Mar 9, 2017

Big oil chief goes after Silicon Valley

Ben Geman, author of Generate

Rich Pedroncelli / AP

Chevron's CEO knocked Silicon Valley's approach to energy, saying tech firms need too much government intervention.

It used to be that Silicon Valley was all about staying out of the way. Now, particularly when it comes to energy related activity, they seem to want a lot of government intrusion. — Chevron CEO John Watson speaking at CERAWeek

He singled out the Renewable Fuel Standard, the federal biofuels mandate, and the Low-Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) in California as "failures of policy." Watson, whose company has refineries in California, also attacked the state's cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gases.

Why it matters: Chevron's criticism of Silicon Valley shows that while big oil companies like to promote their own alternative energy research, they oppose energy technology policies that layer requirements on the kinds of fuels they can deliver nationally or in the huge California market.

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Rebecca Falconer
12 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Biden raises $141 million more than Trump

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden speaks during a September campaign event in Wilmington, Delaware. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Joe Biden's campaign, the Democratic National Committee and joint fundraising committees raised $466 million cash on hand, the presidential candidate's team announced late Sunday.

Why it matters: President Trump's campaign raised $325 million, his campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh announced Friday. In the spring, Biden was $187 million behind Trump and the Republican National Committee.

Driving the news: Slower spending by Biden's campaign and heavy spending by Trump's in the spring and record summer fund-raising hauls that spiked after he named Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) as his running mate contributed to the turnaround, notes the New York Times, which first reported the news.

Editor's note: This is a developing news story. Please check back for updates.

Sara Fischer, author of Media Trends
46 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Virtual Emmys address chaotic year for American TV and society

Emmy Host Jimmy Kimmel during rehearsals Friday for the 72nd Annual Emmy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Photo: Al Seib/ Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

The Emmy Awards Sunday night addressed the major U.S. issues this year — including the protests on systemic racism and police brutality, the wildfires engulfing parts of the West Coast, the census, the pandemic, essential works and the election.

Why it matters: Award shows have always addressed wider cultural issues, but this year — amid unprecedented stress and uncertainty — that trend has accelerated.

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Axios
Updated 1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 11:30 p.m. ET: 30,919,638 — Total deaths: 959,332— Total recoveries: 21,152,996 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 9:30p.m. ET: 6,799,141 — Total deaths: 199,474 — Total recoveries: 2,590,671 — Total tests: 95,108,559 — Map.
  3. Politics: Testing czar on Trump's CDC contradictions: "Everybody is right" — Ex-FDA chief: Career scientists won't be "easily cowed" by political vaccine pressure.
  4. Education: What we overlooked in the switch to remote learning.
  5. Health: The dwindling chances of eliminating COVID-19 — 7 states set single-day coronavirus case records last week.
  6. World: England sets £10,000 fine for breaking self-isolation rules — The countries painting their pandemic recoveries green.
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