CNN’s Tapper: Republican party ‘acts as if climate change is not real’

CNN anchor Jake Tapper said the Republican party “acts as if climate change is not real” in an interview with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Sunday.

The commentary came as Hurricane Irma slammed into south Florida during Tapper’s Sunday political affairs program, “State of the Union.”

{mosads}”As it hits Florida, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the fact that many experts say that the storm is more intense because of climate change,” Tapper said to the 2008 Republican presidential nominee during an interview. 

“Back in 2012 when Superstorm Sandy hit, your daughter Meghan McCain tweeted, ‘So are we still going to go with climate change not being real, fellow Republicans?’ “

John McCain has called for curbing greenhouse gas emissions and co-sponsored cap-and-trade bills in the past, including a 2007 bill co-sponsored by with then-Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

“The Republican Party, as you know, generally speaking, acts as if climate change is not real,” Tapper continued. “There are exceptions, you, your daughter, Meghan, the Republican mayor of Miami. But generally speaking, the president, the governor of Florida, et cetera, act as if it’s not real even though the overwhelming scientific consensus is that it’s real and it’s man made.”

“I don’t know because I can’t define their motives,” replied McCain. “But I know that there are things happening with the climate in the world that is unprecedented.