The First 79 Stories Down

I plan to review Thomas Friedman’s new book, Hot, Flat and Crowded for the Midway Review this October, so I’m paying attention to what he has to say about “ET,” Energy Technology, this month in his New York Times columns and television interviews.

Here are some highlights from his interview with Fareed Zakaria on CNN this morning:

*On the Georgia-Russia Conflict: “I mean, the worst thing about this story, Fareed, is that you have to kind of defend Putin's Russia, which you really don't want to do. But how would we feel if Russia were striking a deal with Mexico to extend the old Warsaw Pact to the U.S.-Mexico border? I mean, you know, why don't we understand that maybe from Moscow that looks a little unnerving.”

*On America’s Role as a World Superpower: “I think the issue for most Americans, Fareed, is nation- building at home. Americans want nation-building in America -- not in Iraq, not in Afghanistan, or not only in Iraq, not only in Afghanistan”

Quoting environmentalist Rob Watson: “If you jump out of an 80-story building, from the 80th floor, for 79 stories you can think you're flying. It's just the sudden stop at the end that gets you."

*On Energy Technology: “Have you ever been to a revolution, Fareed, where no one got hurt? That's the green revolution. In the green revolution, everyone's a winner. Exxon's green. GM's green. They've got a little cap now, a yellow cap on those flex fuel cars that they're making for 10 years -- never told anybody, so they could make more Hummers. Yes, everybody's green now. But when everyone's green, Fareed, that's not a revolution. That's a party.”

FZ: “We can put those nice light bulbs in, drive hybrids. The reality is that China and India's growth is going to consume so much in terms of fossil fuels, that the world is going to get polluted, the price of oil is going to stay high. Is this hopeless in a sense?
TF: No. Young Chinese say to me, "Mr. Friedman, you know, you guys got to grow dirty for 150 years. Now it's our turn." To which I say to them, "Absolutely. You're absolutely right. It's your turn. Grow as dirty as you want, for as long as you want. "Because I think in about five years, by then I'll have invented all the clean power technologies you're going to need as you choke to death. And then we're going to clean your clock in the next great global industry -- ET, energy technology, clean power."

*On the Presidential Election: “Well, if you're interested in whether or not you should have an abortion, this is the campaign for you. But, you know, I've kind of made up my mind on that issue.”

“I thought we were going to have two green candidates, but now we only have one, and his name is Barack Obama. McCain supports lifting the gasoline tax, which would increase pollution and gasoline consumption. He didn’t show up on any of the votes on alternative energy and fuel. He missed all eight votes and the senate bill still hasn’t passed.“