Amidst the shivering in Washington, the case for global warming
OK, it’s cold in Washington. It’s really cold. And snowy. And blizzardy. It’s hard to recall that long-ago moment — what was it, six days ago? — when you could go for a walk without cross-country skis and a flask of brandy. But just because it’s winter doesn’t mean global warming is a myth.
But the storms gave conservatives fresh fodder for mocking former Vice President Al Gore and his efforts on global climate change. Senator Jim DeMint tweeted “It’s going to keep snowing in DC until Al Gore cries ‘uncle’,” Politico reported.
For decades, scientists have struggled to explain the difference between weather, which changes in the short term, and climate, which changes over the long term. There’s a good explanation at the new government Climate Service Web site called “Short term cooling on a warming planet.” The new site went up this week, between blizzards, and is supposed to guide consumers and businesses so they can adapt to climate change. The Climate Service itself is expected to be up and running by the start of the next U.S. fiscal year that begins on October 1.
The last decade was the warmest on record, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the United Kingdom’s Met Office and the World Meteorological Organization. “The bottom line is that current temperatures are way above the long-term average,” NOAA’s David Easterling says.
The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is certainly not backing away from its 2007 report that global warming is occurring and human activity is causing it. But climate change skeptics have focused on what they see as problems with how some of the data that led to this conclusion were collected and reported. To most scientists, though, this is all beside the point.
One sign that the planet is getting warmer is what’s happening in the Arctic Sea. It’s not as icy as it used to be at this time of year, and that means there won’t be much thick, hardy sea ice at the beginning of the spring melt season — which in turn means there will be more open water exposed. Dark-colored water absorbs the sun’s rays, just as light-colored sea ice reflects them, so it’s likely to get even warmer up there. That’s important because the Arctic is one of the world’s biggest weather-makers.
But that still doesn’t explain the unusual weather patterns — putting it politely — that have hammered the U.S. East Coast this winter. However, part of the overall long-term forecast for a warmer world is for more severe weather events, and the current storms could qualify. So could the notable lack of snow at some venues of the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Oddball weather can be a sign of climate change.
Wasn’t Groundhog Day last week? Another blizzard slams East Coast
It is starting to feel a lot like that (in)famous movie “Groundhog Day” with a powerful blizzard again pelting the East Coast from Washington, D.C. up to New York with a foot or more of snow and pummeling winds.
The federal government in Washington is closed for the third straight day, the United Nation’s headquarters in Manhattan is also shuttered — in fact it may be easier to say what’s open, which is probably next to nothing except the random coffee shop and well of course Wall Street.
Already about 15,000 customers in the Baltimore/Washington area are without power and that number will likely jump with wind gusts reportedly hitting more than 40 miles per hour at Dulles International Airport and near whiteout conditions.
And yes, that winter-hardened Chicagoan President Barack Obama is trying to maintain his schedule with a meeting with African American leaders at the White House to discuss the economy and jobs amid the 9.7 percent unemployment rate.
But the White House did push up a performance celebrating music from the Civil Rights Movement to Tuesday night from Wednesday because of the storm. A few days after being sworn in as president, Obama drew a few gasps when he criticized Washington schools for closing because of a small storm of snow and ice.
He said he would try to instill “some flinty Chicago toughness” in Washington. Hmmm.
Here’s our latest weather report and one of our favorites, the Washington Post’s Capital Weather Gang.
Obama Braves “Snowmaggedon” to Rally Democrats
The Obama family hails from Chicago, where heavy snowfalls are not uncommon. But that’s not the case in Washington, D.C., which was largely shut down on Saturday morning by a blizzard when the president headed to the Capital Hilton Hotel to rev up a gathering of the Democratic National Committee.
The short ride from the White House was not without glitches. First, a couple of the 15 or so vehicles in the presidential motorcade had a hard time getting up the icy White House driveway. Then an ambulance that was accompanying the group had a slight fender-bender accident with one of the SUVs. As the cars approached White House grounds on the return trip, a tree branch fell on the same vehicle that had been scraped earlier, momentarily blocking the way.
Obama had serious things on his mind, such as healthcare and financial reform, as he spoke to a Democratic Party that has becoming increasingly concerned about the shifting tides of public opinion ahead of November’s Congressional elections. But the weather was an unavoidable topic.
“Good to be among friends so committed to the future of this party and his country that they’re willing to brave a blizzard — Snowmaggedon right here in D.C.,” he said.
For more Reuters political news, click here.
Photo credit: Reuters/Jason Reed (A fresh layer of snow covers the grounds at the White House in Washington, February 3, 2010, following an overnight winter storm.)
Washington blizzard finally gets respect from ‘flinty’ Obama
President Barack Obama, who famously chided Washington for not being “flinty” enough in dealing with snow compared with his hometown Chicago, isn’t scoffing any more as a winter storm threatens to dump up to 30 inches on the U.S. capital this weekend.
“I think even a transplanted Hawaiian to Chicago has sufficient respect for a forecast of nearly two feet of snow,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters as snowflakes fluttered against the window of his West Wing office.
Midwesterners like Obama like to brag how tough they are in winter weather compared with their East Coast brethren. That said, Gibbs noted the president was not going to have to shovel the White House’s many paths, although he allowed that the Obama daughters Sasha and Malia might well play in the drifts or get out the First Family’s sled.
Washingtonians, whose city is far enough south to rarely face this sort of severe winter weather, do not deal well with snow. Schools shut after only a smattering of snow gathers on the ground – which was the basis for Obama’s original complaint – and traffic descends quickly into chaos.
“Being from Alabama, I am happy to inform you I will be getting off the road and watching you all try to drive,” Gibbs said.
For more Reuters political news, click here
Photo credit: Reuters/Molly Riley
Washington Irony Alert!
Washington D.C. is usually known as a town that takes itself very seriously. You know, policy, politics, money, relieved by the occasional scandal. President Barack Obama appears to be doing his part to alleviate this metropolitan irony deficiency.
As morning TV showed closed airports, closed schools, snarled traffic and grumpy commuters and holiday travelers, there was video from the White House showing First Dog Bo frolicking in the snow left from a massive weekend storm.
But Obama didn’t stop there. His official schedule has him delivering remarks on making government more efficient and effective. Who doesn’t want that? It’s only slightly ironic that the federal government is closed today, thanks to the snow piled up all over the place, most notably on the city streets.
It shouldn’t be too much of a problem for the Obama family. Even though the president said the other day that a White House covered in white made him feel at home — he’s used to Chicago’s mega-snows — he’s expected to head to Hawaii this week for the holidays.
For more Reuters political news click here.
Photo credit: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst (White-covered White House, December 20, 2009)
Obama feels at home in eye of winter storm
While the rest of Washington dug itself out of the area’s most severe winter storm in years, the residents of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue found the deeply drifting snow much to their liking as it blanketed the White House.
“I am from Chicago, so let me first say that with the place where I live covered with snow I’m finally starting to feel like home,” President Barack Obama told reporters for a hastily summoned White House statement on climate change and healthcare reform. Up to 20 inches of snow is forecast for the capital area Saturday, sharply restricting travel as airlines canceled flights and public transport was shut down. This also brings to mind Obama’s previous recommendation that the locals need to develop some mid-western fortitude toward the weather, after he complained Washingtonians need some “flinty Chicago toughness” after his two daughters’ school closed down after a 2-inch snowfall in January.
Photo credit: Reuters/Jason Reed)
WEll very interesting commentary by General. I have one question….Is The Messiah coming?!
The First Draft: another day, another $30 billion
It’s not yet 9:00 on a Monday morning, and the federal government has already dumped another $30 billion into the tottering financial system. The money goes to insurer American International Group Inc., which just announced a fourth-quarter loss of $61.7 billion — the largest quarterly loss in corporate history.
For those keeping score at home, U.S. taxpayers have now pumped $180 billion into AIG.
Some good news: consumer spending and incomes rose in January, buoyed by salary increases for government employees.
The government will open two hours later in Washington as commuters cope with up to 10 inches of snow. DC residents awaiting more pooh-poohing from their president, who like many northerners is not impressed with the panic that accompanies snowflakes in Washington.
Obama is expected to name Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as his health secretary today. Sebelius will play a key role in Obama’s efforts to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system, but as the New York Times points out, she didn’t have much luck with that in her home state.
The Senate begins debate on a spending bill that includes a measure that could make it easier to travel to Cuba.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in Egypt for a conference about rebuilding the war-torn Gaza Strip, has said no U.S. funds will go to Hamas, the Islamist group that holds power there.
sebelius will always be a” red rag to a bull”to christian conservatives because of her support for the doctor in her state that was carrying out all the late term abortions nick named” hiller the killer”.he also donated a significant amount to her campaign as well.
Pay tribute to Al Gore, the father of the global warming hoax, by sending “Fraudster the Snowman” (http://politickles.com/blog/?p=4008) to all your friends.