WASHINGTON ¨C Joe Biden¡¯s pledge to ¡°transition away from the oil industry¡± to address global warming put the topic of climate change on center stage for the final stretch of a campaign year in which the issue has played a larger role than ever.
Biden¡¯s statement in the closing moments of Thursday¡¯s debate gave President Donald Trump what his campaign saw as an enormous opportunity to blunt his opponent¡¯s appeal to working-class voters. Biden¡¯s campaign tried to downplay it, saying he was merely stating that he would phase out long-standing tax subsidies for the oil industry.
But transitioning away from fossil fuels is the inevitable end game of Biden¡¯s promise to end net carbon pollution by 2050. That policy has energized some young voters and helped unite the Democrats¡¯ left and moderate wings, but has always carried risks for Biden.
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