The journalists on MSNBC and CNN on Tuesday continued to be annoyed that Donald Trump hasn’t connected Hurricanes Harvey and Irma to global warming. MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle offered a snide aside in a story on Pope Francis. She began,“ In the wake of Hurricane Irma, Pope Francis is criticizing climate change deniers.”
Going off script, Ruhle mocked the head of Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency: “You hear that, Scott Pruitt?” The co-anchor continued, “Speaking to reporters as he flew over devastated areas in the Caribbean, the Pope warned history will judge the world leaders who do not act.”
While relating the damage from Irma, CNN’s Dave Briggs connected, “That's the second record breaking hurricane in weeks. Climate change back in focus but the White House won't draw a connection between global warming and this outbreak of wild weather.”
Of course, it was 12 years in between Hurricane Katrina and Harvey. Does that gap negate the proof for a climate connection?
On Monday, both ABC and CBS freaked out over a possible connection between the storms and global warming.
During live coverage this weekend, MSNBC hosts fretted that there’s not enough climate change talk. Host Ali Velshi described Irma as the “perfect time” to have a warming discussion.
Transcripts of the two moments on MSNBC and CNN can be found below:
MSNBC Live
9/12/17
9:31STEPHANIE RUHLE: In the wake of Hurricane Irma, Pope Francis is criticizing climate change deniers. You hear that, Scott Pruitt? Speaking to reporters as he flew over devastated areas in the Caribbean, the Pope warned history will judge the world leaders who do not act.
Early Start
9/12/17
5:30amCHRISTINE ROMANS: Florida Keys facing years of rebuilding after a devastating blow from Irma. The damage we see is simply awful. There are areas still inaccessible. Power is out, the roads are impassable. New power outage numbers overnight. We have complete coverage.
DAVE BRIGGS: That's the second record breaking hurricane in weeks. Climate change back in focus but the White House won't draw a connection between global warming and this outbreak of wild weather.
