger.) Well, most of us grew out of it. Trump didn't. He finds weak spots and exploits them. It's almost certainly what makes him a good negotiator -- and what has made him ruthlessly effective in the sound-bite culture of the 2016 race.
Trump has mastered the comic putdown; he knows what moves the needle and what people respond to. In the "Morning Joe" clip, you can hear people laughing in the background. He did something similar when he cracked a Rosie O'Donnell joke when asked during the first debate about derogatory comments he had made about women in the past. Trump jokes with an insult, people laugh, attention is moved away from a potential weak spot for him. It's brilliant (as long as people don't tire of it or start to view him as un-serious).
And, as I have written before, it's almost impossible for any other Republican candidate to play Trump's game. Rubio isn't going to attack Trump's looks. He's unlikely to talk too much about Trump's personality. He's even less likely to talk about Trump's once-tempestuous personal life.
Here's what Rubio did say in response to Trump: "I think he’s kind of been exposed a little bit over the last seven days, and he’s a very touchy and insecure guy and so that’s how he reacts, and people can see through it.” Not bad -- especially the "insecure" attack.
But Rubio's best defense against Trump might be to make as clear as possible that The Donald isn't getting to him. Look at Bush; it was quite clear to anyone paying attention that Jeb has been irked by Trump's "low energy" attack. Nothing makes Trump happier than knowing he is getting to you. When he praised Bush's energy during the second debate, you could see the glee in his eyes.
Trump wants Rubio and everyone else in the race to be consumed -- and therefore distracted -- by their dislike of him. He will needle and needle and needle, probing for your soft spot. To beat Trump, you don't have to find his soft spot; you just have to make him believe you don't have one.
Rubio Slaps Back at 'Touchy' Trump. Presidential candidate Marco Rubio is hitting back at Donald Trump, calling him a "touchy and insecure guy" who is not well informed on issues.
"First of all, he takes shots at everybody that gets anywhere close to him, in terms of a poll, or anytime he hits a rough spot, that's what he does," he said during an interview on Kentucky Sports Radio Thursday morning.
"He had a really bad debate performance last week," continued Rubio. "He's not well informed on the issues. He really never talks about issues and can't have more than a 10-second soundbite on any key issue. And I think he's kind of been exposed a little bit over the last seven days, and he's a very touchy and insecure guy and so that's how he reacts, and people can see through it."
Trump slammed Rubio on Wednesday during an appearance in South Carolina, calling him a "lightweight" and poking fun at the Florida senator's perspiration during the second GOP debate last week.
Trump leads a new Quinnipiac poll of the Republican field released Thursday morning, coming in with 25 percent support. Rubio stood in fifth place, with the backing of nine percent of GOP voters.
Echoing Romney, Jeb reflects on black voters, ‘free stuff’. In the 2012 elections, Mitt Romney didn’t just struggle to connect with minority communities, he seemed unable to even understand them. After an unfriendly welcome at an NAACP convention, Romney told a group of donors, “I hope people understand this, your friends who like Obamacare, you remind them of this: if they want more stuff from government tell them to go vote for the other guy – more free stuff.”
Five months later, after he lost, Romney told donors President Obama won re-election because he bribed minority voters with “big gifts” – such as health care and education.
It quickly became obvious to Republican officials that Romney’s message, even if they agreed with the substance, was tone-deaf and counter-productive. It was a learning opportunity for the party – GOP candidates would have to be smarter when discussing these issues.
Jeb Bush did not take these lessons to heart – or if he did, he’s forgotten them.
The Florida Republican campaigned in South Carolina yesterday, speaking to a mostly white crowd, when a voter asked Bush’s outreach to African-American voters. The Washington Post reported on his response.
Bush pointed to his record on school choice and said that if Republicans could double their share of the black vote, they would win the swing states of Ohio and Virginia.
“Our message is one of hope and aspiration,” he said at the East Cooper Republican Women’s Club annual Shrimp Dinner. “It isn’t one of division and get in line and we’ll take care of you with free stuff. Our message is one that is uplifting – that says you can achieve earned success.”
I’ll go out on a limb and say this isn’t a winning message.
Just on the surface, it’s a little jarring to hear Bush – the grandson of a U.S. senator, the son of a president, and the brother of another president – give lectures on “earned success.” Thanks largely to his wealthy and powerful family, Jeb has received opportunities the vast majority of Americans can hardly imagine.
But as was the case with Romney, it’s the “free stuff” rhetoric that rankles most. To hear the former governor tell it, candidates can offer hope and aspiration, or they can tell voters “we’ll take care of you with free stuff.”
Bush didn’t specify what, exactly, constitutes “free stuff” – it’s a question I hope he’ll answer soon – but given his broader national platform, he’s likely referring to benefits such as access to basic medical care, a public school system, and a safety net to bolster families that fall on hard times.
In other words, the guy was born on third base, but is certain he hit a triple, believes he can connect with minority communities – by dismissing and deriding social-insurance programs as “free stuff.”
Roughly 6% of black voters supported Romney in 2012. It seems entirely possible Jeb Bush would fare about as well.
US, China to expand on climate pact. The United States and China will announce new commitments Friday to expand on last year’s major joint agreement on climate change, including through a cap-and-trade system for China.
The new bilateral agreement will add details to how the countries will implement the pledge announced in November.
In that pact, the United States agreed to cut its greenhouse gas emissions 26 to 28 percent by 2025 and China agreed to peak its greenhouse gases by 2030, the first such promise from the world’s largest carbon dioxide emitter.
The Friday announcement will include a number of new declarations regarding domestic policies within the two countries and how the countries will provide financing to developing nations to help them cope with climate change, senior Obama administration officials said Thursday.
“This is a statement that has been worked closely on and negotiated closely by our respective teams over the course of many months, and it has three basic components,” an official said.
The China agreement was instantly controversial among Republican lawmakers who highly doubt China will live up to its commitments. They also argue it holds the United States to unreasonable standards that will dramatically harm the economy.
The new commitment Friday comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping is in the United States for an official state visit, with climate among the agenda items for discussions with President Obama.
Significantly, China is pledging to implement a national cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gases by 2017, applying to sectors including power generation, steel and building materials.
“These sectors together produce a substantial percentage of China’s climate pollution, and this reflects a significant policy move that the Chinese are announcing they will take,” an Obama administration official told reporters.
China will also use a “green dispatch” system for its power generation, in which it will prioritize generation from low- and zero-carbon sources like renewable energy over highly-polluting sources like coal.
The agreement will include heavy-duty vehicle emissions rules and new efficiency and appliances standards.
The other pieces of the new pact focus on international climate financing and how the two countries want to negotiate in the run-up to this December’s international climate pact talks in Paris.
While Obama has pledged $3 billion for the international Green Climate Fund, China will announce other climate financing outside of that system, the administration officials.
Republicans in Congress have called the $3 billion promise dead on arrival and promised to make sure it is never funded.
Regardless of it all this week, please stay in touch!
It’s not often a senator is rendered speechless.
But Thursday morning, on an extraordinary day at the Capitol, Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska found herself standing in a narrow hallway before the first-ever address to Congress by a pope, her hands, full of rosaries, cupped by His Holiness.
The rules for the 20 or so congressional escorts who would walk Pope Francis into the House chamber were clear: No one was to move from his or her place, reach out or touch the pope.
But in a move true to the reputation he’s built as a benevolent and accessible church leader, Pope Francis spotted the colored beads in Murkowski’s hands and reached out to her.
“I had them in my hands, and as he came to where I was in the lineup, I just put my hands out and opened up the cup of my hands with the two rosaries in them, you know, this pocket of colored beads,” Murkowski said, a few hours after the exchange. “And he looked at me and he came over and he put his hand on top of the beads and then he took my other hand and he cupped it over the pile of beads and just kind of held it. And I couldn’t speak. So [Sen.] Susan Collins [R-Maine] did the speaking for me. And she welcomed him, which was really good because I couldn’t speak.”
The 58-year-old Murkowski was holding the jade rosary she received on her 25th birthday and another strand she received a few years ago for Christmas from her sister-in-law, who lives in Brazil.
Standing just outside the Senate chamber when asked about the moment by Yahoo News, Murkowski wanted to know if this reporter wanted to touch her hand for good luck. I did.
“It’s kind of cool,” she said, still giddy from a brief moment that clearly affected her.
On a sunny and crisp Washington fall day, Congress took a long break from acrimony and gridlock, passing the time with small and emotion-laden encounters with a world religious leader instead of empty quorum calls.
Pope Francis praised Speaker John Boehner’s green tie as a symbol of hope and blessed a weeks-old baby being held by her mother, Boehner’s director of scheduling, as he passed through National Statuary Hall en route to his speech.
Francis makes history as the first pontiff to address a joint meeting of Congress. (Photo: Evan Vucci/AP)
C-SPAN footage of the House chamber, where Francis became the first pope to address a joint meeting of Congress, showed multiple weeping members, Democrat and Republican (besides the prone-to-tears Boehner).
Pope Francis pointed to symbols housed within the House chamber itself, focusing on a frieze of Moses, to explain to lawmakers — 30 percent of whom are Catholic — that his likeness provides a “good synthesis” of their work. “You are asked to protect, by means of the law, the image and likeness fashioned by God on every human face,” the pope said.
But outside, the Capitol dome, covered in scaffolding, was also symbolic. The iconic-but-under-repair building was first image Pope Francis saw as he pulled up to America’s legislative seat of power in his trademark black Fiat.
For as much as the pope tried to focus on a hopeful message, of Congress striving for a common good, his visit took place six days before a possible government shutdown. The American political experience, which he praised but also gently prodded in his nearly hour-long speech, is currently mired in partisanship and dysfunction, exactly what he denounced.
“The challenges facing us today call for a renewal of that spirit of cooperation, which has accomplished so much good throughout the history of the United States,” the pope said in his speech. “The complexity, the gravity and the urgency of these challenges demand that we pool our resources and talents, and resolve to support one another, with respect for our differences and our convictions of conscience.”
Members awkwardly applauded, even though they were asked not to, in bipartisan concert: Democrats for impassioned calls on climate change, immigration reform and a global end to the death penalty; Republicans for lines on traditional marriage and against abortion.
Three hours after he left the Capitol, the Senate blocked legislation that would have kept the government open while defunding Planned Parenthood, a bill Republicans brought up just so it would fail.
The depressing reality and mundane nature of the rest of the congressional day stood in stark contrast to the lofty expectations Pope Francis outlined to politicians by reviewing great figures in American history and asking lawmakers to stand for those who are caught in the “cycle of poverty” or otherwise forgotten by government.
After his speech, Pope Francis emerged onto the Speakers Balcony, flanked by Vice President Joe Biden, who like Boehner is Catholic, and the congressional leadership team.
He met a crowd of thousands — dignitaries, celebrities, guests of Congress, reporters and the public — who had congregated on the sprawling terraces and lawns of the Capitol’s West Front to watch his remarks on giant television screens and in the hope of getting a quick glimpse of His Holiness.
Chants of “Papa! Papa!” rolled through the Mall, which, in addition to numerous Argentinian and Colombian flags, hinted at the large number of Hispanics who had come to D.C. to hear his words.
“Buenos dias,” Francis said, as everyone below waved in what was likely the heartiest “good morning” exchange Washington has seen in quite some time.
Inside the Capitol, Pope Francis and congressional leaders pause in front of a statue of Junipero Serra, the Spanish-born Franciscan friar known for establishing missions in California (Photo by Michael Reynolds-Pool/Getty Images).
After brief remarks, he disappeared back into the building, crossed to the East Front, and departed the Capitol complex in his motorcade. House members lined up on the Capitol steps hoping to get one last picture of Francis as his Fiat passed by.
With that, he was gone. But his challenge to Congress might reverberate in the marble halls of the Capitol for quite some time: “Each son or daughter of a given country has a mission, a personal and social responsibility. Your own responsibility as members of Congress is to enable this country, by your legislative activity, to grow as a nation. You are the face of its people, their representatives. You are called to defend and preserve the dignity of your fellow citizens in the tireless and demanding pursuit of the common good, for this is the chief aim of all politics. A political society endures when it seeks, as a vocation, to satisfy common needs by stimulating the growth of all its members, especially those in situations of greater vulnerability or risk. Legislative activity is always based on care for the people. To this you have been invited, called and convened by those who elected you.”
Pope Francis Tells Congress To Abolish The Death Penalty. In his first ever visit to the U.S. and first speech ever to Congress, Pope Francis called on the nation’s hundreds of representatives to make the death penalty a thing of the past.
“Every life is sacred, every human person is endowed with an inalienable dignity, and society can only benefit from the rehabilitation of those convicted of crimes,” he said.
“Recently my brother bishops here in the United States renewed their call for the abolition of the death penalty. Not only do I support them, but I also offer encouragement to all those who are convinced that a just and necessary punishment must never exclude the dimension of hope and the goal of rehabilitation.”
Pope Francis said his stance on the issue stems from belief in the Golden Rule, continuing: “If we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities. The yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time will use for us. The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development.”
Sitting in the House chambers listening to the speech were several members of the U.S. Supreme Court, which earlier this year issued an opinion upholding the use of a controversial lethal injection drug used in several drawn out, painful, botched executions. The decision went beyond allowing the continued use of a method some consider torture, but defended the entire concept of the death penalty as immune to legal challenge.
Yet one of the Court’s most devout Catholic members, Justice Antonin Scalia, recently suggested they could soon reconsider. Speaking to students at Rhodes College, Scalia said at least four of his colleagues believe the death penalty to be unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendment, which bans cruel and unusual punishment.
The Holy See’s call for death penalty abolition is also likely to energize the millions of American church-goers who agree with him, and who have been pushing across the country for a more humane criminal justice system. Faith-based activism, particularly from Catholics, played a major role in Nebraska passing a bill to end the death penalty earlier this year.
Many members of Congress took issue with Pope Francis' progressive stances on climate change, immigration, capitalism, and the death penalty. Just after Wednesday's address, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) cited his time as a prosecutor of "people who’ve committed unspeakable acts," to argue that "the death penalty is a recognition of the preciousness of human life."
"For the most egregious crimes, the ultimate punishment should apply," said the candidate for president and son of an Evangelical pastor.
WMUR/CNN poll: Sanders holds big lead over Clinton; Biden key factor. Democratic primary voters split on whether vice president should run. On the strength of his personal appeal and his overall stand on the issues, Bernie Sanders has opened up big lead over Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire, while likely Democratic primary voters are split on whether Joe Biden should jump into the race.
Trump on top of GOP field while Fiorina surges
After facing attacks in two debates and dealing with controversies almost daily, business executive Donald Trump has maintained a big lead in New Hampshire, while the rest of the Republican presidential field has been shaken up over the past two months.
A new WMUR/CNN Granite State Poll, conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, shows the Vermont U.S. senator leading the former secretary of state, 46 percent to 30 percent, with the vice president at 14 percent.
Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley was the choice of 2 percent, while 1 percent preferred former U.S. Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia.
Asked whether Biden should run for president, 37 percent of likely Democratic voters said yes, 32 percent said he should not, and 30 percent were unsure.
Whether Biden runs is a significant factor, the poll shows, because 40 percent of Biden supporters named Clinton as their second choice and 19 percent named Sanders.
The survey center polled 313 likely Democratic primary voters Sept. 17-23. The poll has a margin of error of 5.5 percent.
View the full poll results by clicking here.
Although Clinton led in the Granite State Poll taken in July, more recent polls have shown Sanders overtaking her. The latest Granite State Poll confirms that trend.
Clinton is no longer viewed as the inevitable winner of the New Hampshire primary, but she is still considered the strongest candidate the Democrats can put up in the general election.
Asked who is most likely to win the primary, 42 percent named Sanders and 42 percent named Clinton, while 6 percent named Biden. In the previous Granite State Poll in July, 68 percent named Clinton as the most likely winner of the primary and only 17 percent chose Sanders.
In July, 67 percent said Clinton had the best chance of winning the general election in November 2016 and 12 percent chose Sanders. Clinton is now named by 51 percent, Sanders by 19 percent and Biden by 15 percent.
Likely voters are generally pleased with their candidates. Asked who they would not vote for under any circumstances, 30 percent said they were “all OK,” and 31 percent said they did not know. Only 13 percent chose Clinton, 8 percent chose Sanders and 3 percent chose Biden.
Clinton was named as the least honest of the Democratic candidates by 33 percent, but 60 percent of those polled said they did not know.
Sanders’ lead is built primarily on his overwhelming popularity, with 78 percent viewing him favorably and 11 percent unfavorably. Clinton and Biden are also highly popular.
She is viewed favorably by 67 percent and unfavorably 23 percent, and Biden is viewed favorably by 69 percent and unfavorably by 17 percent.
Sanders’ supporters most often named his ideas in general as the primary reason they are supporting him, at 16 percent, while 11 percent named his honesty and 7 percent cited his support for the middle class.
Clinton’s experience was cited by 30 percent of her supporters, while 10 percent named her general views as the primary reason they support her, 9 percent cited her intelligence and 7 percent named her support for the middle class.
Sanders was named by 39 percent as the most likable candidate, with Biden at 35 percent and Clinton at 15 percent. But Clinton was named by 44 percent as the candidate with the “right experience” to be president, while 23 percent named Biden and 18 percent named Sanders.
Jobs and the economy were cited by 19 percent of those polled as the most important issue in the presidential primary, while 12 percent named foreign policy/national security, 10 percent named social issues and 9 percent named education. Income inequality and education were each named as the most important issue by 7 percent.
Sanders was the overwhelming choice of men in the poll, by a margin of 56 percent to 20 percent over Clinton. Among women, Sanders was the choice of 39 percent and Clinton, 37 percent.
Like the Republican race, the Democratic race remains fluid. The polls showed only 25 percent of likely Democratic primary voters have definitely decided who they will vote for, while 28 percent are leaning toward a candidate and 47 percent are still trying to decide.
The survey center said 65 percent of those polled were registered Democrats, while 35 percent were registered independents, or undeclared voters. Women comprised 61 percent of those polled, while 39 percent were men, the survey center said.
WMUR/CNN poll: Trump continues to lead, Fiorina now second in New Hampshire. Rubio moves to third, followed closely by Carson, Bush, Kasich. After facing attacks in two debates and dealing with controversies almost daily, business executive Donald Trump has maintained a big lead in New Hampshire, while the rest of the Republican presidential field has been shaken up over the past two months.
See the complete results of the latest WMUR/CNN Granite State Poll on the Republican race in the New Hampshire primary.
Click to watch News 9's coverage.
A new WMUR/CNN Granite State Poll also shows that for the first time, Trump leads when likely Republican first-in-the-nation primary voters are asked who is most likely to win the primary and who has the best chance of winning the general election.
For the complete poll results, click here.
The Sept. 17-23 survey of 344 likely GOP primary voters by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center shows Trump on top with 26 percent. In second place is former business executive Carly Fiorina with 16 percent, followed by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida at 9 percent, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson at 8 percent, and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Ohio Gov. John Kasich both at 7 percent.
Drawing 5 percent each are New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, while U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky is at 3 percent. U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore are each supported by 1 percent of those polled.
Trailing the field at less than 1 percent are former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, former New York Gov. George Pataki and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. The poll shows 11 percent are undecided.
The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 5.3 percent.
On the strength of two strong debate performances and numerous visits to New Hampshire, Fiorina jumped from 1 percent in the July WMUR/CNN Granite State Poll to 16 percent, while Rubio improved from 3 percent in July to 9 percent.
Trump has been the consistent leader in various New Hampshire polls since midsummer, but this is the first New Hampshire poll that puts Fiorina in second place, ahead of Carson.
The field remains fluid, however.
Only 13 percent of likely Republican primary voters say they have definitely made up their minds about who they will vote for, while 28 percent are leaning toward a candidate and 59 percent say they are still trying to decide.
At the same time, there is a high interest level in the primary, although it is still more than four months away. Among likely voters, 54 percent said they are extremely interested in the primary and 31 percent described themselves as very interested, while 15 percent are only somewhat interested or not very interested.
Fiorina is now the most highly regarded Republican presidential candidate in New Hampshire, with 62 percent saying they have a favorable opinion of her and 15 percent viewing her unfavorably. Trump is viewed favorably by 55 percent and unfavorably by 38 percent, while Carson is viewed favorably by 60 percent and unfavorably by 18 percent.
Rubio is viewed favorably by 58 percent and unfavorably by 22 percent.
Trump, while continuing to lead the field, is also the leader when likely voters are asked who they would not vote for under any circumstances. He was named by 25 percent, with Bush second at 11 percent, followed by Paul at 10 percent.
At the same time, Trump was named by 40 percent as the most likely to win the New Hampshire Republican primary, with Bush second at 12 percent and Fiorina at 8 percent. In July, Bush was named by 26 percent, Trump by 25 percent and Fiorina by 1 percent.
Trump also leads, with 22 percent, when likely voters were asked who has the best chance of winning the general election in November, 2016. Bush follows at 16 percent, with Fiorina at 9 percent.
Carson is viewed as the most likable candidate by 24 percent, but Trump is second at 16 percent, followed by Fiorina at 12 percent. Cruz is viewed as the most conservative candidate by 18 percent, trailed by Huckabee at 13 percent and Paul at 9 percent.
Bush leads as the candidate with the “right experience” to be president, at 17 percent. Trump follows at 14 percent, with Kasich at 11 percent and Fiorina at 10 percent.
Meanwhile, the most important issue on the minds of likely Republican primary voters continues to be jobs and the economy, cited by 29 percent. Foreign policy/national security was named by 21 percent, followed by immigration, named by 14 percent. Only 3 percent named social issues as their top issue.
According to the survey center, 58 percent of those polled were registered Republicans and 42 percent are registered independent, or undeclared, voters. Also, 59 percent of those polled were men and 41 percent were women.
Pope to push action on climate, migrants at U.N. Pope Francis will urge world leaders at the United Nations in New York on Friday to act as compassionate custodians on issues including Europe's migrant crisis, world conflict and climate change.
The speech to the 193-member U.N. General Assembly "will expand on the central themes" Francis has already discussed during his trip to the United States and Cuba so far, said Thomas Rosica, an aide in the Vatican press office. Francis' visit to the United Nations will be the fifth by a pope.
Francis' first visit to the U.S. began Tuesday in Washington. On Capitol Hill on Thursday, he gave the first-ever papal address to a joint session of Congress. There, he told lawmakers "building a future of freedom requires love of the common good."
Francis was met by throngs of thousands on his visit to Washington, which came after a four-day trip to Cuba. He traveled to New York City on Thursday afternoon, where he led evening prayers at the city's iconic St. Patrick's Cathedral. After addressing the U.N., the pontiff will lead a multi-religious service at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center. On Saturday, he will travel to Philadelphia.
Francis, an Argentine, described himself as the son of immigrants addressing a nation of immigrants as the world faces the worst refugee crisis since World War II. Future generations should be taught that "to live as nobly and as justly as possible," they should "not to turn their back on our neighbors," he said. Immigrants should be viewed as persons, not numbers, and treated in a way that is "humane, just and fraternal," he added.
Francis is also likely to speak about the environment and climate change Friday, another major theme of his trip so far, Rosica said. On Thursday, he spoke to Congress about the need to "avert the most serious affects of the environmental destruction caused by human activity."
He also spoke about the role all countries should play to minimize and end armed conflict around the world, another topic bound to come up when he addresses the U.N.
"Why are deadly weapons being sold to those who plan to inflict untold suffering on individuals and society?" he said. The answer: "Money that is drenched in blood, often in innocent blood."
Donald Trump is attacking Marco Rubio for being ‘sweaty.’ Why?
He sweats more than any young person I've ever seen in my life. ... I've never seen a guy down water like he downs water. ... They bring it in buckets for this guy.
So, that is a thing that happened in a race for the most powerful office in the country and one of the most powerful jobs in the world.
At this point, these sorts of personal attacks have become de rigueur for Trump; he's called Jeb Bush "low-energy," said acclaimed pediatrict neurosurgeon Ben Carson was only an "okay" doctor and slammed Carly Fiorina's looks persona. But why? Why, if Trump could be attacking Rubio for supporting a comprehensive immigration reform plan that is unpopular with the GOP base, is he hitting the senator from Florida on his body temperature?
The answer, I think, lies in the fact that Trump is, at heart, a provocateur -- a needler. He's someone who not only enjoys getting under people's skin but is uniquely able to find the one or two things that can really do it. By finding that weak spot or insecurity, Trump believes he can get the other person off of his game -- get Rubio so obsessed with worries about sweat and his personal appearance that he can't concentrate on beating Trump up over his utter lack of policy specifics on almost, well, anything.
The reality is that Rubio DOES sweat a lot. And, it was quite clearly pouring off of him in the last debate.
And not only is Rubio a sweat-er, he also tends to get dry-mouth when he's nervous. Witness his now infamous water-bottle grab during the 2013 Republican response to President Obama's State of the Union address.
So, it's not that Trump is wrong; it's just that he's sort of a jerk about it. Remember the kid who made fun of the girl in sixth grade for wearing the same pair of jeans two days in a row? (Confession: That kid was me. And I am eternally sorry, Leanne Scharfenberger.) Well, most of us grew out of it. Trump didn't. He finds weak spots and exploits them. It's almost certainly what makes him a good negotiator -- and what has made him ruthlessly effective in the sound-bite culture of the 2016 race.
Trump has mastered the comic putdown; he knows what moves the needle and what people respond to. In the "Morning Joe" clip, you can hear people laughing in the background. He did something similar when he cracked a Rosie O'Donnell joke when asked during the first debate about derogatory comments he had made about women in the past. Trump jokes with an insult, people laugh, attention is moved away from a potential weak spot for him. It's brilliant (as long as people don't tire of it or start to view him as un-serious).
And, as I have written before, it's almost impossible for any other Republican candidate to play Trump's game. Rubio isn't going to attack Trump's looks. He's unlikely to talk too much about Trump's personality. He's even less likely to talk about Trump's once-tempestuous personal life.
Here's what Rubio did say in response to Trump: "I think he’s kind of been exposed a little bit over the last seven days, and he’s a very touchy and insecure guy and so that’s how he reacts, and people can see through it.” Not bad -- especially the "insecure" attack.
But Rubio's best defense against Trump might be to make as clear as possible that The Donald isn't getting to him. Look at Bush; it was quite clear to anyone paying attention that Jeb has been irked by Trump's "low energy" attack. Nothing makes Trump happier than knowing he is getting to you. When he praised Bush's energy during the second debate, you could see the glee in his eyes.
Trump wants Rubio and everyone else in the race to be consumed -- and therefore distracted -- by their dislike of him. He will needle and needle and needle, probing for your soft spot. To beat Trump, you don't have to find his soft spot; you just have to make him believe you don't have one.
Rubio Slaps Back at 'Touchy' Trump. Presidential candidate Marco Rubio is hitting back at Donald Trump, calling him a "touchy and insecure guy" who is not well informed on issues.
"First of all, he takes shots at everybody that gets anywhere close to him, in terms of a poll, or anytime he hits a rough spot, that's what he does," he said during an interview on Kentucky Sports Radio Thursday morning.
"He had a really bad debate performance last week," continued Rubio. "He's not well informed on the issues. He really never talks about issues and can't have more than a 10-second soundbite on any key issue. And I think he's kind of been exposed a little bit over the last seven days, and he's a very touchy and insecure guy and so that's how he reacts, and people can see through it."
Trump slammed Rubio on Wednesday during an appearance in South Carolina, calling him a "lightweight" and poking fun at the Florida senator's perspiration during the second GOP debate last week.
Trump leads a new Quinnipiac poll of the Republican field released Thursday morning, coming in with 25 percent support. Rubio stood in fifth place, with the backing of nine percent of GOP voters.
Echoing Romney, Jeb reflects on black voters, ‘free stuff’. In the 2012 elections, Mitt Romney didn’t just struggle to connect with minority communities, he seemed unable to even understand them. After an unfriendly welcome at an NAACP convention, Romney told a group of donors, “I hope people understand this, your friends who like Obamacare, you remind them of this: if they want more stuff from government tell them to go vote for the other guy – more free stuff.”
Five months later, after he lost, Romney told donors President Obama won re-election because he bribed minority voters with “big gifts” – such as health care and education.
It quickly became obvious to Republican officials that Romney’s message, even if they agreed with the substance, was tone-deaf and counter-productive. It was a learning opportunity for the party – GOP candidates would have to be smarter when discussing these issues.
Jeb Bush did not take these lessons to heart – or if he did, he’s forgotten them.
The Florida Republican campaigned in South Carolina yesterday, speaking to a mostly white crowd, when a voter asked Bush’s outreach to African-American voters. The Washington Post reported on his response.
Bush pointed to his record on school choice and said that if Republicans could double their share of the black vote, they would win the swing states of Ohio and Virginia.
“Our message is one of hope and aspiration,” he said at the East Cooper Republican Women’s Club annual Shrimp Dinner. “It isn’t one of division and get in line and we’ll take care of you with free stuff. Our message is one that is uplifting – that says you can achieve earned success.”
I’ll go out on a limb and say this isn’t a winning message.
Just on the surface, it’s a little jarring to hear Bush – the grandson of a U.S. senator, the son of a president, and the brother of another president – give lectures on “earned success.” Thanks largely to his wealthy and powerful family, Jeb has received opportunities the vast majority of Americans can hardly imagine.
But as was the case with Romney, it’s the “free stuff” rhetoric that rankles most. To hear the former governor tell it, candidates can offer hope and aspiration, or they can tell voters “we’ll take care of you with free stuff.”
Bush didn’t specify what, exactly, constitutes “free stuff” – it’s a question I hope he’ll answer soon – but given his broader national platform, he’s likely referring to benefits such as access to basic medical care, a public school system, and a safety net to bolster families that fall on hard times.
In other words, the guy was born on third base, but is certain he hit a triple, believes he can connect with minority communities – by dismissing and deriding social-insurance programs as “free stuff.”
Roughly 6% of black voters supported Romney in 2012. It seems entirely possible Jeb Bush would fare about as well.
US, China to expand on climate pact. The United States and China will announce new commitments Friday to expand on last year’s major joint agreement on climate change, including through a cap-and-trade system for China.
The new bilateral agreement will add details to how the countries will implement the pledge announced in November.
In that pact, the United States agreed to cut its greenhouse gas emissions 26 to 28 percent by 2025 and China agreed to peak its greenhouse gases by 2030, the first such promise from the world’s largest carbon dioxide emitter.
The Friday announcement will include a number of new declarations regarding domestic policies within the two countries and how the countries will provide financing to developing nations to help them cope with climate change, senior Obama administration officials said Thursday.
“This is a statement that has been worked closely on and negotiated closely by our respective teams over the course of many months, and it has three basic components,” an official said.
The China agreement was instantly controversial among Republican lawmakers who highly doubt China will live up to its commitments. They also argue it holds the United States to unreasonable standards that will dramatically harm the economy.
The new commitment Friday comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping is in the United States for an official state visit, with climate among the agenda items for discussions with President Obama.
Significantly, China is pledging to implement a national cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gases by 2017, applying to sectors including power generation, steel and building materials.
“These sectors together produce a substantial percentage of China’s climate pollution, and this reflects a significant policy move that the Chinese are announcing they will take,” an Obama administration official told reporters.
China will also use a “green dispatch” system for its power generation, in which it will prioritize generation from low- and zero-carbon sources like renewable energy over highly-polluting sources like coal.
The agreement will include heavy-duty vehicle emissions rules and new efficiency and appliances standards.
The other pieces of the new pact focus on international climate financing and how the two countries want to negotiate in the run-up to this December’s international climate pact talks in Paris.
While Obama has pledged $3 billion for the international Green Climate Fund, China will announce other climate financing outside of that system, the administration officials.
Republicans in Congress have called the $3 billion promise dead on arrival and promised to make sure it is never funded.
Regardless of it all this week, please stay in touch!
