McCain's Incoherence on Global Warming Continues

As chronicled here, first Sen. John McCain delivered a incoherent global warming speech [1], offering a set of principles for legislation that are contradictory. The incoherence continued [2], when he expressed support for global warming legislation from his close ally Sen. Joe Lieberman, only to oppose it three weeks later. [2]

Today, the incoherence express rolls on. Grist's Kate Sheppard reports: [3]

....from John McCain's press conference this morning, the senator from Arizona once again makes it clear that he doesn't really understand cap-and-trade:

QUESTION: The European Union has set mandatory targets on renewable energy. Is that something you would consider in a McCain administration? [...]

MCCAIN: Sure. I believe in the cap-and-trade system, as you know. I would not at this time make those -- impose a mandatory cap at this time. But I do believe that we have to establish targets for reductions of greenhouse gas emissions over time, and I think those can be met.

Which is, of course, completely out of line with his own proposal for a cap-and-trade scheme, both the plan he proposed with Joe Lieberman last year and his own presidential plan, released last month. They both would, by nature, be mandatory -- hence the "cap" in the name.

This speaks to the difficult challenge before McCain, with the majority of voters eager to bury the the failed conservative policies of the last eight years.

McCain needs to appeal both to the conservative base of the Republican party and moderate independents.

But there is almost no overlap between these two camps.

He wants to tell moderates that he has a serious plan for our government to act against global warming. And he wants to tell conservatives that no government action will be involved.

It can't be done. And what you're left with is incoherent.