Jay Inslee Turns up the Pressure on the DNC to Host a Climate Debate

by Zoya Teirstein (Grist) The Democratic National Committee sets the tone for the Democratic party every big election. Issues like healthcare and jobs have always been much higher on the organization’s list of priorities than climate change — a topic that got a total of five minutes and 27 seconds of debate time in 2016. But this presidential election is sure to be different: Scientists say we have little time to avert climate catastrophe, extreme weather chewed through swaths of the country last year, and a majority of voters are worried about climate change. The 2020 Democratic primary even has its very first climate candidate.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee is betting that he can stand out in a crowded 2020 primary by making climate change the centerpiece of his campaign. His very presence in the field, and the relative expertise with which he talks about thorny topics like nuclear energy and geoengineering, will put pressure on his rivals to clarify their own climate platforms. That is, if Inslee manages to get more than a few words in edgewise.

On Earth Day, Inslee penned an open letter to his fellow 2020 Democrats asking them to join him in asking the DNC to hold a climate debate. “This is an urgent problem, and we can’t resolve it with soundbites and one-off questions,” he wrote. The DNC, however, doesn’t seem particularly enthused about the idea. “[W]e will absolutely have these discussions during the 2020 primary process,” a spokesperson said, which is a polite way of saying, “Settle down, pipsqueak.”

But Inslee might be able to generate some momentum by double-dog daring his opponents to match his climate fervor. Already, two of them have endorsed his idea. “A DNC debate focused on climate change would show the world that America intends to lead again on this issue,” New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand told the Daily Beastin a statement last week, when Inslee first called on the DNC to host a climate debate. “I’m in!” Obama’s former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro tweeted on Monday, even though his climate record is light and a little spotty. READ MORE

Excerpt from The Hill: Environmental groups and several 2020 candidates have also called for a climate-centric debate. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) joined that chorus last week, following a similar request from Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D). READ MORE

Excerpt from Politico's Morning Energy: DEBATE TEAM: Support is growing for a presidential debate focused primarily on climate change as Democrats seek to differentiate themselves on an issue that is a top priority for the party's voters. At least five presidential candidates have endorsed the idea first proposed by Gov. Jay Inslee, and nearly two dozen Democratic lawmakers endorsed the idea in interviews last week, Pro's Anthony Adragna reports.

A climate-focused debate may force Democrats to confront disagreements over thorny issues like the role of natural gas and nuclear power in combating climate change, although some moderates say they are eager to see a wider discussion of the issue that has so far been dominated by the left.

"I actually think the politics has been pretty clouded of the Republicans portrayal of the Green New Deal as every Democrat's solution," said Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.), a member of the more centrist New Democrat Coalition who has not yet endorsed a presidential candidate. "I think the planet would be better served if we had an honest discussion about what Democrats are really talking about."

The Democratic National Committee is non-committal on the idea . And some lawmakers told Anthony they're concerned it would only reinforce internal Democratic divisions. "If you're going to try to get everybody [united], you need to be talking about all the things that people care about," said Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.). Read more.

By the way: The DNC and NBC News recently adopted a rule to evenly divide top-tier candidates across two nights in the first Democratic presidential primary debates in June. Democrats getting at least 2 percent support in the polling average will be randomly and evenly split between the two nights, which will each feature 10 candidates, POLITICO's Zach Montellaro and Steven Shepard report. READ MORE

Excerpt from The Hill: Democratic presidential hopeful and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced Wednesday that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is rebuffing his repeated entreaties for a primary debate focused on climate change.

"Today, my team received a call from the Democratic National Committee letting us know that they will not host a climate debate. Further, they explained that if we participated in anyone else's climate debate, we will not be invited to future debates," Inslee said in a statement.

"This is deeply disappointing. The DNC is silencing the voices of Democratic activists, many of our progressive partner organizations, and nearly half of the Democratic presidential field, who want to debate the existential crisis of our time. Democratic voters say that climate change is their top issue; the Democratic National Committee must listen to the grassroots of the party," Inslee added. READ MORE