Obama is poison to Al Gore
Posted: April 18, 2009, 7:24 PM by Lawrence Solomon

Climate change skepticism has soared under Obama's presidency, with only one
third of American likely voters now blaming humans for climate change,
according to a Rasmussen poll released today. In contrast, 48% believe that
long term planetary trends are responsible, 7% blame other non-man-made
factors, and 11% aren’t sure.

The plummeting support for Al Gore’s thesis – the lowest ever – is a
complete reversal from one year ago, when 47% blamed humans and only 34% saw
long-term planetary trends as the culprits.

The rise in climate change scepticism, and decline in pinning the blame on
humans, tracks Obama’s assumption of power. In December, one month after his
defeat of John McCain in the presidential race, the number of Americans who
blamed people dropped to 43%. By February, the figure had dropped to 38% and
it now rests at 34%

Why has Al Gore’s position lost so much credibility with the American
public? While the Rasmussen poll does not explore this question, two Obama
factors could be at play.

First, public hostility toward George Bush and the Republicans likely
expressed itself in part as hostility toward global warming scepticism, with
which Bush and the Republicans were identified. As soon as the Republicans
lost power, many in the public lost their fervour in opposing climate change
scepticism.

Second, the recession, combined with proposals from the new Obama
administration to start taxing carbon in one form or another, gave the
public new reason to question whether carbon dioxide really is the demon
that climate change doomsayers claim. Upon investigation, the public would
have found little to support the doomsayer case.