How green is your candidate? Info on the 2008 presidential contenders

A look at Chris Dodd’s environmental platform and record

Update: Chris Dodd dropped out of the presidential race on Jan. 3, 2008. Democratic presidential candidate Chris Dodd, who has represented Connecticut in the U.S. Senate for 26 years, racked […]

An interview with Dennis Kucinich about his presidential platform on energy and the environment

This is part of a series of interviews with presidential candidates produced jointly by Grist and Outside. Update: Dennis Kucinich dropped out of the presidential race on Jan. 25, 2008. […]

A look at Dennis Kucinich’s environmental platform and record

Update: Dennis Kucinich dropped out of the presidential race on Jan. 25, 2008. Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich has been active and outspoken on a wide range of environmental and […]

An interview with John Edwards about his presidential platform on energy and the environment

This is part of a series of interviews with presidential candidates produced jointly by Grist and Outside. Update: John Edwards dropped out of the presidential race on Jan. 30, 2008. […]

A look at John Edwards’ environmental platform and record

Update: John Edwards dropped out of the presidential race on Jan. 30, 2008. During his single term representing North Carolina in the U.S. Senate, John Edwards received a middling 63 […]

An interview with Barack Obama about his presidential platform on energy and the environment

This is part of a series of interviews with presidential candidates produced jointly by Grist and Outside. Barack Obama at an Earth Day 2007 event. Photo: Michael Millhollin In his […]

A look at Barack Obama’s environmental platform and record

Updated 22 Aug 2008 In the early months of Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, enviros were skeptical of his (now heavily qualified) support for coal-to-liquids technology and unvarnished enthusiasm for ethanol, […]

Grist interviews Vilsack; Vilsack quits presidential race

Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack (D) has added another "former" to his list of titles by withdrawing from the 2008 presidential race. But before he folded, citing financial concerns, Grist's Amanda Griscom Little interviewed Vilsack -- a vocal opponent of the Iraq war -- about his surprisingly aggressive energy plan [PDF], ethanol's future, and more.

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Other Democratic candidates, Sens. Obama and Clinton in particular, seem to be putting emphasis on energy and the environment as well. How do you think your record compares to theirs?

As governor of Iowa I was able to actually grow a renewable fuel industry in my state. We've dramatically increased ethanol production, dramatically increased wind production, through a creative use of strategies. I don't think any other candidate can actually point to that accomplishment.

What motivated you to come out with such a comprehensive energy proposal so early in the game?

Primarily the fact that energy security is the most important domestic issue facing the United States.  We've been talking about this challenge for decades, and it's time we get very serious about it.

This is a strategy not just to meet our energy needs in a way that's environmentally sound, but also to ensure that we never send young men and women to war over oil as we have in the past and we appear to be doing right now in Iraq.