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John McCain Town Hall Charlotte, NC 05/05/08 TRANSCRIPT: QUESTIONER: My question's about global warming? Do you think global warming has an effect on our food today and that's possibly why we're experiencing shortages? And what do you plan to do about that? JOHN MCCAIN: I think global warming is, uh, real, I'll be glad to--, I think climate change is real, I'll be glad to continue this debate. And I think it's a legitimate debate. There are people who have honestly held views on the other side of this issue. But I believe that, as Tony Blair once said, suppose that climate change, there's no such thing and yet we adopt green technologies and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and eventually bring them under control. Then all we've done is hand our kids a cleaner planet. But suppose we're right, those of us that believe that climate change is real and we do nothing. Then what kind of planet do we hand our children and our grandchildren? The answer's very obvious. I am convinced, contrary to the belief of many people, that when we develop nuclear, solar, hybrid, a battery that'll take a car a hundred miles, hydrogen, all of the green technologies. All of the green technologies, and eliminate our dependence on foreign oil. Then it will be an economic boon to our country. It will help America's economy. Because the innovation—whenever there's innovation, prices come down. So, t--,I, uh, I, I, I, uh, reject, uh, in the strongest terms, this thesis that if we adopt green technologies and we develop them and we do what's necessary to eliminate our dependence on foreign oil and eliminate, reduce and eliminate greenhouse gas emissions then I think it's good for our economy. Look at the environmental effects of some of the problems we have already. And how much is the cost there? Look at the pollution problems and the environmental problems they have in China today and in India. And I am convinced, with everything I know, that we can develop the innovative technology because we hav e the best worker in the world. And I would point out again, what I said earlier. Change is hard, my friends, change is hard. But we must change, we must change. When I went down to South Carolina during the primary and I told my friends in South Carolina, the old steel mills, textile mills, the old textile mills aren't coming back. And yet, BMW plant came there and a Michelin plant came there and there's businesses and industries locating in South Carolina today. And if a business will locate there, the government, the state government will train their workers for them, that's change and that's good change and we gotta have that change. We can't go back to the old ways, we have to go forward. And the best way I know of doing it is adopt to the compelling challenges the nation and the world face and that's the dependence on foreign oil and the issue of climate change. There's a nexus between them. And I'm confident that it'll be the best thing over time for America's economy rather than anything that might be harmful to it. LABEL: JM NC 5-5 (EW#6) GEDH -- Clip J To download a high res version of this clip, VISIT: https://issuealliance.box.net/shared/94j rp95sko To download the full campaign event, VISIT: https://issuealliance.box.net/shared/z2g b2c14og