Paul Bledsoe Explained

Paul Bledsoe is an American academic, author, and expert in public and environmental policies. He is also a public servant, having served as the communications director of the Clinton administration’s White House Climate Change Task Force.

Biography

Bledsoe was born in 1960. He completed his M.A. in English at the Ohio State University in 1986.^[1]

Prior to his work for the Clinton administration, Bledsoe was the Special Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Interior, Bruce Babbitt and was the Communications Director of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. He also served as press secretary and legislative assistant to several members of the House of Representatives.^[1]

From 2009 to 2010, Bledsoe served as President Barack Obama's Senior Policy Advisor to the Presidential Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, the independent panel created by the White House to investigate the 2010 disaster.^{[2] [3] [4]}

Bledsoe serves on the Progressive Policy Institute, a think tank affiliated with the Democratic Leadership Council. While serving in this capacity, he criticized more radical calls for 100% renewable energy goals under the proposed Green New Deal, stating that such uncompromising standards would undermine the ability to make any progress whatsoever.^[5]

Bledsoe is currently a lecturer at the American University’s Department of Public Administration and Policy. He is a strategic adviser at the Progressive Policy Institute, and is also the founder and president of Bledsoe & Associates, LLC.^{[6] [7] [8]}

Bledsoe has published articles in the New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Financial Times, Politico, The Hill, Reuters, Roll Call and other outlets. He has also appeared and commented on CNN, BBC, MSNBC, NPR, and Fox.^{[9] [10] [11] [12]}

Notes and References

1. https://www.siew.gov.sg/siew-2024/speakers/detail Speakers Bio | SIEW 2023; www.siew.gov.sg
2. https://paulbledsoe.com/about/ About; PaulBledsoe.com
3. Ten years after Gulf of Mexico oil spill, Trump administration weakens regulations; Washington Post; https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/ten-years-after-gulf-of-mexico-oil-spill-trump-administration-weakens-reforms/2020/04/19/f935ec1c-7ffc-11ea-8013-1b6da0e4a2b7_story.html
4. https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/131373-energy-expert-bledsoe-launches-new-venture/ Energy expert Bledsoe launches new venture; The Hill
5. Homan, Timothy R. (November 24, 2018). "Five things to know about Ocasio-Cortez's 'Green New Deal'". The Hill https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/417843-five-things-to-know-about-ocasio-cortezs-green-new-deal/
6. https://www.american.edu/spa/faculty/bledsoe.cfm Paul Bledsoe; American University
7. https://www.eenews.net/articles/climate-group-with-gop-roots-a-go-to-for-tariff-push/ Climate group with GOP roots a go-to for tariff push; E&E News
8. https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/3365274 Paul W Bledsoe; Bloomberg
9. https://www.american.edu/spa/cep/environmental-protection/speakers.cfm Speakers; American University
10. To avert climate disaster, we need firm commitments on cutting methane at COP28; The Hill; https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/4331923-to-avert-climate-disaster-we-need-firm-commitments-on-cutting-methane/
11. Joe Biden factors domestic energy costs into decision on climate policy; Financial Times; https://www.ft.com/content/cf2ad4c7-a041-4f26-b0f2-e7715be2db2d
12. There will be no turning back if Donald Trump succeeds; Washington Post; https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/02/11/14th-ammendment-no-turning-back-donald-trump-succeeds/