Obama rallies black activists to confront climate change

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) said Friday that the negative consequences of climate change would disproportionately affect black and poor Americans.

Obama, the only Senate member of the Congressional Black Caucus, held a two-hour-long forum titled, “Climate Change: Are we ready yet?” during a forum at the CBC’s Annual Legislative Conference in Washington.

{mosads}Earlier Friday morning, CBC Chairwoman Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-Mich.) hosted Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) to discuss issues facing young minority voters in 2008. The dueling events caused some grumbling among black lawmakers who felt Kilpatrick was using her position as CBC chairwoman to aid Clinton’s presidential bid.

Presidential politics were mostly absent from Obama’s forum.

The discussion centered largely on how minorities are affected by climate change, and solutions to inner-city environmental issues.

“[Minorities] are more threatened by heat waves, storms and floods, more likely to live near sources of dirty energy,” Obama told a room of several hundred black political activists.

Obama said many people asked him in the wake of Hurricane Katrina whether racism was involved in the federal government’s slow response.

“The incompetence was colorblind,” Obama said. “Whoever was thinking about these issues assumed people could get into their SUVs, put some Perrier in the back, check into a hotel with a credit card. There was no thought as to who was left behind.”

Obama added, “The poor and dispossessed disproportionately [will be] left behind. Refugees will be black and brown people around the world.”

Clinton drew a packed audience, including many college-aged and young activists. Obama’s crowd appeared to be older, but the room was just as packed.

Veronica Johnson, meteorologist for NBC Channel 4 in Washington, was the moderator for the event. Texas state Sen. Rodney Ellis (D-Texas), several scientists and activists, and Lawrence Bender, who produced Al Gore’s film, “An Inconvenient Truth,” spoke about environmental justice issues during the forum.

Van Jones, president of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, joked that he was cursed having to follow Obama’s opening remarks. But in minutes he had fired up the audience in a rousing call to fight global warming.

“I think you had no problem following Barack Obama,” Johnson said.

“I feel sorry for the next guy,” Obama joked.

Explaining that proposals for curbing carbon emissions would cost businesses, which then would pass those costs along to consumers, Obama addressed the presidential race in a backhanded way when asked if he had a plan to combat global warming.

“The next president is going to make a very bold proposal … do not say you were not warned,” Obama said.

He also criticized the president, saying, “Bush is so upset about Iran, but he doesn’t do anything to curb the price of gasoline, which [enriches] Iran.”

The CBC’s confab featured some Hollywood star power. The actor Lou Gossett Jr., attended Obama’s forum.

Obama and Clinton were mobbed by well wishers, photograph seekers, and the reporters following their appearances. Both shook hands and posed for photos before leaving the convention center.

Scores of other lawmakers held their own forums, called “brain trusts.”

Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, led a discussion about criminal justice. Rep. Diane Watson (D-Calif.) held a panel for celebrities who also are social activists. Rep. Donald Payne (D-N.J.) held a four-hour-long discussion on U.S. foreign policy toward Africa.