'Nuclear war' could provide 'course correction' from Trump presidency, billionaire liberal donor says

Nov. 19, 2014: Environmentalist Tom Steyer speaks to the Center for American Progresss Second Annual Policy Conference in Washington. (AP)

Left-wing billionaire Tom Steyer suggests in a Rolling Stone interview this week that “nuclear war” could provide a “course correction” for the U.S. following Donald Trump’s presidency.

In their discussion, Rolling Stone's Tim Dickinson argues that Democrats’ refusal to impeach President George W. Bush in 2006 helped the party take back both chambers of Congress that year, paving the way for Barack Obama’s two-term presidency.

But Steyer counters that keeping Bush in office meant the U.S. had to endure wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Great Recession of 2007-09.

“…(I)f the answer is that we need those three things to happen for a course correction, I'd prefer to move a little quicker," Steyer says … But I take your point. Maybe we can have, like, a nuclear war and then we get a real course correction."

But Steyer quickly backpedaled from the explosive rhetoric.

“I should be a little bit more tempered," he said. "I take back that remark about nuclear war. The correction happened because the United States got screwed, and American citizens lost their houses and American citizens lost their lives – and, by the way, there was a terrible climate-related crisis, New Orleans, that the president [Bush] fumbled."

“I should be a little bit more tempered. I take back that remark about nuclear war. The correction happened because the United States got screwed, and American citizens lost their houses and American citizens lost their lives ... "

— Tom Steyer, liberal donor

Steyer, 61, a New York native living in California, is known for his multimillion-dollar effort to have Trump impeached. But not all Democrats are on board.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for example, has suggested impeachment could harm Democrats’ future electoral prospects.

Steyer has reportedly pledged $40 million for his “Need to Impeach” campaign since launching it last October.