Information reaching Kossyderrickent has it that John Podesta has returned to the White House for the first time since Pizza Gate to give climate change narratives.
Top Biden advisor John Podesta: “We have to cut the carbon pollution that’s driving the climate crisis and that’s what the ‘Inflation Reduction Act’ is all about!”
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right, go ahead.
Q How —
Q Go ahead.
Q Go ahead. (Laughs.)
Q John, your area is climate change. And with all the weather events that we’ve been having — of course, now, the disasters — even putting aside, perhaps, what’s happening in the Hawaii — do you think the American people get it about what’s happening? Do you think they understand about what’s happening? Put — put aside the politicians, too. Do you think they’re getting it?
MR. PODESTA: I think the public not only gets it, I think they’re feeling it. If you’re experiencing temperatures above 110 degrees for 31 straight days in Phoenix, you know something is amiss.
Now, the politicians could argue that this is just some natural — as — as some of the members of the Arizona House of Representatives have argued, “Well, this is just natural variation.” But I think the public knows that that’s not true, that we’re experiencing an acceleration of extreme weather.
This is a combination of both climate change and a strong El Niño that — that is building as — as we’re witnessing it.
But the science is clear. I think the public understands it. And I think most importantly, across the political spectrum, they support the movement to cleaner forms of energy, cleaner forms of transportation, and the other processes that I mentioned — industrial processes, as well — because it has enormous benefits to the economy, to job creation, to business investment, and — and to public health.
So, yeah, I think — I think they get it. Do they know what the future is going to be like 10 years from now? I think as more experience happen, as more evidence accumulates, I think they’re feeling this more and more.
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: My pleasure.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Thank you for everything that you’re doing.
Okay. Let’s move on. As you all know, today is the first anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act. You know, most one-year-olds can barely walk. But this one is — this one-year-old is up and running. I couldn’t help myself, sorry. Up and running.
So that’s very excited — we’re very excited about the Inflation Reduction Act and everything that it’s doing.
And, with that I have — I have two guests with me. And as you know, in a couple of hours, the President will deliver remarks at an event marking all this transformative bill has accomplished in just a year.
You guys didn’t laugh at my one-year-old joke. (Laughter.)
All right, but let me just make sure I get their titles, right, so — I don’t want to mess this up. And as we — we’re going to hear from the Senior Advisor to the President for Climate Innovation and Implementation, John Podesta, and also the Domestic Policy Advisor to the President, Neera Tanden. Please come on up.
And I’ll let them take it from here. Come on up.
MR. PODESTA: Great.
MS. TANDEN: Thanks, Karine.
MR. PODESTA: Thanks, Kar- — thanks, Karine. It’s good to be with you.
As Karine noted, we’re marking the one-year anniversary of a truly transformative piece of legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act, which is the largest investment in clean energy and climate action ever — in the United States and the history of the world.
But first, I want to acknowledge that today’s event is coming during a time of heartbreak as the toll of extreme weather, fueled by climate change, is being felt across the country and the world.
This summer has brought one climate disaster after another, from extreme heat in Arizona and Texas and across the Southeast, to floods in Vermont and Upstate New York, to thick smoke from Canadian wildfires.
