John Edwards claims environmental credentials

Despite driving an SUV, flying around the country in a private jet, and heating a 30,000 square foot home - including its full-size, indoor basketball court - John Edwards' campaign has the audacity to claim that he's "conserving at home." Of course, his campaign hides behind the idea that he's buying "carbon offsets" and this is his purchased indulgence. There's no reason he couldn't be content with, say, a nice compact sedan for his small family or a comparably reasonable 4,000 square foot house.

No matter what sort of hybrid engine he puts in his SUV or what sort of energy efficiency improvements he has for his 30,000 square foot house, he's still producing massively more pollution that the people to whom he is preaching environmental responsibility.

Edwards vs. the SUV
The Politico

Speaking to machinists in Florida today, John Edwards said he'd expect Americans to sacrifice their inefficient cars, and specifically to give up their SUVs, AP reports.

But campaigning turns out to be a pretty high-carbon practice. All the candidates ride around, particularly in Iowa, in big cars - Hillary rode an 18-wheeler; Obama rented an RV; and Edwards, whose convoy is often mini-van centric, had this Cadillac SRX Crossover beside him in Iowa on his arrival from announcing his candidacy for president in New Orleans, according to his Flikr stream.

Actually, Edwards isn't anti-SUV - he seems to be quite consciously avoiding the trap of appearing to demand that Americans drive only Trabants. His spokesman says he drives a hybrid SUV, the Ford Escape, at home in North Carolina, though the AP reported in April that the family has an SUV and a small truck as well.

His website says "Edwards believes that everyone should be able to drive the car, truck, or SUV of their choice and still enjoy high fuel economy."