Got ’em again: Environmental group photobombs John Kasich and Rand Paul in New Hampshire
Republican presidential candidates visiting New Hampshire beware.
First they got Scott Walker with a fake check at a Manchester pizza place. On Wednesday the environmental group 350 Action claimed two more photobombing victims: John Kasich and Rand Paul.
While Kasich, the Ohio governor, was making a campaign stop in Hooksett, Elaine Colligan, 22 — her shirt reading “I’m with climate denier’’ — seized the moment to sneak into a photo with the presidential candidate.
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Unlike many Republicans, Kasich has said he believes that climate change is occurring.
“We can’t overreact to it and make things up, but it is something we have to recognize is a problem,’’ he told The Hill in 2012.
Colligan, a fellow with 350 Action, said that’s not enough.
“Gov. Kasich is an example of a modern-day climate denier – he smoothly says, ‘climate change is real!’ but refuses to acknowledge that to take action on climate, we need to rapidly stop digging up and burning fossil fuels,’’ she told Boston.com.
The Kasich campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
“The resounding scientific consensus is that we need to keep more than 80 percent of fossil fuel reserves in the ground to avoid a disastrous warming of the planet,’’ Colligan said. “Growing renewables is great and I’m all for it, but it’s not nearly enough. Kasich’s ‘all-of-the-above’ energy strategy is code for continuing to dig up and burn fossil fuels.’’
Colligan said 350 Action will send that message to every candidate, “regardless of party affiliation — and especially so if a candidate’s statements line up with science-denying talking points written by Exxon and Shell.’’
Later Wednesday afternoon, the group also duped Paul into a staged photo outside a diner in Manchester. The Kentucky senator has called the science behind climate change “not conclusive.’’
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In August, 350 Action tricked Scott Walker into posing in front of giant fake check addressed from the conservative mega-donor Koch Brothers to call out the Wisconsin governor for his opposition to President Barack Obama’s recently released climate change plan.
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More than 4,500 miles away from the Granite State on Wednesday, Obama was touring the Alaskan fjords — the second day of his trip to highlight the effects of climate change, which included a visit to a glacier that has receded 1.25 miles since 1815.
“This is as good of a signpost of what we’re dealing with it comes to climate change as just about anything,’’ he told The Washington Post.
Colligan said their demonstrations
lining up with the president’s trip was just a coincidence.
“The debate’s over,’’ Colligan said. “[Ninety-seven] percent of scientists and an overwhelming majority of Americans (including Republicans) agree: climate change is real, it’s caused by human activity, and it’s an urgent problem we need our leaders to solve, now.’’
2016 presidential candidates
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