Toeing the "Green is Universal," corporate line,
MSNBC's Chris Matthews seemed shocked that anyone would dare
question whether climate change was real. During a discussion
about John McCain's eco-friendly rhetoric the "Hardball"
host was dismayed when conservative radio talk show host Heidi
Harris called it a move "to the left," as Matthews
decried: "You think climate change is an ideological
issue?!"
The following exchange occurred on the May 13 edition of
"Hardball:"
HEIDI HARRIS, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: But, but here's the ultimate
thing Republicans never get credit for going over to the left.
This happens all the time. They try to pander to the left.
Going a little more--
CHRIS MATTHEWS: You think climate change is, is an ideological
issue?!
HARRIS: Absolutely, absolutely I do.
MATTHEWS: It is?!
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HARRIS: And I, and I don't think you, as a Republican ever
get credit for trying to lean to the left. They still just--
MATTHEWS: Well.
HARRIS: –then, then they blast you for not holding
the conservative line.
MATTHEWS: Well there are a lot of corporations, Heidi, let
me, you have a right to your opinion. You're good at this.
But I gotta tell you something. There are a lot of U.S. corporations,
which are hardly lefty, who believe that being green is smart.
They think it's the right policy.
HARRIS: Well I think being green is, well, listen I don'
want the Earth to be dirty, believe me. But I also don't believe
that mankind and my SUV, that I'm going to get into as soon
as I leave here, is polluting the Earth to the point where
I'm going to destroy the Earth. I don't believe that, I don't
buy that.
MATTHEWS: No, not single-handedly but by the thousands maybe.
Well get yourself a Smart Car and we'll ride around it together.
—Geoffrey Dickens is the senior news analyst at the
Media Research Center.