Inside Politics

Media climate

Sen. James M. Inhofe, Oklahoma Republican and chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, will hold a full committee hearing tomorrow on “Climate Change and the Media.”

The hearing will look at how the media has presented scientific evidence regarding predictions of human-caused catastrophic global warming, the senator’s office said.

“Senator Inhofe believes that poorly conceived policy decisions will result from the media’s nonstop hyping of ‘extreme scenarios’ and dire climate predictions,” said committee Communications Director Marc Morano. “This hearing will serve to advance the interests of sound science and encourage rational policy decisions.”

Among those who are scheduled to testify at the hearing are geologist David Deming of the University of Oklahoma; paleoclimate researcher Bob Carter of Australia’s James Cook University; Dan Gainor of the Business & Media Institute; Naomi Oreskes of the University of California at San Diego and professor Daniel Schrag of Harvard University.

The hearing will be held at 9:30 a.m. in 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building. It can be watched live on the Internet at http://epw.senate.gov/epwmultimedia/epwmultimedia.htm.

Brownback’s step

Republican Sen. Sam Brownback said yesterday he is taking the first step toward a bid for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination.

A vigorous abortion opponent, the Kansas senator pledged to make “issues of life,” fiscal restraint and tax reform key components of his effort to woo supporters.

“I have decided, after much prayerful consideration, to consider a bid for the Republican nomination for the presidency,” Mr. Brownback said. “There is a real need in our country to rebuild the family and renew our culture, and there is a need for genuine conservatism and real compassion in the national discussion.”

Mr. Brownback said he has formed a presidential exploratory committee, which will allow him to travel the country and raise money while gauging support for the Republican nomination, the Associated Press reports.

Thomas returns

Sen. Craig Thomas returned to work yesterday, about a month earlier than originally planned, after undergoing treatment for leukemia.

Story Continues →