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Few have heard about Biden’s climate policies, even those who care most about issue — CBS News poll
President Joe Biden made addressing climate change a key issue in his 2020 campaign. Three years into his presidency, what do those who care about the issue most think about what he’s done? How much do they know?
Few Americans say they’ve heard a lot about what the administration has done on climate change. That extends to those in the president’s own party and to those who rate the issue of climate change as very important. Half of them have heard little or nothing at all about what the administration has done.
And perhaps as a result, those who prioritize climate change are feeling somewhat unsatisfied — more of them feel the president has done too little, rather than the right amount on trying to reduce it.
But they do like the Biden administration’s policies when they hear about them.
Climate change: An issue important to Biden’s base
Climate change is not the most important issue for Americans overall; it trails economic issues and matters like crime and immigration. But most Democrats, liberals, those who voted for Mr. Biden in 2020 and many younger people place a lot of importance on the issue. These groups will be crucial to Mr. Biden in November.
Just 10% of Americans who say climate change is a very important issue have heard or read a lot about what the Biden administration has done so far to deal with it. And when evaluating the Biden administration, many think it has done too little to address it.
When presented with some of the Biden administration’s climate change policies, a majority of those who place a lot of importance on climate change — from enhanced regulations, to reducing toxic chemicals in drinking water, to tax rebates for buying an electric vehicle — favored the policies.
Even people who feel the administration has done too little on climate change support these policies. So this may be more about Mr. Biden needing to get his message out there than having to convince this “climate constituency” — those who call the climate issue very important — of the substance of his policies.
What is the “climate constituency” looking for?
Nine in 10 of those who call the climate issue very important support the country taking steps to stop or slow the rate of climate change, and if they had to choose, they overwhelmingly would prioritize protecting the earth’s climate over energy production.
And most agree with the administration and Democratic leaders that efforts to reduce climate change would help the economy, not hurt it, putting them at odds with those who place little or no importance on the issue.
2024 presidential candidates and climate change
While this “climate constituency” would like to see Mr. Biden do more, they do prefer his approach to climate change and energy policy to former President Donald Trump’s. It’s the public at large that is not convinced, and that adds up to Mr. Biden running about even with Trump among people who are asked whose approach to the issue they agree with more. More than a quarter pick neither.
Americans who think the issue of climate change is very important and those who want an energy policy that moves away from fossil fuels in favor of renewable energy sources prefer Mr. Biden’s approach on both climate and energy, while those who place little importance on climate change and who want to encourage greater production of fossil fuels favor Trump’s approach.
This cuts heavily to partisanship as well, though independents — who think efforts to fight climate change will hurt rather than help their finances — lean more towards Trump’s approach than Mr. Biden’s.
Looking ahead, there’s skepticism that either candidate can do much about climate change if elected in November.
On balance, more think Mr. Biden will slow the rate of climate change and more think Trump will increase it, while half don’t think it will make any difference, regardless of who wins in 2024.
Americans with a more fatalistic view on climate change — who think humanity can’t do anything about climate change or who think it doesn’t exist in the first place — are the most likely to say the election will make no difference.
This CBS News/YouGov survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of 2,230 U.S. adult residents interviewed between April 16-19, 2024. The sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, and education based on the U.S. Census American Community Survey and Current Population Survey, as well as past vote. The margin of error is ±2.7 points.
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Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela, known affectionately to fans across the baseball world as “El Toro” has died at 63 years old.
The Etchohauquila, Sonora, Mexico native recently stepped away from his role in the Dodgers’ broadcast booth to focus on his health just ahead of the team’s run to the World Series. He had planned to return for the 2025 season.
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The man behind “Fernandomania,” which took Los Angeles by storm during the 1980s, spent 11 of his 17 seasons in Major League Baseball with the Boys in Blue, leading the team to two World Series titles in 1981 and 1988.
He was well-known for his signature windup and high leg kick before dazzling hitters with his virtually unhittable screwball. Upon retirement, he ranked amongst the franchises top 10 all-time in wins, strikeouts, innings pitched, games started, complete games and shutouts.
The Dodgers honored Valenzuela in 2023 by retiring his No. 34, making him only the 11th Dodger to achieve the spot above the left field bleachers.
Late Tuesday evening the team took to X to acknowledge Valenzuela’s death.
“Fernandomania por siempre,” said a photo. “Fernandomania forever.”
More to come.
DELPHI, Ind. (CBS) — Jurors in the Delphi, Indiana murders trial got a closer look Tuesday at some of the most concrete evidence in the case.
Richard Allen, 52, is facing four counts of murder in connection with the murders of Abigail Williams, 13, and Liberty “Libby” German, 14, in 2017.
Video taken from Libby’s phone right before the murder shows a man, believed to be the killer, walking on a bridge. For the first time Tuesday, jurors got to see a longer version of the video.
A digital forensic analyst also testified about how he got the data off the phone.
Also Tuesday, lead crime scene investigator Brian Olehy brought several key pieces of evidence from at or near the crime scene to court—though they were not shown to the jury, according to CBS affiliate WTTV in Indianapolis.
During cross-examination, defense attorney Brad Rozzi asked several times whether swabs from the crime scene contained any DNA linking Allen to it, WTTV reported, Olehy said he was not aware of any such connection.
Olehy also testified that he believed the branches found on the girls’ bodies were placed there to conceal them, and said it was a “logical assumption” that Libby was “disrobed”—as she was wearing some of Abby’s clothes, WTTV reported. He said investigators could not determine the sequence of events, and did not test the sticks that were found with the bodies, the station reported.
There was also testimony about a single unspent bullet at the scene that is at the center of the case against Allen, the station reported.
Testimony was also heard from Railly Voorhies, who was a 16-year-old high school student who happened to be walking near the Freedom Bridge in Delphi and saw an “unsettling” man who glared at her, WTTV reported. She said the image of the man on the bridge documented in Libby’s phone was the man she saw, the station reported.
Another witness, Betys Blair, also testified that she saw the man on the bridge, WTTV reported.