--- title: A Review of Some Birddogging Victories! date: 2016-02-25T18:07:49Z modified: 2016-02-25T18:07:49Z permalink: "https://350action.org/a-review-of-some-birddogging-victories/" type: post status: publish excerpt: When we organize -- we win. wpid: 386 categories: - nh featured_image: /wp-content/uploads/2016/02/IMG_0271-e1460146703886-1.jpg author: 350 Action Team --- **Here’s how young people are changing climate politics in the 2016 election:** Since the summer, 350 Action has been injecting climate into the election cycle. From Iowa to New Hampshire, we’ve been pushing the Democrats to embrace [policies that will #keepitintheground](http://350action.org/the-new-climate-denial/) and showing how much the Republican candidates are bought out by the fossil fuel industry. As the country gears up for the rest of the primary season, we’d like to reflect on the impressive victories that the climate movement has already scored before any candidate is even nominated. [A big thanks to the massive array of volunteers](http://350action.org/abby-colby-youth-have-the-power-to-change-political-dialogue/) who brought climate justice into the mainstream press narrative in 2016. Two of the next big fights for the climate movement — keeping fossil fuels from every being extracted on public lands and prosecuting the #ExxonKnew case against oil companies that lied to the public for decades about the reality of climate change — got big endorsements this primary season as 350 Action held the Democratic candidates responsible for stronger climate policies. [![Clinton](http://tfaction.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Clinton-1.png) ](http://tfaction.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Clinton-1.png) **September 22, 2015** **Hillary Clinton Reverses Herself, Opposes Keystone XL Pipeline** After feeling “inclined” to approve the Keystone XL pipeline as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton ended years of remaining tight lipped about the project when [she finally said #nokxl](http://www.politico.com/story/2015/09/hillary-clinton-keystone-pipeline-opposes-213941) to a 350 Action volunteer in Iowa. A few weeks later, President Obama killed the pipeline for good. **October 16, 2015** **Hillary Clinton: We Need to Keep Fossil Fuels in the Ground** In response to a question about Kinder Morgan’s Northeast Direct Energy pipeline which would carry fracked gas through New Hampshire, Secretary Clinton expressed her disapproval of drilling in the Arctic based on the need to keep fossil fuels in the ground. [![meme](http://tfaction.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/meme-1.jpg) ](http://tfaction.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/meme-1.jpg)> ICYMI: [@HillaryClinton](https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) agrees "we want to keep more fossil fuels under the ocean and in the ground." [\#nhpolitics](https://twitter.com/hashtag/nhpolitics?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/RTeCK3WHzN](http://t.co/RTeCK3WHzN) > > — 350 Action (@350action) [October 16, 2015](https://twitter.com/350action/status/655156075772137472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **October 28, 2015** **Martin O’Malley Supports Fossil Fuel Divestment** Students at the University of Colorado asked Governor O’Malley if he supported the thousands of students across the nation fighting for fossil fuel divestment. The governor’s resonse? “Yes.” **October 29, 2015** **Hillary Clinton Calls for a Federal Investigation of #ExxonKnew** When Jordan Cichon asked Hillary Cinton about the Deparment of Justice investigating Exxon Mobil for its decades of climate denial, she wasn’t sure what to expect. Clinton’s enthusiastic support of an investigation, however, brought her in line with the rest of the Democratic field, and caused a stir in the press cycle as the #ExxonKnew scandal went mainstream. (add links) **December 3, 2015** **Actvists Center Climate Justice in the New Hampshire Primary** As she campaigned in the midst of the Paris climate talks during COP 21, Hillary Clinton found herself asked to take a stand for climate justice in Dover, New Hampshire. > Our message to [@HillaryClinton](https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw): show climate leadership + call on the world to [\#keepitintheground](https://twitter.com/hashtag/keepitintheground?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [\#COP21](https://twitter.com/hashtag/COP21?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [\#fitn](https://twitter.com/hashtag/fitn?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/Z1N1PKbuN2](https://t.co/Z1N1PKbuN2) > > — 350 Action (@350action) [December 3, 2015](https://twitter.com/350action/status/672467215443230722?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **January 21, 2016** **Bernie Sanders Comes Out Hard Against Fracking** In response to a question about the Porter Ranch methane gas leak that poisoned communities in Southern California, Senator Sanders called for a ban on fracking. > WATCH: [@BernieSanders](https://twitter.com/BernieSanders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) calls for the shut down of the Aliso Canyon Natural Gas facility in Porter Ranch, CA [\#fitn](https://twitter.com/hashtag/fitn?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/hfTCYHYzpO](https://t.co/hfTCYHYzpO) > > — 350 Action (@350action) [January 21, 2016](https://twitter.com/350action/status/690272489369440257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **February 5, 2016** **Big Victory: Hillary Clinton Comes Out In Favor of A Moratorium of Fossil Fuel Extraction on Federal Lands** In early February, Secretary Clinton finally answered the very first question we asked her in July — she would impose a moratorium on new fossil fuel leases on federal lands. > BREAKING: [@HillaryClinton](https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) would impose a moratorium on fossil fuel extraction on federal lands [\#fitn](https://twitter.com/hashtag/fitn?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/Tk3pCrnNeI](https://t.co/Tk3pCrnNeI) > > — 350 Action (@350action) [February 5, 2016](https://twitter.com/350action/status/695682134007287809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Campaign Contributions from Fossil Fuel Lobbyists Hurt Clinton’s Credibility** When asked if she would refuse money from the fossil fuel industry in Iowa, Secretary Clinton said she would look into it. We asked her about the $150,000 she received from lobbyists multiple times in New Hampshire, though Clinton never gave us a straight response. The climate movement deserves an answer: Hillary Clinton, will you refuse to take money from fossil fuel lobbyists? --- **Republican candidates for president** performed a dizzying routine of verbal acrobatics to avoid connecting the burning of fossil fuels to climate change. The reason became apparent after examining their campaign contributions. A secret network of donors influence the candidates to play down the risks of a warming planet. We took every opportuntiy to call out the political sway that the fossil fuel industry has over candidates this primary cycle. **August 3, 2015** **350 Action Punks Scott Walker with a Fake Check for $900,000 from the Koch Brothers** We introduced ourselves to Scott Walker with [a fake check from the Koch brothers](http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/aug/03/scott-walker-climate-change-fake-check-koch-brothers) that went viral. We need to get big money out of politics, and a few weeks later, Walker dropped out of the race. **Jeb Bush: Burning Fossil Fuels Reduces Carbon Emissions** **November 3, 2015** Jeb Bush might be seen as one of the more moderate Republicans running, but his reluctance to connect fossil fuels and climate change can be demonstrated by this gaffe. > WATCH: [@JebBush](https://twitter.com/JebBush?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) thinks burning fossil fuels both causes climate change and reduces carbon emissions [\#fitn](https://twitter.com/hashtag/fitn?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/FUeufJYUXz](https://t.co/FUeufJYUXz) > > — 350 Action (@350action) [November 4, 2015](https://twitter.com/350action/status/661722284248473600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Marco Rubio Switches from Climate Change “Doesn’t Matter” to “You Should Be Concerned” By It** On November 4th, 2015, we asked Marco Rubio if he agreed with the science that burning fossil fuels causes climate change. His response was that “it doesn’t matter,” seeming to ignore the laws of physics. By February, however, after much birddogging, he told one of our volunteers that she “should be” concerned about climate change. [https://twitter.com/350action/status/662068232061362176](https://twitter.com/350action/status/662068232061362176) **John Kasich Hints that Fossil Fuel Money Results in the GOP’s Climate Denial Problem** On January 11, 2016, we asked Governor Kasich why so many in his party deny climate change. He wouldn’t say, because he was [“running in a Republican primary, after all.” ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxKr4HhNSpc) > .[@JohnKasich](https://twitter.com/JohnKasich?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) wants better lives for every American, but won't admit why his party denies climate change. [\#GOPDebate](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GOPDebate?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/dFJo9FnYL2](https://t.co/dFJo9FnYL2) > > — 350 Action (@350action) [January 15, 2016](https://twitter.com/350action/status/687819351731245056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Activists Call Out Ted Cruz’s Climate Denial** As one of the foremost climate deniers in the Senate and one of the biggest profiters of fossil fuel money, Ted Cruz does all he can to dismiss climate change. By February, we escalated our tactics, photobombing him and interrupting a campaign stop in New Hampshire. > BREAKING: activists disrupt [@tedcruz](https://twitter.com/tedcruz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) town hall in Nashua, calling out his climate lies [\#fitn](https://twitter.com/hashtag/fitn?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [\#cruz2016](https://twitter.com/hashtag/cruz2016?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/nqM8Ll9XAj](https://t.co/nqM8Ll9XAj) > > — 350 Action (@350action) [February 4, 2016](https://twitter.com/350action/status/695061091798351873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [\#TrusTed](https://twitter.com/hashtag/TrusTed?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) to lie about climate science in exchange for money from the fossil fuel industry [\#exxonknew](https://twitter.com/hashtag/exxonknew?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [\#fitn](https://twitter.com/hashtag/fitn?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/XAMLmR1Bk1](https://t.co/XAMLmR1Bk1) > > — 350 Action (@350action) [February 4, 2016](https://twitter.com/350action/status/695298550134083584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **As the primaries heat up, you can track candidates and ask them questions too! It’s all very easy. Join Us!**