On Wednesday’s CNN News Central, hosts Boris Sanchez and Jessica Dean, along with chief climate correspondent Bill Weir, applauded NBC Miami meteorologist Steve MacLaughlin’s recent plea that people help fix climate change by voting against Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Sanchez teed up a clip of MacLaughlin, “It’s only May, but record high temperatures are already gripping Florida and one meteorologist in Miami says enough is enough when it comes to the governor’s indifference to climate change. Listen.”
MacLaughlin was then shown telling viewers that the eyes of the entire world are on Florida voters and urging them to respond accordingly, “The entire world is looking to Florida to lead in climate change and our government is saying that climate change is no longer the priority [jump cut] the most powerful climate change solution is the one you already have in the palm of your hands. The right to vote.”
Dean then reported, “That’s NBC six meteorologist Steve MacLaughlin, he’s furious over new Florida legislation approved by Governor Ron DeSantis which scrubs out references to climate change in state laws and joining us now is CNN’s chief climate correspondent Bill Weir. Bill, what did you think of this moment and what does the data actually say about change’s impact on Florida in particular.”
Weir, who has more frequent flier miles than you do, responded by going through all the reasons why he felt DeSantis was dangerous before concluding, “And props to Steve MacLaughlin. Every meteorologist in every market should be able to connect these unreal events, these unnatural disasters, with global trends, just lay out the science, you don’t have to get into the politics, but people need to know this is real.”
How, exactly, are meteorologists supposed to encourage people to vote for certain candidates without getting “into the politics”? Maybe Weir can explain that on his next exotic field trip.
Here is a transcript for the May 22 show:
CNN News Central
5/22/2024
3:43 PM ET
BORIS SANCHEZ: It’s only May, but record high temperatures are already gripping Florida and one meteorologist in Miami says enough is enough when it comes to the governor’s indifference to climate change. Listen.
STEVE MACLAUGHLIN: The entire world is looking to Florida to lead in climate change and our government is saying that climate change is no longer the priority [jump cut] the most powerful climate change solution is the one you already have in the palm of your hands. The right to vote.
JESSICA DEAN: That’s NBC six meteorologist Steve MacLaughlin, he’s furious over new Florida legislation approved by Governor Ron DeSantis which scrubs out references to climate change in state laws and joining us now is CNN’s chief climate correspondent Bill Weir. Bill, what did you think of this moment and what does the data actually say about climate change’s impact on Florida in particular.
…
BILL WEIR: And props to Steve MacLaughlin. Every meteorologist in every market should be able to connect these unreal events, these unnatural disasters, with global trends, just lay out the science, you don’t have to get into the politics, but people need to know this is real.