The sad reality of modern-day political wrangling seems to make the development of a progressive, sustainable energy policy almost impossible.

We need bold and transcendent leadership, a blueprint that will not only revitalize our economy, but reverse the damage we’re doing to the planet.

Instead we get … John McCain advocating offshore drilling! Woo!

At this point, it should be blatantly obvious to just about everyone that change is inevitable - the only question is whether it will be a quick transition to an economy powered by new energy sources, or a slow and painful decline, powered by our inability to read the increasingly clear writing on the wall…

NOTE: This political cartoon was created by and is property of journalist, cartoonist and friend of Donkey Dish, Andrew Wahl. Visit his blog, Off the Wahl, for more!

President George W. Bush warned in an interview that Democratic candidates’ plans to withdraw abruptly from Iraq could “eventually lead to another attack on the United States” and would embolden terrorists.

“The United States pulling out of Iraq or pulling out of the Middle East or not maintaining a forward presence would send all kinds of signals throughout the Middle East,” he told the Politico and Yahoo! News.

“And it would shake everybody’s nerves, and it would embolden the very same people that we’re trying to defeat.”

For the first time, Bush revealed a deeply personal and important choice he made to acknowledge the sacrifice of soldiers and their families.

Bush said he made this critical policy decision after the August 2003 bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad:

“I don’t want some mom whose son may have recently died to see the commander in chief playing golf. I feel I owe it to the families to be in solidarity as best as I can with them. And I think playing golf during a war just sends the wrong signal.”

NOTE #1: Starting an unnecessary and endless war, however? That signal is cool. This is also the first time we’ve seen the act of playing golf equated with disrespect for U.S. soldiers. Anyone want to buy a set of used clubs?

NOTE #2: The picture above was taken in 2004! Not only is Bush’s argument probably the dumbest thing we’ve ever heard, it’s not even true!

Follow the jump for more amazing George W. Bush quotes from the interview …

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Just kidding. He didn’t make one of his Iran-style missteps.

But when a Republican campaigns on an environmental issue, it makes news. To that effect, John McCain signaled a split with both the Bush administration and environmentalists in a major global warming speech today.

The Arizona Senator and presidential nominee declares climate change undeniable and urgent, saying that the U.S. hasn’t acted quickly enough.

George W. Bush famously refused to sign the Kyoto global warming accord. McCain pledges to return America to international negotiations.

In the new campaign ad below, which he will begin airing this week, McCain places himself between what he describes as two warring factions on climate change. He paints it not only as an environmental issue, but a national security problem.

John McCain says he would set limits on greenhouse gases and allow the sale of rights of excess emissions - known as a cap and trade system.

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The long-term goal may be saving Earth, but a short-term one for Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama is winning the backing of Al Gore.

The former Vice President, who won a Nobel prize for his work to combat rising temperatures, is also one of the superdelegates and one of the most influential Democratic Party leaders likely to determine who wins the nomination.

So the dueling candidates praise Gore during campaign speeches, offer up roles for him in future administrations, and, of course, keep in touch.

“They both call. And I appreciate that fact,” Gore said on 60 Minutes.

Barack Obama says he keeps in regular contact with Al Gore and has pledged to make him a major player on global warming in an Obama administration.

“I will make a commitment that Al Gore will be at the table and play a central part in us figuring out how we solve this problem,” Obama said.

Hillary Clinton says she does not know whether Al Gore wanted to get back into government but is certain the American people would welcome it.

“I am very dependent upon the work that Al Gore has done for so many years on behalf of climate change,” the former First Lady said.

Al Gore’s spokeswoman, Kalee Kreider, declined to comment on the Obama offer but was complimentary about all three of the presidential candidates.

“Former Vice President Gore thinks that both candidates are very strong. Both of them have offered plans to address the worsening climate crisis … as has Senator John McCain,” she said. “It’s a real turnaround to have candidates on both sides of the aisle offering, you know, solutions and plans to the climate crisis.”

Gore, who narrowly lost the 2000 election to George W. Bush, has dedicated most of his professional life since then to fighting climate change.

Although he may not be eager to get back into the political fray as the tight race between Obama and Clinton rages on, Gore definitely has an agenda: to make certain that global warming on the top of the president’s priority list.

Continue reading this article …

One wouldn’t think spending free time online would get Al Gore and the Green Police on your case, but an article in Wired suggests otherwise.

As people spend more time with their TVs and computers, the article says, the impact is not just on their health, but on the planet.

Less time spent outdoors means less contact with nature and, eventually, declining concern for environmental conservation and parks.

If people are less interested in preserving the planet’s wild and scenic places, efforts to protect them from development invariably suffer.

“Declining nature participation has implications for current conservation efforts,” wrote co-authors Oliver R. W. Pergams and Patricia A. Zaradic of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

“We think it probable than any major decline in the value placed on natural areas and experiences will greatly reduce the value placed on the protection of the environment and biodiversity conservation.”

Rafting on the Colorado River through Arizona’s Grand Canyon.The decline in outdoor activity, found in both the United States and Japan, appears to have begun in the 1980s and 1990s. Some facts:

• Fishing peaked in 1981 but declined 25 percent by 2005
• Visits to U.S. National Parks peaked in 1987 but has since dropped 23 percent by 2006
• Hiking on the Appalachian Trial peaked in 2000 and was down 18 percent by 2005

All while the population has grown rapidly.

“The replacement of vigorous outdoor activities by sedentary, indoor videophilia has far-reaching consequences for physical and mental health, especially in children,” Pergams said.

“… videophilia has been shown to cause obesity, lack of socialization, attention disorders and poor academic performance.”

While concern over climate change has increased in recent years, maybe we could help protect the planet by simply going outside. So visit a state or national park this weekend, then read about the primaries online!