Beto O’Rourke Warns of Climate Change Causing ‘Extinction’ at His Very First Campaign Stop
Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke warned that climate change “could, at its worst, lead to extinction” during his first campaign stop at a coffee shop in Keokuk, Iowa, on Thursday.
When asked about the Green New Deal resolution, introduced by New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in February, O’Rourke said, “I haven’t seen anything better that addresses this singular crisis we face — a crisis that could, at its worst, lead to extinction.”
Asked about the Green New Deal, O’Rourke says, “I haven’t seen anything better that addresses this singular crisis we face — a crisis that could, at its worst, lead to extinction.”
— Eric Bradner (@ericbradner) March 14, 2019
O’Rourke, a former Texas congressman, announced his presidential bid Thursday, joining a crowded Democratic field for 2020. O’Rourke lost his race against Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz last November.
Democrats want to make climate change a top issue in 2020, framing Republicans as “deniers” who oppose efforts to curb global warming and boost the economy. However, many Democrats are also looking for ways to avoid being tied to the Green New Deal, which calls for a massive expansion of government.
O’Rourke’s campaign announcement video frames climate as one of the “interconnected” crises facing the U.S., along with the economy and “democracy” itself.
“Perhaps most importantly of all, because our very existence depends on it, we can unleash the ingenuity and creativity of millions of Americans who want to ensure that we squarely confront the challenge of climate change before it’s too late,” O’Rourke said in his campaign launch video.
The Green New Deal calls for achieving “net-zero” emissions within 10 years and massively expand the welfare state. Republicans called it a “socialist” plan to take over the economy and see it as a key to winning in 2020.
The plan has been embraced by many Democrats running for president in 2020, including Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, California Sen. Kamala Harris and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
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