Former McDonnell Advisor Plans Huge Global Warming Denial "Tea Party"

There are so many right-wing groups out there, it's hard to keep track of them all. I think it's fair to say, however, that one of the worst of the lot is Americans for Prosperity, "one of the lead organizations behind the Tax Day Tea Party protests," a "partner" with the Heartland Institute's International Conference on Climate Change (global warming deniers), an advocate for "pro-tobacco industry positions on issues like cigarette taxes and clean indoor air laws," and (last but not least) "one of the conservative groups involved in organizing 'town hall protests' and 'recess rallies' where participants oppose health care reform by rambunctiously shouting down members of Congress..." A fine bunch of folks, in other words.

Anyway, it turns out that the president of this wonderful organization is none other than Tim Phillips, a former political adviser to McDonnell (note: McDonnell's campaign manager, Phil Cox, is on a leave of absence from AFP). The reason I bring this up is that AFP just sent out an email to supporters, in which former McDonnell advisor Tim Phillips writes:

For years we've seen Hollywood partner with Washington liberals to relentlessly promote their global warming (excuse me, it's now climate change) agenda. Most infamous was Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth for which Gore was actually awarded the Nobel Prize and an Oscar for promoting a radical ideology.

Movie after movie, book after book, even our children's textbooks and cartoons are used to promote an agenda that focuses on Cap-and-Trade legislation in Washington that will kill jobs, raise taxes and trample on individual freedoms.

Hollywood will never make a film that tells the real story about the Left's global warming agenda and what it does to people.

So, we're taking matters into our own hands!

[...]

Americans for Prosperity is partnering with Ann and Phelim on a massive grassroots effort to turn the tables on our opponents. On October 18, our coalition will hold the largest premiere of any documentary in American history.

Our goal is simple: on October 18 at 8:00 PM Eastern Time literally tens-of-thousands of grassroots Americans like you and me will hold viewings of their film - Not Evil, Just Wrong - in homes, at local community events, really anywhere where even 2 or 3 Americans can be educated on this crucial issue.

Great stuff, huh? By the way, here's another gem from Phillips: "There’s a healthy debate about global warming. It’s not a done deal, it’s not a decided science. There’s a lot of doubt as to whether this is man made." Uh, no Tim, there's actually no doubt at all about anthropogenic global warming among serious climate scientists, only among fossil fuel industry shills, far-right-wing ideological hacks, demagogues like Glenn and Rush, and the people who follow them.

Anyway, given Bob McDonnell's refusal to clearly say whether or not he believes in the overwhelming scientific evidence for climate change, given that there's an outright global warming denier (Cooch) on the ticket with McDonnell, and given the activities of McDonnell's former political advisor, I think we have a good idea where McDonnell is coming from on this important issue. From where I sit, that alone should disqualify him from being governor. End of story.