Golden
The president of the United States began with what sounded like an apology to workers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
“I realize there have been some interesting mixed signals when it comes to funding,” George W. Bush told employees attending an alternative-energy sources forum Tuesday at NREL.
“Sometimes the decisions are made, but as a result of the appropriations process, the money may not end up where it is supposed to. …
“My message to the people who work here is: We want you to know how important your work is. We expect you to keep doing it, and we want to help you keep doing it.”
The president was referring to recent NREL budget cuts that led to 32 layoffs at a time when Bush says Americans need rehab for their oil addiction. Money-shuffling on the eve of Bush’s arrival in Colorado to tout his “Advanced Energy Initiative” provided $15 million to, among other things, save the lost NREL jobs. But in a few words, the president also articulated the challenge of developing alternative energy sources.
“The issue,” Bush said, “is whether good intentions are actually met with dollars spent.”
That hasn’t been the case so far in an administration that has at times questioned global warming. The strategy for overcoming oil addiction that the president and a panel of experts outlined Tuesday will take tens of billions of dollars and decades of patience. So it was good to hear perspective from the bully pulpit.
America’s oil addiction threatens national security and economic security, Bush said. As it is for most junkies, rehab will be slow and uncomfortable. There are, the president said, 220 million cars in America. Only 4.5 million are engineered to run on both gasoline and ethanol, the fuel made from corn or other biowastes.
“Our fleet’s not going to change overnight,” the president warned. “We’re talking about an evolution.”
“National will,” Bush said, is the only thing that can marry good intentions to money. The president talked of hybrid cars running on electricity and gas. He talked of ethanol. He talked of vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells. He talked of solar-powered homes, wind-driven electrical turbines, pollution-free, coal-fired electrical plants, nuclear technology producing energy instead of bombs.
As an affirmation of the presence of White House political mastermind Karl Rove at NREL, what was supposed to be an hour-long presentation took exactly one hour and 17 seconds. But Rove, who disappeared after pulling Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar into the aisle for a few minutes before the president took the stage, got this one right.
“I told him renewable energy was a signature mark this president could make if he extends the effort over the next three years,” Salazar said. “Fixing the 32 jobs doesn’t do what we need to do for the nation on renewable energy.”
Still, the George W. Bush who emceed at NREL on Tuesday was the folksy, self-deprecating leader who, if he chooses, can bring people together on this difficult technical problem.
The president seemed to understand the nuances of alternative power, but he cut through the mumbo jumbo with a charm that will appeal outside of laboratories, which is what must happen if America is to kick the oil habit.
“You take wood chips, put ’em through a factory and put it in your car,” Mr. Bush said at one point, synthesizing into Average Joe terms NREL director Dan Arvizu’s technical explanation of ethanol. “That’s the difference between a Ph.D. and a C student.”
The president talked the talk.
Now it’s time to walk the walk.
Albeit unintentionally, Dale Gardner, a Department of Energy specialist on hydrogen fuel cells, drove home this point as Bush introduced him.
“Are you gainfully employed?” the president of the United States asked.
“As long,” Gardner joked, “as you’re kind to my boss.”
Jim Spencer’s column appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He can be reached at 303-820-1771 or jspencer@denverpost.com.
