Kellyanne Conway Blasts Chris Cuomo For Harvey Climate Change Question

Ron Dicker
Updated

Don’t get Kellyanne Conway started on climate change.

In an interview Wednesday, CNN’s Chris Cuomo questioned the presidential counselor about climate change’s role in creating so-called “100-year floods” like the ones the superstorm Harvey caused. He asked whether President Donald Trump’s administration is “open to that conversation.”

“Chris, we’re trying to help the people whose lives are literally underwater, and you want to have a conversation about climate change,” she snapped, in the exchange. (See the video below.) “I mean, that is — I’m not going to engage in that right now because I work for a president and a vice president and a country that is very focused on helping the millions of affected Texans, and, god forbid, Louisianans.”

Cuomo retorted, “Imagine if we could find ways to reduce the number of these storms.”

“You’re gonna play climatologist tonight?” Conway shot back.

The two have sparred before, so it’s no surprise that the interview turned tense over a hot-button issue. After all, Conway’s boss once said, “I’m not a believer in man-made global warming.”

While scientists debate climate change’s influence on Harvey, one Cornell University climate researcher said arctic warming “likely played an important role in making Hurricane Harvey such an extreme killer storm.”

The death toll from Harvey has climbed to at least 35, Reuters reported, and at least 30,000 people have been displaced.

Also on HuffPost

Submerged Houston neighborhoods near Interstate 10 in the wake of Tropical Storm Harvey on Aug. 29, 2017.
Submerged Houston neighborhoods near Interstate 10 in the wake of Tropical Storm Harvey on Aug. 29, 2017.
Recreational vehicles lie on their sides in the floodwaters.
Recreational vehicles lie on their sides in the floodwaters.
People survey the flooded areas near their homes.
People survey the flooded areas near their homes.
Vehicles sit on a flooded portion of Interstate 10.
Vehicles sit on a flooded portion of Interstate 10.
People walk through flooded neighborhoods.
People walk through flooded neighborhoods.
A truck navigates through floodwaters in a residential neighborhood west of Houston.
A truck navigates through floodwaters in a residential neighborhood west of Houston.
The water levels are high at the Addicks Reservoir.
The water levels are high at the Addicks Reservoir.
Portions of Interstate 10 are completely underwater.
Portions of Interstate 10 are completely underwater.
An aerial view of downtown Houston under dark clouds.
An aerial view of downtown Houston under dark clouds.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.