Is Jon Stewart a Climate Skeptic? Daily Show Host Talks Global Warming with EPA's Lisa Jackson (VIDEO)
by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York 
on 05.15.09
Photo via Wild Bluff Media
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson was on the Daily Show last night, where she and Jon Stewart talked about climate change, discussed the agency's ruling that it could regulate CO2, and of course, shared some laughs about Bush's ineptitude. Jackson was affable and informative, but the most interesting revelation of the interview was probably Stewart's take on climate change. He said he "believes in global warming," but (albeit humorously) questions its severity, and appears to believe that man shouldn't attempt to control carbon emissions. Could Jon Stewart be a climate skeptic? Watch the video after the jump, and decide for yourself.
Lisa Jackson on the Daily Show:
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | M - Th 11p / 10c | |||
| Lisa P. Jackson | ||||
| ||||
Hearing Stewart say "Our guest tonight is the EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson" reminded me of a topic that's come up around TreeHugger's water cooler--isn't it about time the head of the EPA got a sexier title? "EPA Administrator" is pretty damn dull . . . then again, I guess 'czars' are pretty much played out by now, and "Secretary of __" isn't much better. But I digress . . .
Obviously, much of that was played for laughs. But Stewart does show a distinct lack of conviction in how severe a problem climate change is in the way he discusses the topic. It even seems that there might be an even greater skepticism lurking in the popular liberal host--he stops short of saying that global warming isn't man made, but note how he seems incredulous that man could control his carbon output. Which are really two sides of the same coin: if man is creating a problem with his excessive carbon emissions, he should have the power to curb them, right? Anyone else get that, or am I just reading too far into things here?
He's obviously not denying climate change, but we could certainly use respected public icons (especially those that have such a capacity to connect to the youth demographic) like Stewart engaging the massively important issue with a little more conviction . . .
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More on Lisa Jackson and the EPA
TreeHugger Talks to Lisa Jackson, EPA Chief on New EPA, Youth, CO2: "We Have a Moment" [Video]
Obama EPA Head Nominee Lisa Jackson Says She'll Put Science Back Into the Agency
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