We almost designated Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt as climate jester of the week on Monday. But we like to let the week play out to see if a more deserving candidate emerges.
Now it’s Friday and our climate jester of the week is…Scott Pruitt.
In an interview on Sunday with Fox News’ Chris Wallace, the EPA chief continued to deflect on the climate change position of President Donald Trump, instead turning his responses back to the reasons why the U.S. withdrew from the Paris climate accord. Finally, after repeated requests to answer the question, Pruitt relented: “The president has indicated that the climate changes. It’s always changing. I’ve indicated the same.” (He also exaggerated some jobs numbers pertaining to the coal industry, but we’re going to give him the benefit of the doubt that after three interviews, he’s now straight on the figures.)
On Tuesday, in an interview on Morning Joe, Pruitt continued to fall back on his Paris talking points when asked about human activity contributing to climate change: “I think what’s important… is that the president has said when we make decisions on environmental decisions internationally, that we put America’s interest first,” he said.
For refusing to answer a simple question, we once again bestow the jester hat to Scott Pruitt.
Relevant to this discussion and a post for another day: we ask the media to frame the climate question better and quit asking “do you believe…”