“If every great cause requires an even greater villain, Democratic greens have found one in Sarah Palin…

“‘Before Sarah Palin writes a book, she should try reading a few,’ said Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.), who followed up with a series of peer-reviewed reports on rising sea levels, air temperatures and ocean acidity.

“Palin’s position is ‘worse than one of denial – it’s one of defeatism,’ added Inslee, echoing earlier comments by former Vice-President Al Gore…

“Asked if Obama should stand up to Palin personally, Inslee shot back: ‘There are those in the birther movement encouraged by the former governor of Alaska who don’t even believe he’s president.'”

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“Don’t be fooled about climate science. In April, 1994 — long after scientists had clearly demonstrated the addictive quality and devastating health impacts of cigarette smoking — seven chief executives of major tobacco companies denied the evidence, swearing under oath that nicotine was not addictive.

“Now, the American public is again being subjected to those kinds of denials, this time about global climate change. While former Alaska governor Sarah Palin wrote in her Dec. 9 op-ed that she did not deny the ‘reality of some changes in climate,’ she distorted the clear scientific evidence that Earth’s climate is changing, largely as a result of human behaviors. She also badly confused the concepts of daily weather changes and long-term climate trends when she wrote that ‘while we recognize the occurrence of these natural, cyclical environmental trends, we can’t say with assurance that man’s activities cause weather changes.’ Her statement inaccurately suggests that short-term weather fluctuations must be consistent with long-term climate patterns. And it is the long-term patterns that are a cause for concern.”

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