Former Secretary of State Kerry slams “neo-national demagoguery”

Former Secretary of State John Kerry speaks with reporters following a climate conference in Providence as actor Sam Waterston looks on. Photo by Steve Klamkin WPRO News

By Steve Klamkin WPRO News

Former Secretary of State John Kerry warned against what he called “neo-national demagoguery” as he took issue with the Trump administration’s failure to fill many diplomatic positions and top State Department posts.

“This works, this investment in democracy and in building relationships with countries. We should not forget it,” said Kerry.

“We can’t allow this neo-national demagoguery to take away from America what has made America great.”

Headlining a conference in Providence for energy, environmental and oceans leaders, Kerry said he wanted to steer clear of politics, but said that failure “misses opportunities on a daily basis to make the country safer”.

Calling climate change a “life or death issue”, Kerry ticked off a litany of environmental woes and warned against the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement, and the declaration that the war against coal is over.

“By the way, there may be 15,000 coal miners in America – our current President spends a lot of time focused on it – but there are more than 100,000 people who’ve come into the marketplace in the last three years, 10,000 of them right here in Rhode Island working in the clean energy sector,” Kerry said. “And that’s the future, believe me, that’s the future.”

Kerry added that he is optimistic that a majority of states are committed to maintaining the pollution reduction goals of the climate accord.

 

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