http://www.climatehawksvote.com/2016vote?recruiter_id=28

The Climate Hawks Vote Democratic Climate Primary endorsement poll is open for your vote until Tuesday, March 8, 11:59 PM.

For a few minutes, the nation actually heard candidates for president debating the most consequential challenge of our time: manmade global warming.

On the debate stage in Flint, Michigan, Senator Bernie Sanders and Secretary Hillary Clinton engaged in a fierce and passionate debate on climate change, fracking, the political influence of fossil-fuel industry, and environmental justice.

Sanders described climate change as a crisis that must be taken with grave importance, citing the increasingly dire and specific warnings from scientists of potential global catastrophe if fossil-fuel pollution is not ended.

x "The media doesn't talk enough about climate change - this is a crisis we have to deal with now." -Bernie Sanders — alyssa (@alyssasnguyen) March 7, 2016

In an extended response to an audience member critical of fracking, Hillary Clinton argued that the regulatory provisions in her recently released plan promoting “safe and responsible” natural-gas production would mean that fracking in the United States would become rare:

respect local and state bans

limit methane leakage

disclose chemicals used

x Clinton: "By the time we get through my conditions I do not think there will be many places.. where fracking can continue to take place" — Rebecca Leber (@rebleber) March 7, 2016

Sanders replied: “My answer is a lot shorter: No, I do not support fracking.”

x After a long Clinton response about fracking, Sanders says, "my answer is a lot shorter: No, I do not support fracking." #DemDebate — T.J. Holmes (@tjholmes) March 7, 2016

Sanders was also blunt in his criticism of the Democratic Party with respect to fracking and fossil-fuel money:

x Q: Many Democratic governors say fracking is safe. Are they wrong?@BernieSanders: Yes.#DemDebate #climate — Brad Johnson (@climatebrad) March 7, 2016

The Climate Hawks Vote endorsement rides on your vote: Who is the best Climate President? Vote now.

The candidates debated Clinton’s fundraising from fracking investors. Clinton said she didn’t know “anything” about that. Here are some specifics:

On January 27, Hillary Clinton attended a gala fundraiser in Philadelphia at the headquarters of Franklin Square Capital Partners, a major investor in the fossil-fuel industry, particularly domestic fracking. The controversial fracking industry is particularly powerful in Pennsylvania, which will host the Democratic National Convention this July. Through its fund, Franklin Square invests in dozens of private fracking and oil drilling companies across the nation, as well as Canada and the Gulf of Mexico. Tickets to the event ranged from $1,000 to $27,000. Contributors at the $2,700 level got a photo taken with Clinton, and the $27,000 contributors were afforded the opportunity to meet and hear Jon Bon Jovi perform an acoustic set.

Clinton talked about her plan to move to solar energy and create millions of jobs around clean and renewable energy. She said, though, that the president can't just tell people to do.

Sanders responded by coming back to the fossil-fuel industry money in our political system, questioning why they would give the money if there weren’t a return on investment. He then raised the urgency of reversing the Citizens United decision, connecting campaign finance reform to climate change. Clinton broke in to mention the importance of President Obama’s ability to nominate a justice for the Supreme Court, pulling yet another thread together — and reminding voters of one of the many reasons it is important our next president be a Democrat.

Who is winning the Climate Primary, Bernie or Hillary? Vote now in the Climate Hawks Vote Political Action endorsement poll now.