Commentary: Big Tent Ideas

DAVID BLACKMON: The Hard Life Of Being A Harris Climate Engagement Director

(Screen Capture/CSPAN)

I wrote a piece over the weekend commenting on all the energy-related confusion coming from Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign, especially as it relates to her sudden, 180-degree shift from being pro-fracking ban to sort-of-anti-fracking ban. In doing so, I referred to quotes made recently in a Politico interview by Harris’ recently hired climate engagement director, Camila Thorndike.

On Monday, Thorndike attempted to clarify her remarks in that interview in which she said: “[Harris has] just said that they wouldn’t ban fracking and the fact that anyone could look up is that the IRA required leases, and that was not something that she promoted.”

Apparently realizing that final phrase had only expanded the confusion among readers and voters which Harris’ own comments on the subject had already caused, Thorndike attempted to clear the air in a post on her X account on Monday. There, Thorndike wrote: “I didn’t explain myself clearly here. Contrary to Trump’s claims, the VP has not banned fracking, doesn’t support banning fracking, and in fact cast the tie-breaking vote on the biggest pro-climate law ever, which, yes, opened new fracking leases. People know that’s her position.”

But, as I wrote on Saturday, people really don’t know what Harris’s position truly is, mainly because the candidate herself sticks religiously to an apparently memorized script that fails to offer real details that might provide assurance that her sudden 180-degree turn on the fracking issue is more than a sort-of promise to be broken if she were to assume office next January.

A lot of the skepticism about Harris’ very specific promise that she will not “ban” fracking stems from the fact that she typically follows up with another memorized phrase that “my principles haven’t changed.”

Those of us with even modestly long memories know that, prior to being handed the Democrat nomination in late July, the only principled statement Harris had ever articulated about her personal position on fracking was: “There is no question I am in favor of banning fracking.”

Now, that is a statement of personal principle, made during her 2019 town hall on CNN. It is clear. It is unambiguous. There is no wiggle room in it. If you watch the video of it, which can easily be found out on YouTube, you will see it is stated with great personal feeling.

By contrast, today, Harris offers a vague assurance saying only she would not “ban fracking” if elected president. But a “ban” is a very specific thing — it means a rule or executive order halting this safe, well-regulated 77-year-old industrial process immediately and entirely.

None of the mostly friendly and accommodating interviewers who have questioned Harris to this point have bothered to ask her for more information, for some real insight into how she suddenly got oil and gas religion on this particular issue, for example. Even better would be a question asking her to comment on whether she would seek to de facto ban the process through heavy regulation or support for some of the various lawfare campaigns currently being mounted against the industry by big anti-development law firms.

Not even Fox News’ Bret Baier, one of only two Harris interviewers who bothered to ask a few hard questions of her, sought to flesh out more details on the matter. The result is a public that remains highly skeptical of Harris on this, and so many other issues.

So, to be fair to Thorndike, her clarification is noted and taken in the spirit in which it was offered, at least by this writer.

At the same time, though, I wish her the best of luck in her ongoing efforts to support and clarify the positions of a candidate who offers so little in the way of detail, and whose clear expressions of political principle in the recent past stand in such stark contrast to the promises she is sort-of making today.

It can’t be an easy task.

David Blackmon is an energy writer and consultant based in Texas. He spent 40 years in the oil and gas business, where he specialized in public policy and communications.

The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.

(Featured Image Media Credit: Screen Capture/CSPAN)