NBC Reporters Thrilled U.S. In 'Position of Strength'...On Climate Change

Published: 9/23/2014 4:07 PM ET

Senior News Analyst

On her 12 p.m. ET hour MSNBC show on Tuesday, host and NBC chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell, along with chief environmental affairs correspondent Anne Thompson, gushed over President Obama's effort to push the climate change agenda. Mitchell touted how Obama "will be delivering remarks at the United Nations Climate Action Summit" and "is expected to call on world leaders to follow the U.S. lead on climate change..."

Thompson praised the White House: "I think what you do see is the United States is now coming from a position of strength. The Obama administration has set out a climate action plan, it has promised – it has got an agreement with the auto companies to double fuel efficiency by the year 2025. It is going to reduce carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants, oil power plants by 30%." [Listen to the audio]

Mitchell cheered the climate change protest in New York City ahead of the U.N. summit: "And what is also so extraordinary was some said 400,000 people marching for climate change action-" Thompson interjected: "I was there." Mitchell continued: "I'm sure you were – this weekend. And there are protests down on Wall Street and also the moms protesting. Tell me about that group."

Sounding more like an activist than a journalist, Thompson proclaimed: "Americans are living climate change in real time...there were a lot of moms out there....And the mothers are concerned because they see not just what's happening today, but they fear for their children."

Mitchell did raise the issue that the U.S. push to reduce carbon emissions "isn't going to matter as long as China is growing at 10% and polluting like crazy..."

Thomspon declared: "Someone has to lead....if the United States can do it, maintain it's position as a world super power, continue to grow it's economy, have a high standard of living, you mean to tell me that China and India aren't going to try to do the same thing?"

Here is a full transcript of the September 23 segment:

12:48 PM ET

ANDREA MITCHELL: And we're waiting now for President Obama, will be delivering remarks at the United Nations Climate Action Summit. The President is expected to call on world leaders to follow the U.S. lead on climate change and pledge new help to struggling nations. Joining me now is NBC's chief environmental affairs correspondent, Anne Thompson.

ANNE THOMPSON: Hi, welcome to New York.

MITCHELL: It's so good to see you. Thank you. It's a good excuse to come and visit with you.

THOMPSON: It's good to have you here.

MITCHELL: But you are the resident expert. When I see people talking about the U.S. lead, I think back to Copenhagen and past summits when the U.S. blinked and really didn't show a whole lot of leadership. So now they're claiming that the White House is doing a whole lot more.

THOMPSON: Here's the difference. In 2009, the world wondered, is the U.S. really committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions? I think one of the surprising things about the Obama administration is that he has, it has been committed to doing something about climate change. In fact, he said it would be a priority of his second term. Clearly just look at today's news, I mean, it got blown off the front page of any newspaper because of the strikes in Syria.

But I think what you do see is the United States is now coming from a position of strength. The Obama administration has set out a climate action plan, it has promised – it has got an agreement with the auto companies to double fuel efficiency by the year 2025. It is going to reduce carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants, oil power plants by 30%. These are the kinds of actions that the United States is doing at home, it can say to the rest of the world, "Look, we can do it, so we can help you do it." And I think that's the tone you're going to hear the President strike today.

MITCHELL: And what is also so extraordinary was some said 400,000 people marching for climate change action-

THOMPSON: I was there.

MITCHELL: I'm sure you were – this weekend. And there are protests down on Wall Street and also the moms protesting. Tell me about that group.

THOMPSON: I think, Andrea, I think what you saw, and again, to go back to 2009, the difference is now that Americans are living climate change in real time. And that's what – there were a lot of moms out there. What struck me about Sunday is that it was such a family affair. And the mothers are concerned because they see not just what's happening today, but they fear for their children.

I talked to a mom from California, she wants 100% clean energy. That would dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. I talked to another mom from Maine, they are seeing in the Gulf of Maine the species that are there are changing. They're seeing more jellyfish. Jellyfish show up because the water is warmer. And it's not just happening in Maine, it's happening all around the world.

You see other moms who are protesting fracking. Now fracking, which gets – here in the east gets natural gas out and natural gas has fewer emissions, carbon emissions, than coal, so to burn it for electricity it's a good thing. But the problem with fracking is what it does to the environment when you get that natural gas out of the ground.

And so all these things, people are now feeling the impacts of climate change in 2014 in a way that we didn't in 2009.

MITCHELL: And we've had such extreme weather events, and whether it's cause and effect, it makes people think that this is more imminent.

What do you say to people who say whatever you do here with car – reducing car emissions, isn't going to matter as long as China is growing at 10% and polluting like crazy and using coal. And it's a global problem and why should we sacrifice or change our lifestyle if they're not going to?

THOMPSON: Someone has to lead. And you're absolutely right, if the United States does all of this and China and India, which are the other two big emitters of carbon, don't do something, then – I was talking to somebody yesterday, they're like, what's the point? But the key is if the United States can do it, maintain it's position as a world super power, continue to grow it's economy, have a high standard of living, you mean to tell me that China and India aren't going to try to do the same thing?

MITCHELL: And it'll drive technology for solutions.

THOMPSON: Right, exactly. This is going to be, I think, more than a government-based solution, it's going to be a market-based solution. Because once green energy becomes more affordable than coal, why are you going to burn coal? Why won't you go to solar and wind and water?

MITCHELL: Anne Thompson, that's why we love seeing you. Thank you so much.

THOMPSON: I'm so glad you're here. That's the only good thing about U.N. week, as far as I'm concerned.

MITCHELL: Thank you. It's certainly not the traffic.

THOMPSON: No.

MITCHELL: We will be carrying the President's climate change address to the U.N. live coming up next.