Fact-checking Biden’s attempts to distance himself from the Green New Deal

After lauding the “framework” of the GND, Biden’s campaign webpage on the environment lays out the bullet points of Biden’s own plan to combat climate change, which includes items like building out energy efficient infrastructure and a goal for the US to reach zero-emissions by 2050.

While the two plans overlap on some environmental objectives, Biden’s plan does not include many of the social welfare proposals as the GND. For instance, Biden is not calling for a guaranteed job for each American with family and medical leave and paid vacations as the GND proposes.

In a post-debate email blast, the Trump campaign attacked Biden over his comments, saying that “Biden cannot distance himself from his embrace of the (GND) no matter how hard he tries.”

Biden’s answer during the debate is not the first time he has been nuanced in discussing the GND. In a March Democratic primary debate with Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Biden said of Sanders’ GND climate proposal, “We disagree on the detail of how we do it, but we don’t disagree on the principle” of creating a Green New Deal.

On Wednesday, Biden reiterated this stance, telling reporters “the Green New Deal that the President keeps trying to talk about, it’s not a bad deal, but it’s not the plan I have. That’s the Biden green deal, that’s what it’s about.”

“Our differences are exactly why I joined Biden’s Climate Unity Task Force – so we could set aside our differences & figure out an aggressive climate plan to address the planetary crisis at our feet.”

Biden is walking a fine line, but praising the 14-page, nonbinding resolution as a “crucial framework” is not the same as fully supporting the potential policies and proposals from the Green New Deal.