NOW he tells us?

As president, George W. Bush was not exactly an eco-friendly steward of the nation's resources and energy needs.

The American Wind Energy Association describes itself this way on its web site:

AWEA is the national trade association of America’s wind industry, with more than 2,500 member companies, including global leaders in wind power and energy development, wind turbine manufacturing, component and service suppliers, and the world’s largest wind power trade show. AWEA is the voice of wind energy in the U.S., promoting renewable energy to power a cleaner, stronger America.

The web site also includes an encouraging note about the Kerry-Lieberman bill on climate change. So it seems a bit odd that they had invited George Bush to address their convention in Dallas this week. But here is what McClatchey news source reports that Bush said to them.

"It's in our economic interests that we diversify away from oil. . . . It's in our environmental interest. . . And, finally, it's in our national security interest."

He did say that oil and natural gas will remain vital sources of energy as we transition to the renewable energy sources. He fully expects that his grandchildren will be driving electric cars and thinks plug-in hybrids are a step towards them.

AWEA Executive Director Denise Bode introduced Bush as “a wonderful, wonderful supporter of wind,” who as Texas’ governor backed a state law passed in 1999 that helped pave the way for establishment of new wind generation. Texas now leads all states in installed wind generation capacity at 9,506 megawatts, more than double the generation capacity in No. 2 Iowa. If Texas were a nation, it would rank sixth in the world in wind capacity, Bush noted.

Where was this man when George W. Bush was president of these United States?

Ralph