NAM: Gingrich critiques 'hysteria' over global warming

Debate over global warming suffers from the same “hysterical emotion” that prevented the United States from cutting carbon emissions through nuclear power, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says on this week’s National Association of Manufacturers’ radio program.

In an interview to be broadcast this weekend on “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick,” Gingrich compared the public reaction to global warming to that caused by the 1979 film, “The China Syndrome.”

“It turns out – and I think this is a great irony to pose to people like Al Gore – if the United States had followed the French in a clean nuclear strategy, and we were producing the same amount of electricity from nuclear that the French are, we would be generating 2 billion – not million – 2.2 billion tons a year less in carbon,” he said.

Gingrich’s support of nuclear energy comes in a far-reaching discussion of energy policy in the first part of an interview to be carried on “America’s Business.” In subsequent weeks, he talks about health care, tort reform, education, taxation and homeland security.

A broadcast-quality soundfile of Gingrich’s remarks on nuclear power is available online at: www.nam.org/hidden/podcast/AB_Newt_Energy.mp3

“America’s Business” is a one-hour radio program carried on 70 stations nationwide via the “Radio America” network, examining manufacturing and business issues. The program airs in Washington, D.C., at 11 a.m. EST on Saturdays on WTNT, 570 AM.

The April 28 program also features Hambrick’s report from northern Mississippi on the groundbreaking of Toyota’s new SUV plant. He interviews Jim Wiseman, vice president of external affairs for Toyota North America, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and Mississippi Senator Trent Lott.

The National Association of Manufacturers is the nation’s largest industrial trade association, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the NAM has 11 additional offices across the country. Visit www.nam.org for more information about manufacturing and the economy.