(Disclaimer: La Tonique Media LLC does not represent any political ideology. While we do not espouse any political beliefs, we do seek to provide a balance perspective by incorporating voices from both sides of the political spectrum.)

By JTTC and Stepan Gauvreau

This is Part 3 of our Special Report on the last presidential debate. Please check out Part 1 (here) and Part 2 (here).

(Editorial Note: While the interpretation of the debate may be influenced by an individual’s partisan belief, we wish to provide the reader with the resources to come to their own conclusions. In an effort to do this, a transcript of the debate can be found (here) and a video recording of it can be found below.)

Climate Change

MODERATOR TOPIC QUESTION: “You both have very different visions on climate change. President Trump, you say that environmental regulations have hurt jobs in the energy sector, Vice President Biden, you have said you see addressing climate change as an opportunity to create new jobs. For each of you, how would you both combat climate change and support job growth at the same time?”

TRUMP (answered first):

• “So, we have the trillion trees program, we have so many different programs, I do love the environment, but what I want is that cleanest crystal clear water, the cleanest air.”

• “I took us out [of the Paris Climate Accord] because we were going to have to spend trillions of dollars and we were treated very unfairly. When they put us in there, they did us a great disservice, they were going to take away our businesses. I will not sacrifice tens of millions of jobs, thousands and thousands of companies because of the Paris Accord, it was so unfair.”

• “We are energy independent for the first time. We don't need all of these countries that we had to fight war over because we needed their energy. We are energy independent.”

BIDEN:

• “Because what it does, it will create millions of new good paying jobs, we’re going to invest in, for example, 500,000… Excuse me, 50,000 charging stations on our highways so that we can own the electric car market of the future.”

• “Wall Street firms indicated that my plan, my plan will in fact, create 18.6 million jobs, 7 million more than his. This is from Wall Street and I’ll create $1 trillion more in economic growth than his proposal does. Not on climate, just on economy.”

• “I do rule out banning fracking because the answer we need, we need other industries to transition, to ultimately achieve a complete zero emissions by 2025. What I will do with fracking over time is make sure that we can capture the emissions from fracking, capture the emissions from gas. We can do that and we can do that by investing money in doing it, but it's a transition to that.”

• “Fracking on federal land. I said, no fracking and/or oil on federal land.”

• “It matters how you keep them safe. What do you do? You impose restrictions on the pollutants that affect the pollutants coming out of those fence line communities.”

• “Well if you let me finish the statement, because it has to be replaced by renewable energy over time, over time, and I'd stop giving to the oil industry, I'd stop giving them federal subsidies. You won't get federal subsidies to the gas, oh, excuse me to solar and wind.”

• “He takes everything out of context, but the point is, look, we have to move toward net zero emissions. The first place to do that by the year 2035 is in energy production, by 2050 totally.”

• “I'm going to rejoin the Paris Accord and make China abide by what they agreed to.”

ANALYSIS:

The topic of climate change–and how to address it–has played a central role in this election. Most Americans agree that climate change is affecting their community, and slightly more think that the government is doing too little to reduce the effects of climate change. Expansive fires burning large swaths of territory in the West have catapulted climate change to center stage in recent months. As the West chokes on smoke, each candidate has made his argument as to why their plan is the best.

The incumbent offered little in the way of concrete policy, instead choosing to brag that he left the Paris Climate Accord, a framework designed to strengthen the cooperation and communication capabilities of signatories in combating the effects of global climate change. Trump lamented the deal, saying that the United States was treated “unfairly,” claiming with no backing that tens of millions of jobs would be lost. He stated that the United States is now energy-dependent. Production levels of oil have increased steadily due to horizontal drilling and the controversial method of extraction known as fracking. Short of a coherent and developed policy, Trump mentioned the trillion trees plan, which is an attempt to create a carbon sink. A whopping 90% of Americans support such a tactic. Though Trump signaled little in the way of policy, it can be assumed that he may support the efforts of the Trillion Trees Campaign, so long as he doesn’t deem the United States as being treated unfairly. 

Former Vice President Joe Biden, on the other hand, gave many indications during the debate that his team has a comprehensive and lasting plan to combat the effects and sources of climate change. First and foremost, Biden has pledged not only to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord but also to use American influence–what remains of it–to pressure other signatories into compliance. This plan points the economic and energy goals of the United States to a net-zero emissions target. He stated that he plans to get this done by limiting the amount of federal subsidies to the oil and gas giants. As well, he aims to curtail fracking on federal land, though he has admitted that he does not intend on banning fracking outright in the United States. During the debate, Biden nodded at his plan for a green economy, one that is spurred by job creation by the planned growth of renewable energy. He expressed his desire to see a cleaner environment wherein Americans are free from unchecked pollution. In contrast to his debate opponent, Biden articulated a more thorough approach to addressing the threat and source of climate change. 

Corruption

Though there were no direct questions from Kristen Welker in regards to corruption, each candidate took the opportunity to trade barbs, claiming that the other is no stranger to corruption. The candidates launched their attacks when questions touched foreign interference or dealings with foreign governments, with Russian and China taking center stage in the finger-pointing. Trump has repeatedly needled Biden on alleged corruption between Biden; his son, Hunter Biden; and Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company. Biden, in turn, has called into question Trump’s relationship between his role as the leader of the United States and his connections to his businesses. 

TRUMP:

• ”If this stuff is true about Russia, Ukraine, China, other countries, Iraq. If this is true, then he’s a corrupt politician. So don’t give me the stuff about how you’re this innocent baby. Joe, they’re calling you a corrupt politician…”

• “I don’t make money from China. You do. I don’t make money from Ukraine. You do. I don’t make money from Russia. You made $3.5 million, Joe, and your son gave you…”

• “Joe got $3.5 million from Russia and it came through Putin, because he was very friendly with the former mayor of Moscow and it was the mayor of Moscow’s wife. And you got $3.5 million. Your family got $3.5 million.”

BIDEN:

• “You have not released a single solitary year of your tax return. What are you hiding? Why are you unwilling? The foreign countries are paying you a lot. Russia’s paying you a lot. China’s paying you a lot on your hotels and all your businesses all around the country, all around the world. And China’s building a new road to a new golf course you have overseas. So, what’s going on here? Release your tax return or stop talking about corruption.”

• “His buddy Rudy Giuliani. He’s being used as a Russian pawn. He’s being fed information that is Russian that is not true.”

• “Number two, the guy who got in trouble in Ukraine was this guy trying to bribe the Ukrainian government to say something negative about me, which they would not do and did not do because it never ever, ever happened...I have not had… the only guy who made money from China is this guy. He’s the only one. Nobody else has made money from China.”

ANALYSIS:

Both Biden and Trump pulled no punches in the debate. Trump–no stranger to such ad hominem attacks, indeed using attention from the birtherism conspiracy, which claimed that President Barack Obama was not an American Citizen, as a launchpad for his bid for election–accused Joe Biden of taking millions from Ukrainian, Russian, and Chinese sources. Trump claims that Hunter Biden, Joe Biden’s son, used the family name to make money through business deals with Ukraine and China. Trump spuriously claimed that Joe Biden, when acting vice president, pressured the Ukrainian government to fire a prosecutor who was investigating Burisma, on which Hunter Biden sat as a member of the board. Senate Republicans deemed that, despite a conflict of interests, the Bidens had committed no wrongdoings in dealings with the Ukrainian government. Nor was malfeasance found in the dealings between China and the Bidens. The claim that Biden received $3.5 million from Russian sources has also been debunked. Republicans and Trump have claimed that the media are ignoring the stories and that tech giants are covering for the politician. 

Biden came to the debate locked and loaded, likely expecting attacks on his family and conduct as a politician. In response to Trump’s accusations of a quid pro quo in Ukraine, Biden brought up the scandal that led to impeachment for abuse of powers and obstruction of Congress, which Trump escaped unscathed due to rigid partisan shielding. Biden further accused Trump’s personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, of laundering Russian disinformation. Some 50 intelligence officials, including Jim Clapper, Leon Panetta, and John Brennan, signed a letter espousing the view that the Hunter Biden controversy is Russian disinformation. The cronyism, nepotism, cozying up to autocrats, a reluctance to distance himself from his business, and the use of his position to make money have led many to speculate to what depths corruption in this administration goes.

Check out Part 1 (here) and Part 2 (here).

A Message: On November 3rd Americans will select one of these candidates to lead the nation. If you have not already we implore you to cast a vote if you are able. You may feel trepidation, apathy, or even that your vote is inconsequential. Every single vote matters. We are a Union built on the U.S. Constitution, we are a Union that effects change through lawful procedure and we are a Union that holds that our ballots are stronger than bullets. For many this ballot, the right to vote has not come easy. Hundreds of millions of Americans have given their blood, sweat, tears and in many cases their lives to create and to preserve this Union and your right to vote.

“Someone struggled for your right to vote. Use it” -Susan B. Anthony

Stepan and JTTC are political writers for La Tonique.