Bryson, J

<h2>Commerce Secretary John Bryson</h2>

Right-Wing Media Attacked John Bryson, Calling Him A "Global Warming Fanatic." From a May 31 entry by Doug Powers on Michelle Malkin's website, headlined "Of Course: Obama's Commerce Department Nominee is a Global Warming Fanatic":

Because designing an economy around the assumption that we're all about to die from man-made global warming is working out so well for commerce in Spain, let's keep the ball rolling in the United States:

(CNSNews.com) - John Bryson, nominated by President Barack Obama today to head the Department of Commerce, once said it was "incredibly important" that the United States pass cap and trade legislation and that America needed to become a global leader in combating man-made global warming.

"I regard it as incredibly important that the United States comes forth in this year with federal climate change legislation as a foundation for moving ahead," Bryson told the U.N. International Energy Conference in late August 2009. "I think we in the U.S. have an obligation to assist in significant ways in providing leadership in this community of nations that you represent and addressing energy and climate change."

[...]

Bryson, a co-founder of the liberal environmentalist group Natural Resources Defense Council, was most recently a member of the United Nations' Advisory Group on Energy and Climate Change, a panel of scientific and industry experts tasked with providing advice on combating global warming. [MichelleMalkin.com, <a href="http://mediamatters.org/rd?to=http%3A%2F%2Fmichellemalkin.com%2F2011%2F05%2F31%2Fof-course-commerce-2%2F" target="_blank">5/31/11</a>]

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And An "Eco-Terrorist." From the June 2 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends:

ERIC BOLLING: Mr. Obama has a green agenda. No question about it. Steven Chu is green -- he's the energy secretary -- Ken Salazar, the interior secretary, also very green, permitoriums and whatnot. The new guy -- this is very important -- the guy that Obama nominated on Tuesday for the Commerce Secretary job, his name is John Bryson. There are those of us who watch this stuff carefully, you can almost call him an eco-terrorist. He is --

KILMEADE: What?

BOLLING: He is so pro-green. This -- the point is, all these secretary -- these cabinet positions are held by very, very green agenda environmentalists. It's scary. And by the way, our gas prices go up. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, <a href="http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201106020004" target="_blank">6/2/11</a>, via Media Matters]

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In Fact, Bryson Was Chairman And CEO Of Edison International. The New York Times reported:

Trained as a lawyer, Bryson helped co-found the Natural Resources Defense Council in 1970 and headed California state commissions governing utilities and water during Gov. Jerry Brown's (D) first administration. Bryson retired as chairman and CEO of Edison International, the parent company of electric utility Southern California Edison, in 2008 after 18 years. [The New York Times, <a href="http://mediamatters.org/rd?to=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Fcwire%2F2011%2F06%2F01%2F01climatewire-obama-names-bryson-for-commerce-republicans-99846.html" target="_blank">6/1/11</a>]

Bryson Also Sat On The Boards Of Major Corporations. The New York Times reported:

Bryson, a graduate of Yale Law School, sits on the board of directors of Boeing, Walt Disney Co., Coda Automotive Inc., the California Endowment and the W.M. Keck Foundation. He is chairman of the board of the Public Policy Institute of California and of the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California's Board of Overseers.

Bryson is also a senior adviser to asset management firm KKR, a trustee of the California Institute of Technology, co-chairman of the Pacific Council on International Policy and an adviser to Deutsche Bank Americas. [The New York Times, <a href="http://mediamatters.org/rd?to=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Fcwire%2F2011%2F06%2F01%2F01climatewire-obama-names-bryson-for-commerce-republicans-99846.html" target="_blank">6/1/11</a>]

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And Had The Support Of The U.S. Chamber Of Commerce. The New York Times reported:

But another familiar opponent of many Obama administration policies, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Thomas Donohue, sounded a more conciliatory note.

"With his extensive knowledge of the private sector and years of experience successfully running a major company, we hope Mr. Bryson will be a strong voice for American business," he said. [The New York Times, <a href="http://mediamatters.org/rd?to=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Fcwire%2F2011%2F06%2F01%2F01climatewire-obama-names-bryson-for-commerce-republicans-99846.html" target="_blank">6/1/11</a>]

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The Senate Confirmed Bryson By An Overwhelming Margin. The Senate confirmed Bryson's nomination by a vote of 74-26. [Senate roll call vote no. 176, <a href="http://mediamatters.org/rd?to=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.senate.gov%2Flegislative%2FLIS%2Froll_call_lists%2Froll_call_vote_cfm.cfm%3Fcongress%3D112%26session%3D1%26vote%3D00176" target="_blank">10/20/11</a>]

For more information detailing right-wing media attacks against John Bryson, click <a href="http://mediamatters.org/research/201106020029" target="_blank">here</a>.