McCain Turns Back on Climate Bill

Three weeks ago, Sen. John McCain said, ""I hope that [the Climate Security Act] will be passed, and I hope that the entire Congress will join in supporting it and the president of the United States would sign it."

Then today, McCain announced a 180 on the bill, saying he won't even bother to show up for the vote:

While Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has made action on climate change a central theme in his campaign, he won't be on hand to vote next week when the Senate considers a landmark bill imposing mandatory limits on greenhouse gases.

In a press conference late Wednesday afternoon, McCain said he did not support the bill sponsored by two of his closest allies, Sens. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) and John Warner (R-Va.) because it doesn't offer enough aid to the nuclear industry, and he would not come to the floor to vote on it.

After McCain's speech three weeks ago, I criticized Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope for comparing McCain to President Bush on climate change. The organic egg is on my face. Carl was right.

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