Yesterday Mitt Romney changed his views on climate change. In a talk in Pittsburg, he declared:
My view is that we don’t know what’s causing climate change on this planet. And the idea of spending trillions and trillions of dollars to try to reduce CO2 emissions is not the right course for us.
In June in New Hamphire, he took a completely different position:
I don’t speak for the scientific community, of course, but I believe the world’s getting warmer. I can’t prove that, but I believe based on what I read that the world is getting warmer. And number two, I believe that humans contribute to that. I don’t know how much our contribution is to that, because I know that there have been periods of greater heat and warmth in the past but I believe we contribute to that. And so I think it’s important for us to reduce our emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases that may well be significant contributors to the climate change and the global warming that you’re seeing.
After Romney took his original position, he was praised by moderates, including Al Gore, and slammed by right-wing commentators, notably Rush Limbaugh, who said he could wave his nomination "bye bye."
This appears to be Romney's second flip-flip this week, the previous being his doubts about unpopular anti-union measures in Ohio, and then rushing to declare he backs same 110%.
But no matter. "America's most opportunisitic politician," in the words of conservative Ross Douthat, is also the "inevitable" nominee, so time for him to toe the right-wing line. Be interesting to see if Limbaugh and his fellow flamethrowers are satisfied by his sudden obeisance.
h/t: ThinkProgress Green
Kit Stolz 