Former Vice President Al Gore and HBO host Bill Maher discussed the connections between climate change and the coronavirus Friday night, with Maher floating the possibility of former President Barack Obama being placed in charge of handling the COVID-19 pandemic response should Joe Biden get elected in November.
Maher, who has for weeks recorded his show with no studio audience amid quarantine, quoted Pope Francis's recent remark that coronavirus is "nature's response to climate change" to open discussion with Gore Friday. Maher questioned if humans can only "kill earth so long before you kill yourself," prompting Gore to detail how wildlife is more frequently coming into contact with humans and that COVID-19 is yet another example of politicians ignoring scientific warnings, similar to climate change. The Real Time with Bill Maher host and the lawmaker-turned-global warming activist also discussed Biden, the likely Democratic presidential nominee, potentially naming Obama as a "coronavirus czar" should he defeat President Donald Trump in November.
"What would you think about Biden naming Obama coronavirus czar right now?" Maher asked, suggesting that such a move could excite voters in the general election to get behind his campaign.
"He did really good with the Ebola virus. You think that would excite people to get to the polls, knowing that Obama was going to be in charge of handling this disease as opposed to the way it's being handled at the top right now?" Maher continued.
"Well he might want to check with President Obama first," Gore responded. "He might not want to, might not want to take that position. But of course, Barack Obama would be extremely capable at anything he would be assigned to. I would question whether Biden would want to do that right now, but it's not a bad idea, Bill."
Gore earlier in the program warned that humans have been increasingly encroaching into wildlife areas and thus coming into contact more often with "wild creatures that harbor viruses like the coronavirus." But the former Democratic vice president under Bill Clinton said the real connection between coronavirus and climate change is the response, or lack thereof, from primarily conservative politicians.
"The scientists have warned us about the coronavirus and they've warned us about the climate crisis, and we've seen the dangers of waiting to late to heed the warnings of the doctors and scientists on this virus. We should not wait any longer to heed their warnings about what we're doing to radically destabilize the earth's climate. And perhaps that connection is obvious, but some things you think are obvious take some time to become [obvious] to elected government officials."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Benjamin Fearnow is a reporter based out of Newsweek's New York City offices. He was previously at CBS and Mediaite ... Read more
