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EPA Uproar Highlights Obama's Tight Spot on Environment
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Chris Stirewalt, Ford O'Connell and Doug Thornell discuss the EPA scandal
- Duration 7:50
- Date Apr 27, 2012
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Progress to report.
Its investments and some -- the clean energy to -- hundreds of thousands of jobs and -- we get from wind and solar energy.
Patients instead of the one that we -- fuel economy for passenger cars like point one -- Cut greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles.
There's more than 8000 dollars and plus the -- it's been in sixteen years.
I'm an average two point six million fewer barrels we'll -- patrolling products every day.
Are you are you an environmentalist for Obama well if you were -- you already know that that is the tailor made message that the president -- for his constituency of environmentalists.
Touting.
-- Administration's efforts these are these solar panels wind turbines electric cars and all of that good stuff.
And this is how are quite welcome back Internet and here's the problem.
For the president as it relates his reelection campaign in the environment.
We were just talking in the previous segment about.
Slice and dice.
Micro targeted strategy that they're using one of those subgroups of the president is very interested in keeping a hold of or environmentalist he wants and giving money he wants them involved he wants them active.
But at the same time in his outreach especially in the Rust Belt in states that were very tough.
For the Democrats in 2010.
He doesn't want to be seen as a guy who is some sort of an environmental crusader it's a tough spot so let's see how it's going to affect.
That -- presidential election helping us to do that welcome back -- -- now he's -- former spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee he was right hand guy to Chris van Holland he's democratic strategist and again we'll -- -- treated with Mary -- and dvd.
Also PPD is Ford O'Connell he's chairman of -- -- back if Republican strategist.
They both love America out what makes the show gentlemen.
Great to be here always great to be okay good he's one -- she was always OK guys so the question is this.
And buster was you don't get so the president is trying to hit the sweet spot here.
The EPA.
Not really helping him out because he's trying to say.
Here's a sensible approach he's gonna fight global warming but he's gonna do it in ways that are bad for the economy my and then this guy from the -- you remember this guy that comes out and says that he's a Roman century and -- defying.
Oil and gas corporation spread because the president hit this week's -- Well I think the president hasn't has a pretty good record on the environment also on energy I mean that the attacks from the right on the EPA and -- on the president's environmental record are kind of things that aren't surprising it's something that that Republican -- been doing for quite a long time.
To -- you look at the president's record though compared to George Bush at a very similar point in time in there in their administrations.
Bush actually is approved 5% more.
Regulations in the president so.
-- and that's a Bloomberg study that was done several months ago is that true yeah I had a right here 5% more does it quite a visit qualifier -- by the -- because.
Maybe he was rewriting existing regulations is that possible well I mean it was.
Did the study looked at overall regulations they looked at.
And they looked at also the effect on the economy I think the other thing about the EPA to remember.
Is that you offer a -- movement there once upon a time the EPA was not some demonize -- and I want -- read your quote.
Which says.
-- yeah I thought it.
That I -- -- that -- is preservation of our environment is not a liberal or conservative challenge its common sense.
Though this is -- time the budget constraints I -- requested for EPA one of the largest percentage budget increases of any agency.
Guess -- that was Ronald Reagan video never ordered it's okay here's my only point I think first of all if you look at although the at the end I think that if you look at.
What the president has done on the environment it's a good record on fuel efficiency standards.
On drilling you know we're joined more than we ever have but.
He -- have to thread a needle with places like Ohio and Michigan and make it look as though that it is -- is I think it is.
Romney has has an issue with suburban voters and women who really do like protecting environment so I think it's and it's going to be -- it's going to be a juggling act.
Yeah energy is going to be the president's Achilles heel if he loses in November.
Because some of his environmental regulations are actually causing the -- our guest works okay that's gases -- to just update now radio.
Let's just say four dollars just for the sake of port through it will simulate 387.
Exactly going down it's going to -- -- well.
Taxes and basically environment regulations and finding regulations -- -- that can only sense you know they're in the gas price market -- whether or not people eat.
Okay and also -- regulations are hurting small business so frankly people don't see your way out of their current situation the presence gonna wind up losing because he's really basically pushing.
-- form of environment environmental -- Why I -- fellow of environmental.
There I think -- and I lose and Ronald Reagan may have been doing the same so.
I think -- the larger issues you're right energy is going to be a big debate point during this campaign I think if you look at the overall economy if if you look at the last two years four point one million private sector jobs 25 straight months of from a private sector job growth you among many of the jobs that -- lost over the course administration weren't due to regulation.
But -- give him.
-- if you if you would allow me outer I would say this.
And -- wanna get your reaction you have a president who who consistently in polls.
-- registered voters in this.
I do Wall Street Journal Washington -- there's broad agreement on this point something like 40% of the electorate thinks that he's too liberal.
-- and they they attach that to him.
And at -- time of economic uncertainty and the president himself said it in the Rolling Stone interview where he said look people quit caring about global warming.
Because they couldn't find a job and those those attitudes are luxury attitudes that you can have if you have a good income.
Should the president.
Deal with this EPA -- the -- fire -- fire him should he do something about the EPA to make a statement in Ohio to make a statement in Michigan and Wisconsin Pennsylvania say.
I'm taking this seriously and I don't want any bad actors -- -- when he wrote it.
So yes in the last I think in September he there was a small rule -- -- those going to affect and he stopped that.
You know he has approved a number of different drilling -- so you know I think I think that he -- look the key thing for the president thinks he's going to be able he's gonna have to -- balanced.
His his commitment to.
To protecting the environment -- sending a message to folks in Pennsylvania and Ohio and other parts of the country where coal and oil are reportedly just let me -- All are important and and so that they're comfortable with his positions right now I don't see that there.
And we gotta you gotta you gotta fire because basically people aren't that you know you say Michelle yeah people think that the president isn't doing everything he can do in this sort of statement writer long goes to that sort of notion and Martin the American voter and basically small lineup -- exactly what here's the thing I actually don't agree with the fact that the public is blaming the president right now for high gas prices I think there's going going all out now they are not -- it depends on really what poll you look at.
And it's not affecting his approval rating and he if you he could be happy if -- if gas prices were lower he might be at that everything is he would be 53 gives right now I'm just telling you -- -- that he was doing everything he can do is his numbers I don't think it I don't think anyone thinks that and everyone that people in Washington are doing everything they.
Think that it felt that if I -- as though we we will also stimulate Internet that you don't think we're doing a very good job here in town we know that guy that's why we try harder here on power -- guys I stick around Israel and take a quick break there when we come back we're gonna talk about the -- of labor unions.
As we reach an inflection point in the battle between organized -- the Republicans and Democrats all of that good stuff so stick around.
