Former Vice President Joe Biden proclaimed during Tuesday’s debate with President Trump that he doesn’t support the Green New Deal, but his environmental plan on his website calls it a “crucial framework” for fighting climate change.
“The Green New Deal is not my plan,” the Democratic presidential nominee said of the sweeping environmental proposal put forward by progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.).
But the moderator, Fox News’ Chris Wallace, pressed him on whether he supports the plan that calls for the US to meet 100 percent renewable energy.
“No, I don’t support the Green New Deal,” Biden said.
“Oh, you don’t? Well, that’s a big statement,” Trump quickly interjected, denouncing the plan as the end of airplanes and cows.
“That means you just lost the radical left. It’s gone.”
But Biden persisted.
“I support the Biden plan that I put forward, which is different than what he calls the ‘radical Green New Deal,'” the Democratic candidate said.
But his campaign page offers a different message on the $1.7 trillion, 10-year “Biden Plan for a Clean Energy Revolution and Environmental Justice.”
“Biden believes the Green New Deal is a crucial framework for meeting the climate challenges we face. It powerfully captures two basic truths, which are at the core of his plan: (1) the United States urgently needs to embrace greater ambition on an epic scale to meet the scope of this challenge, and (2) our environment and our economy are completely and totally connected,” the page says.
Markey, following Biden’s debate remarks, said progressives are not abandoning him.
“I support the Green New Deal and I’m voting for Vice President Joe Biden,” the senator said in a statement, according to Boston.com.
“Donald Trump is wrong,” Markey continued. “The progressive left is with Joe Biden, and we will pass a Green New Deal.”
The former vice president also said he didn’t agree with Sen. Bernie Sanders on a “manifesto” that would lead to socialized medicine.
“Joe, you agreed with Bernie Sanders, who’s far left, on the manifesto, we call it. And that gives you socialized medicine,” Trump pressed Biden.
“I’m not going to listen to him. The fact of the matter is I beat Bernie Sanders,” Biden replied.
After several more minutes of back and forth and talking over each other about the Democratic primary election, Trump returned to the manifesto.
“There is no manifesto,” Biden said.