Democratic candidates generally don't have much to fear from interviews on National Public Radio, but Morning Edition anchor Steve Inskeep raised our eyebrows by pushing Beto O'Rourke a bit on Friday on what people will be forced to give up under liberal climate-change policies. The liberal media often focus on the Impending Crisis, and then go light on how liberals would crack down on "bad" behaviors.
Online, the interview carried an "idealistic" headline:
Beto O'Rourke Calls For A 'Moonshot' To Combat Climate Change
But the moonshot comment wasn't included in the on-air interview. Online, they reported O'Rourke told NPR "We've called for ... an investment commensurate with John F. Kennedy's moonshot."
STEVE INSKEEP: You've compared the challenges of now to the Greatest Generation challenges of the Depression and World War II, which was a time of sacrifice.
BETO O'ROURKE: Absolutely.
INSKEEP: When you talk to scientists about what would be necessary to get to zero carbon emissions, they often talk about people having to change their daily behaviors. Drive an electric car. That's not such a bad change. Live in a smaller house. People might feel uncomfortable with that. Have fewer children. Eat less meat. Are you not going to demand any sacrifice from anyone in order to get to zero carbon emissions?
O'ROURKE: Yeah. We're going to have to make an investment as a country. It is not going to necessarily be easy. Here's our generation's opportunity to meet a true existential threat of this moment. And I'm confident that that's going to bring out the absolute best in us -- nothing to be afraid of, something to meet head on and to overcome and to do it together.
Inskeep asked about Texas oil, but O'Rourke said Oil is Done-zo:
INSKEEP: Your state's big industry -- oil -- is going to be fine?
O'ROURKE: My state's big industry is going to have to transition into its other big industry. We generate more wind power than any other state in the union. As we free ourselves from that dependence on fossil fuels, we're going to see more of my fellow Texans and fellow Americans transition into renewable energy jobs; high-demand, high-skill, high-wage occupations.
Then the host went back to sacrifice:
INSKEEP: Are you not going to tell anyone in America, you just need to live in a little smaller house? It needs to be closer to work. And therefore, it's going to have to be smaller. You might want to think about having your third kid.
O'ROURKE: As president, I'm not going to tell you what kind of home that you live in or what you're going to have for dinner, but I hope to inspire you to do everything within your power to meet the greatest challenge that we have ever faced with the knowledge that if we fail to do that, to make every use of American innovation and service and, yes, sacrifice over the next 10 years, then the fires and the storms and the floods and the droughts that we see right now will pale in comparison to what our kids and grandkids experience.
The media should definitely press the Democratic candidates to make explicit policy pitches about how much Americans would have to sacrifice if they believe we're truly in danger of planetary death in 12 years.
