Newt Gingrich to John Kerry: Resign
Updated 6:44 p.m. ET, 2/18/2014
Washington (CNN) - Newt Gingrich is amplifying his call for Secretary of State John Kerry to resign over his comments that climate change represents the biggest challenge “of our generation.”
"I think it's very troubling that our secretary of state … believes that climate change is a greater danger than a nuclear war," Gingrich said Tuesday in an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on “The Situation Room.”
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The CNN Crossfire co-host and former House speaker took to Twitter on Monday night, writing that "Every American who cares about national security must.demand Kerrey's (sic) resignation.A delusional secretary of state is dangerous to our safety."
Gingrich said he was “quite prepared to defend the argument that nuclear war is a far bigger threat to our society than is climate change.”
On Sunday, Kerry delivered one of the strongest speeches on climate change by any American official while visiting Indonesia, which has lost more than 40% of its tropical forests that store carbon absorbed from the atmosphere.
Kerry said "climate change can now be considered another weapon of mass destruction, perhaps the world's most fearsome weapon of mass destruction." He also called it "the greatest challenge of our generation."
Gingrich added in his CNN interview that Kerry was not a senator just giving “some wild speech to please the left,” noting that the top U.S. diplomat should be held to a "higher level of seriousness."
CNN has reached out to the State Department for reaction to Gingrich's comments.
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- Untitled
You are all missing the point. Regardless of one's views on climate change, to equate it to terrorism is absurdity at the highest level, and coming from the Secretary of State is dangerous.
Time to break out Bill Nye to speak with Newt. Global warming is happening is it an emergency right now, I'm not sure.
Too bad you didn't resign when you were the delusional speaker of the house. They had to kick you out.
Do a search like "Nancy Pelosi and Newt Gingrich commercial on climate change", and you will see how credible is this guy...
"Global Warming"? I haven't heard anything so ridiculous since the Democrats asserted that Dinosauer's used to roam the planet.
If they did, how come there weren't any on the Arc, huh? Come on, answer me that you silly Democrats! Can't can you? What a disappointing party – and they STILL haven't shown me the Birth Certificate!
Global warming isn't happening fast enough for me. It's going to be good for some and not so good fr others. What's more...It's meant to be... so embrace it. Change change change.
Another pompous decree from Newt. If only a melting glarical rock would fall on his pseudo intellectual head.
Mr. Gingrich is delusional and doesn't understand the full impact of rising oceans, floods, extreme cold/hot weather fluctuations. He should read history of climate on earth and understand how it worked in past decades before tweeting. One who claims ignorance is playing with future of our generations.
Climate change is a long term threat and affects the entire planet. There are few challenges that face all of us on this little sphere that have more dire consequences. Newt calling Kerry delusional is astounding. This from a man who was going to have a moon base by the end of his term as POTUS!
Newt Gingrich~~~~ Inept Worthless Loser!
biggest challenge is an inept congress
Oh do shut up Newt.
Kerry should do his part by not flying to Indonesia on a 757. There are many smaller, more fuel efficient aircraft that are at his disposal. He is creating a larger carbon footprint on this trip than all of us posting will create in our collective lifetimes. Another example of Washington (both parties) saying do as I say, not as I do......which hurts the message.
Could someone..ANYONE.. tell me what could be threatening to the human race than climate change that has water rising just 50mm world wide, or extreme winters, summers, and storms. The answer is NOTHING could be more devastating. Look it this way, we take the advice of most climatologist and reduce our emission of green house gases and the cost of living increases 10 to 20% from doing it. We find out 20 years later they may have over exaggerated the situation and the net results a higher cost of living and a cleaner planet!!! Now, lets take Newts approach, we do as much as we can as long as it does not have ANY kind of negative impact (costs increase) on the economy. Twenty years pass, the storms, droughts, floods, and smog increases considerably over that period of time and THEN the light comes over and they believe. The only problem is it may take 50 years to reverse the damage done those twenty. Frankly to me it's foolish not to act now.
Why won't this man just go away, why does he have a platform to speak, why do we as American continue to have these old guys speak for us, speak on our behalf. Just go Away and live the rest of your annoying life.
America is still suffering from newt,s contract on the middle class from the 80s
soon as i see newtwit,i change channel
Bill Cassara
You are all missing the point. Regardless of one's views on climate change, to equate it to terrorism is absurdity at the highest level, and coming from the Secretary of State is dangerous.
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Yeah, except Secretary Kerry DIDN'T equate climate change to terrorism. He correctly likened it to a weapon of mass destruction. In fact, the consequences of climate-related issues (wars over water, diminishing food supplies and airable land to grow food) are much further reaching than that "nuclear war" of which the lizard speaks. Additionally, climate-related issues are REALLY HAPPENING whereas a "nuclear war" while possible, isn't likely probable. However, failing to address climate change and its consequences would probably increase the likelyhood of a "nuclear war" or at least the detonation of a few "dirty bombs".
Can you say "opportunist"? That is Newt in one word – when opportune, he believes global warming to be a serious issue. On the other hand, when opportune he sees it as a hoax. Newt, honey, I ducked under my chair as a child for years hiding from those same nuclear bombs you talked about last evening and yet, here I still stand today. If we don't mind the health of our earth, no ducking and hiding will fix or stop the problem and we will all be doomed. Go away and stop being the opportunist you are – not at all a seriously intellectual person, just an opportunist who's only interest is in filling his own coffers. You disgust me!
Nuclear winter versus ocean levels rising to where Miamians need to move to Georgia to stay dry.... that's the comparison I see Kerry making ... and it meets all criteria of being a rationale statement given the increased melting we have been observing for the last 50 years at both poles and the Greenland ice sheet. So while someone may pull the trigger on a nuke, climate affects everyone, everywhere. Kerry's comments make sense to me.
Gingrich is a morally challenged professional political hack- believe in him and his opinions at your own risk.
Climate change includes nuclear war, nuclear power plant melt downs, etc. So where as Newt is, without admitting it, focusing only on a very narrow aspect of climate change. John Kerry is focusing on the bigger picture, which includes the amphibians narrow point of view.
CNN please get rid of this old flaming hypocrite. Newt is one of the main reasons that Congressional leaders have a confrontational and disrespectful attitude in Congress. He started the trend.....and he is also one of the most dishonest people who has ever been in Congress.....both personally and professionally
So, Republicans freak out about the deaths of 4 men on a mission for the CIA in Benghazi (oh, the humanities!), and politicize that literally to death with virtually no understanding of the facts and waste $65 million on Inquisition-style hearings at the hands of Mr. Issa- but the ensuing extinction of life on our planet- they don't see at all.
Record rates of extinctions, record numbers of violent storms, record heat- nope it just isn't real to them. As long as one lacky scientist in the employ of the Koch Brothers can cough out another bogus report refuting the data of 95% of reputable climate scientists, the GOP stands firmly in fantasyland.
Well, Mr. Gingrich. I suspect we humans will eventually learn just how damaging pollution is to our very
existence living as we are on this greatest of great planets we call Earth.