Political Expediency

By all accounts, Sarah Palin appears to be holding her own in her first television interview since accepting the VP slot. However, in a AP story posted a few minutes ago on Yahoo! - interestingly enough, without a byline - a new gotcha appears regarding her previous statements on global climate change:

Vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's assertion that she believes humans play a role in climate change — made in her first major interview since joining the Republican ticket — is at odds with her previous statements...

...however, in the past Palin has said she does not believe global warming is caused by human activity. She has told the Internet news site Newsmax, "A changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state, because of our location. ... I'm not one, though, who would attribute it to being man-made."

In an interview with a Fairbanks newspaper within the last year, Palin said: "I'm not an Al Gore, doom-and-gloom environmentalist blaming the changes in our climate on human activity." ABC cited the interview as being at odds with her statement.

Note, however, she's very careful with her wording:

In the ABC interview, Palin said she believes that "man's activities certainly can be contributing to the issue of global warming, climate change..." (emphasis mine)

My take? I don't think she's sold on man's alleged role in climate change but to come right out and say that at this juncture is a sure political loser. So, a little expediency.

This is one case where I hope her earlier statements are what she truly believes. I also hope that once in office, this is one issue that she and McCain will approach very, very carefully.