The following is Part II of an unedited excerpt from Wedesday night's vice-presidential debate between Sen. Kamala Harris and V.P. Mike Pence, with USA Today's Susan Page as moderator. It is forwarded as a public service to provide you with a clear understanding of the Trump administration's thinking (sic) about climate change. It is particularly enlightening because it provides a definitive answer to the question of whether the Trump administration believes climate change is an existential threat to our planet. It also is a further demonstration of Trump Lite's debate strategy of ignoring the rules and hogging the microphone to give the opponent less air-time.
Susan Page:
Senator Harris just said that climate change is an existential threat. Vice President Pence, do you believe that climate change poses an existential threat?
Mike Pence: (02:09)
As I said, Susan, the climate is changing. We'll follow the science. But once again, Senator Harris is denying the fact that they're going to raise taxes on every American. Joe Biden said twice in the debate last week, that on day one, he was going to repeal the Trump tax cuts. Those tax cuts delivered $2,000 in tax relief to the average family of four across America. And with regard to banning fracking, I just recommend that people look at the record. You yourself said repeatedly that you would ban fracking. You were the first Senate co-sponsor of the Green New Deal. And while Joe Biden denied the green new deal, Susan, thank you for pointing out. The Green New Deal is on their campaign website.
Mike Pence: (02:54)
And as USA TODAY said, it's essentially the same plan as you co-sponsored with AOC when she submitted it in the Senate. And you just heard the Senator say that she's going to resubmit America to the Paris climate accord. Look, the American people have always cherished our environment and will continue to cherish it. We've made great progress reducing CO2 emissions through American innovation and the development of natural gas through fracking. We don't need a massive $2 trillion Green New Deal that would impose all new mandates on American businesses and American families.
Susan Page: (03:30)
Thank you.
Mike Pence: (03:30)
Joe Biden wants us to retrofit-
Susan Page: (03:32)
Thank you Vice President Pence.
Mike Pence: (03:32)
Four million business-
Susan Page: (03:34)
Thank you Vice President Pence.
Mike Pence: (03:35)
Buildings. It makes no sense. It will cost jobs. President Trump-
Susan Page: (03:39)
Thank you Vice President Pence.
Mike Pence: (03:40)
He's going to put America first. He's going to put jobs first and we're going to take care of our environment and follow the science.
Susan Page: (03:45)
Thank you Vice President-
Elapsed time: One minute, thirty-one seconds of more malarkey
The full transcript is available here.