Tulsa World: Inhofe claims victory on global warming

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Inhofe claims victory on global warming

By JIM MYERS World Washington Bureau
Published: 11/19/2009 2:34 AM
Last Modified: 11/19/2009 5:44 AM

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, perhaps Congress' most vocal skeptic of man-made global warming, essentially declared victory Wednesday in a lengthy speech on the Senate floor.

"I proudly declare 2009 as the 'Year of the Skeptic,' the year in which scientists who question the so-called global warming consensus are being heard,'' the Oklahoma Republican said.

"Until this year, any scientist, reporter or politician who dared raise even the slightest suspicion about the science behind global warming was dismissed and repeatedly mocked.''

Inhofe recalled his own 2003 remarks in which he said much of the debate over global warming was predicated on fear rather than science.

Alarmists warned of a future plagued by catastrophic flooding, economic dislocations, droughts and mosquito-borne diseases, he said.

Inhofe also recalled his most famous comment in which he suggested that man-made global warming would turn out to be "the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people."

"Today, I have been vindicated,'' he said.

Inhofe pointed to the upcoming international conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, which previously was viewed as a chance for nations to make some kind of a binding agreement on greenhouse gases.

White House aides said Sunday that a fully binding legal agreement would be put off until a December 2010 meeting in Mexico City, The Associated Press reported.

Inhofe said Wednesday that "the reality, of course, is that Copenhagen will be a disaster.''

Inhofe is the top Republican on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. He recently helped lead a Republican boycott of that panel's efforts to act on a major climate change bill.

Democrats were forced to vote the measure out of committee without amendments, and an effort already is under way to come up with a different bill.

That measure now is not expected to be taken up in the Senate until next year.

Jim Myers (202) 484-1424
jim.myers@tulsaworld.com By JIM MYERS World Washington Bureau

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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "Inhofe declares victory in speech on global warming," which was published on 11/18/2009.

	Report Comment 2ndjoyce, BA (11/18/2009 9:46:55 PM) Unfortunately, Inhofe slowly melted into the carpet after his speech.
	Report Comment Whirled Peas, (11/18/2009 9:49:19 PM) He's just not sane, nor competent, but that's what Okies like.
	Report Comment tfromtulsa, Tulsa (11/18/2009 9:50:29 PM) Al Gore, an expert on hot air (but not the greenhouse gas kind), was reported to be looking even more bloated and pasty than usual after Inhofe's speech.
	Report Comment Thunder196, Tulsa (11/18/2009 9:51:14 PM) One of the biggest con games there is. Like we can reverse mother nature. . Only reason they wanted us in Copenhagen is to see how much money they could get.
	Report Comment Popeye, T-Town (11/18/2009 9:58:41 PM) Good job, Jim. I'm constantly depressed by the lemming mentality that pervades much of the American "left". You want to do something to help the environment? Find a way to keep every major country in the world from dumping their waste into the ocean! Earth sits in frozen space. The only overwhelming evidence of catastrophic climactic global events that exist all concerns ice ages! Further, how in the world can you criticize anything anybody else says if you buy into anything Al Gore is selling?
	Report Comment Petey, 918 (11/18/2009 10:03:28 PM) lol @ 2ndjoyce! "You cursed brat! Look what you've done! I'm melting! Melting! Oh, what a world! What a world!
	Report Comment tbgalileo, Tulsa (11/18/2009 10:46:32 PM) I'm not sure what is more sad, the fact Jimmy believes that crackpot objections (that are funded by big oil) to overwhelmingly-accepted true science amounts to "victory", or the very sad people who blindly follow him because he is the conservative poster child for naysayers. This whole scheme by Inhofe and other conservatives was a very well-orchestrated movement by the right to totally redefine what the scientific process is in order to qualify any objection, even those that are simply economic in nature, as "equal science". The reality at the end of the day is that the people who really know what they are talking about, ie the scientists themselves, are OVERWHELMINGLY opposed to what Inhofe is preaching. There are very, very few credible "skeptics" of the global warming model, and usually among those you'll mostly find small points of contention, not overall disagreement about global warming.
	Report Comment Skeptic, Tulsa (11/18/2009 10:48:30 PM) Great job Senator Inhofe. Now if you'll squash all those pesky scientists who claim that the earth revolves around the sun and those simpletons who claim the earth is round you'll have won the triple crown! Please send us the addresses of your oil and gas lobby benefactors so that we can send them a personal note of thanks for your efforts on THEIR behalf. Remember, pollutants may be bad for people, but their great for business.
	Report Comment Skeptic, Tulsa (11/18/2009 10:49:35 PM) their = they are great for business
	Report Comment truth fairy, (11/18/2009 11:00:18 PM) Yesterday was Grandpa Jimmy's 75th birthday! Here's a scientific fact: One in seven people over the age of seventy years of age have dementia, and those with delusional disorder are eight times more likely to develop it, according to researchers at Copenhagen University. Hmmm, congratulation on your "victory over global warming" Senator.
	Report Comment Faith, (11/18/2009 11:07:28 PM) 2ndJoyce, lol.
	Report Comment FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (11/18/2009 11:20:33 PM) I wish Obama would just go ahead and appoint him as a special ambassador to Antarctica.
	Report Comment Worried about the system, Tulsa (11/18/2009 11:22:07 PM) Inhofe considers this a personal victory - he could care less what the actual science says. Putting your fingers in your ears and saying "la la la la" does not make their contradictions any less true, Senator. If you want to argue against hyperbole in climate change science, fine. But you lose any credibility when all you do is refuse to acknowledge any information that contradicts your claim.
	Report Comment tfromtulsa, Tulsa (11/18/2009 11:25:19 PM) "But you lose any credibility when all you do is refuse to acknowledge any information that contradicts your claim." Worried - That's a two way street, buddy.
	Report Comment truth fairy, (11/18/2009 11:36:00 PM) That's right Zoltar! Jimmy's conservative base at Heritage foundation, funded by Koch, the Walton Family, AIG, ChevronTexaco, and Exxon Mobile will finance his patriotism and validate it in their regional newspapers, while the American Family Association activates its sheeple through the internet, and pulpits, nationwide. Oh, what a glorious victory over the evil, earth worshipping, environmentalists.
	Report Comment FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (11/18/2009 11:40:14 PM) Like I mentioned in a post last week. The sky is falling. During those rains last week a very large rain drop hit me on the head. It was a big rain drop. Now what do you call that?
	Report Comment FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (11/18/2009 11:41:27 PM) What's wrong with the profile update? I heard it was on purpose to keep people from following. Anyone know for sure?
	Report Comment Elusive, Owasso (11/18/2009 11:47:03 PM) I hope he had on his downfilled parka when he gave the speech.
	Report Comment Worried about the system, Tulsa (11/18/2009 11:58:23 PM) I absolute acknowledge that there is a lot of hyperbole in the climate change debate, on both sides. And I have read differing opinions on the subject. My research has lead me to the conclusion that human activity on the Earth has thrown the natural climatalogical balance off kilter. What I have not done is dismiss offhand anyone's beliefs or opinions if they have something intelligent to say on the subject. Nor have I rejected scientific data from credible sources, which generally includes the caveat that they don't have significant financial interest in the findings. But over and above my own personal reading, I simply like the Earth. And I think that even in the extremely unlikely scenario that the climate isn't changing at all, we have the responsibility to be good stewards of God's creation.
	Report Comment redbeard, Stillwater (11/19/2009 12:00:52 AM) I'm sure Inhofe's biggest donors are giving him a big pat on the back and another big donation. Koch Industries $39,500 ,Murray Energy $30,600 Contran Corp $21,500 Devon Energy $19,500 OGE Energy $17,800 Jimmy just saved them a bundle of money.
	Report Comment truth fairy, (11/19/2009 12:05:52 AM) tfromtulsa and Zoltar, Such good little corporate slaves you are, Go now, to wally world, they're open all night, And buy goods from China to support the christian right Their amazing low prices are the war profiteers gift to you For supporting their greed, no matter what they do While children in sweatshops create your christmas dreams Their cancer deaths rise there from polluted factory streams If the result of our lifestyle is too painful for you to see Then don't look - your truth is what you believe it to be.
	Report Comment truth fairy, (11/19/2009 1:03:53 AM) Speaking of meds, sr71v3 . . . Novartis pharmaceuticals makers of vaccines, johnson and johnson, glaxcosmithklein and bristol-myers squibb all donate to the anti-healthcare and global warming "debunking" at Heritage foundation, as well. A sick, unhealthy planet makes an excellent market for pharmaceuticals. I don't require any of meds myself, fortunately, sr71v3. I do try to be mindful of how my choices affect others and the earth; sadly, something I fail to see in most of our elected representatives. Greed is not a very good example to lead with.
	Report Comment jstewartj, (11/19/2009 1:34:26 AM) A good first step in helping to prevent global warming would be for Mr. Inhofe to remain silent. (Get it?!!)
	Report Comment mayor_maynot, Tulsa (11/19/2009 2:46:55 AM) All these idiots think they have the answer to global warming. The real deal is if we are solely responsible then we been doin it since the ice age. Hahahaha we were not even here then. Soooo what really caused the recession of the ice age. Nobody knows. But there are several pretenders who want us to believe in that false rhetoric. Hey what about snake oil. Itll cure ya then kill ya.
	Report Comment Kilgore.Trout, Tulsa (11/19/2009 2:51:35 AM) If you want to see where all politicians receive a bit of their money go to maplight org. Here is a short synopsis of Tulsa's representatives in Congress. "James Inhofe Republican (Elected 1994), Oklahoma Senate Campaign Contributions Received: $5,170,155 Top 10 Interests Funding Interest Contributions Oil & Gas $447,200 Money Map Electric Utilities $226,654 Money Map Lobbyists $182,233 Money Map Republican/Conservative $161,725 Money Map Lawyers/Law Firms $153,768 Money Map Building Materials & Equipment $130,095 Money Map Mining $123,950 Money Map Misc Finance $123,151 Money Map Real Estate $122,263 Money Map Health Professionals $113,763 Contributions from political parties and from other candidates are not included in top 10 lists." Thomas Coburn Republican (Elected 2005), Oklahoma Senate Committee membership Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; Senate Committee on Indian Affairs; Senate Committee on the Judiciary; Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Phone 202-224-5754 Total Campaign Contributions Received: $4,501,199 Top 10 Interests Funding Interest Contributions Health Professionals $483,862 Money Map Securities & Investment $207,560 Money Map Oil & Gas $201,558 Money Map Misc Finance $140,140 Money Map Real Estate $119,511 Money Map Banks and Credit $103,165 Money Map Republican/Conservative $98,897 Money Map Misc Manufacturing & Distributing $96,957 Money Map Insurance $94,258 Money Map Lawyers/Law Firms $92,240 Money Map Contributions from political parties and from other candidates are not included in top 10 lists. John Sullivan Republican (Elected 2002), Oklahoma House District 1 Latest Comments Committee membership House Committee on Energy and Commerce; House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming Phone 202-225-2211 Contributions Received: $2,747,100 Top 10 Interests Funding Interest Contributions Oil & Gas $353,900 Money Map Health Professionals $312,819 Money Map Electric Utilities $136,878 Money Map Banks and Credit $88,171 Money Map Lawyers/Law Firms $82,440 Money Map TV/Movies/Music $73,000 Money Map Automotive $71,900 Money Map Real Estate $68,300 Money Map Telephone Utilities $65,000 Money Map Lobbyists $64,284 Money Map

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