GOP senator's family builds igloo to mock global warming

WASHINGTON -- The apple doesn't seem to fall far from the tree in Sen. Jim Inhofe's (R-OK) family. The rabid climate change denier's loved ones have joined together for the common purpose of poking fun at global warming and Al Gore.

Members of Inhofe's family braved the historic snow storms crippling the nation's capital and other northeastern cities to build a sizable igloo near the Washington National Mall in honor of the outspoken climate activist and former vice president.

Atop lies a sign at reads "AL GORE'S NEW HOME!" on one side and "HONK IF YOU [HEART] GLOBAL WARMING" on the other.

Central to the pretext behind Inhofe's family excursion is the notion that heavy snow storms challenge, if not refute, the science behind global warming. In fact, Inhofe, the ranking member of the senate environment committee, makes no secret of his aims.

He posted photos of the igloo on his Facebook fan page, describing them as, "Senator Inhofe and his family were in Washington DC this weekend as the blizzard hit the DC area. The Inhofe family had a little fun at the expense of Al Gore and global warming.

Climate policy wonk Brad Johnson of Think Progress countered his point by noting that global climate change has long been expected to polarize weather patterns.

"In reality, winter snows do not invalidate the reality that the planet just experienced the hottest decade on record," Johnson said. "Scientists have been warning for decades that global warming would increase the severity of winter storms."

So resolute is Inhofe's stance against taking steps to cut carbon emissions that he said this summer there's no conceivable way he'll support climate change legislation.

In anticipation of the historic snow storm that has crippled Washington, D.C. since this weekend, the Virginia Republican Party last Friday released an advertisement mocking global warming and urging their constituents to oppose cap and trade energy legislation.