CHICAGO, June 20, 2008
Obama Knocks McCain On Offshore Drilling
Says Ariz. Senator's Proposal "Makes Absolutely No Sense At All"
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Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. listens during a meeting of Democratic Governors, Friday, June 20, 2008, at the Chicago History Museum in Chicago. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
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Obama said opening up the U.S. coastline to oil exploration would not give Americans any appreciable savings until 2030.
"Even then you're looking at cents on a gallon of gas," Obama told Democratic governors at a meeting in his hometown. "Who knows 22 years from now, what would gas be at the pace that we're going right now?"
Instead, Obama said he would invest $150 billion over the next 10 years to create green jobs, particularly in the automotive industry and to improve the electricity grid so people can drive plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Obama planned a news conference after his arrival in Jacksonville, Florida, later in the day to criticize McCain on changing his position on drilling offshore. In McCain's 2000 campaign, he said he favored the federal government's 27-year moratorium on offshore drilling. This week, he said he supports lifting it to give states the option to drill.
Obama told the governors he couldn't wait to hear what their Republican colleague Arnold Schwarzenegger of California would have to say about McCain's plan. Told that he'd already spoken out, Obama said, "He's thumbs down, right?"
He is. Schwarzenegger said Wednesday that California's coastline is "an international treasure" that must be protected.
Obama discussed the economy with the 16 Democratic governors. They told him how people in their states are suffering, from high energy and food costs, loss of manufacturing jobs and the housing slump.
"There is a deep recession and frankly I believe it's gaining momentum," said New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, who backed Obama's primary rival Hillary Rodham Clinton. "I don't think we're half way through."
Obama said he would work with them on policies that would help, including a plan to spend billions in taxpayer dollars to build roads, bridges and other infrastructure projects that could create jobs and improve transportation routes. Obama asked if they have projects that were ready to go if they had the money, and there were nods and calls of "Absolutely!" around the table.
"Within three months, you could start putting people back to work," he said.
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin responded, "I think we could put a lot of people back to work in one month. We're ready."
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See all 274 CommentsTHERE IS NO SHORTAGE! Have any of you not been able to buy gas? Why was oil $44/barrel last Fall (for a short time of course).
Even with off shore sources some 5 years down the road it will be less than 5% of the oil we use. You telling me that 5% is going to make a big difference. Idiots!!
It''s just another scam to use taxpayer dollars and taxpayer resources to fuel the already bloated to death with profit oil industry and oil futures markets.
Oh yeah, drilling for oil with a possible 5% share in the market 5 years from now is really going to make a big difference. Idiots.
THERE IS NO SHORTAGE! Have any of you not been able to buy gas? Why was oil $44/barrel last Fall (for a short time of course).
Even with off shore sources some 5 years down the road it will be less than 5% of the oil we use. You telling me that 5% is going to make a big difference. Idiots!!
It''''s just another scam to use taxpayer dollars and taxpayer resources to fuel the already bloated to death with profit oil industry and oil futures markets.
Oh yeah, drilling for oil with a possible 5% share in the market 5 years from now is really going to make a big difference. Idiots.
Posted by talkingham at 03:11 PM : Jun 20, 2008
actually the oil could start flowing in as little as
6 months if they are allowed to drill...also once it
is announced that we intend to start developing our on
oil the speculators will start dumping shares and the price per barrel will drop like a rock. Supply and demand ..yes we are having no shortages at the pump, but more supply means that if you dont sell me yours
I can get if from someone else cheaper...dummy
By pushing a bill that distances himself from the Democratic Party and its presidential candidate on offshore drilling, Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia is picking a curious time to exercise his well-known independence.
Webb wants his home state to have the right to explore for energy off Virginia%u2019s coast. His staff insists his proposal pertains only to natural gas, and not oil, and that it is completely in line with the state%u2019s other two leading Democrats %u2014 Gov. Tim Kaine and former Gov. Mark Warner, who is running for Senate.
Yet by attaching his name to the bill, sponsored by Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), Webb is taking a step away from Barack Obama (D-Ill.), the party%u2019s presidential candidate, who opposes offshore drilling, and one closer to Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), the GOP standard-bearer who recently called for lifting the federal ban.
Wrong ! I''m a Democrat and I completely agree with him. The more I hear him and his wife speak about real solutions the more I like them.
Another thing is happening too. The more I realize just how completely crooked most Republicans really are.
The only reason politicians like Webb want to drill offshore is that they want the royalties for their state''s coffers, not because it addresses immediate energy problems.
If we begin seriously investing in alternatives we''ll haev them long before we have more gas. Those who want to drill more still haven''t addressed the issue of refinery capacity or conservation.
There''s too many holes in the Republican pro-oil and pro-nuclear plans.
The point that you don''t get is that we have alternatives that will meet our needs without degrading the environment.
There''s more involved in our quality of life than driving around in an SUV or Hummer.
I''m John McCain and I approve this message (just as soon as the check clears that is).
(*John McCain is a wholly owned subsidiary of Exxon-Mobil and other oil companies.)
By pushing a bill that distances himself from the Democratic Party and its presidential candidate on offshore drilling, Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia is picking a curious time to exercise his well-known independence.
Webb wants his home state to have the right to explore for energy off Virginia%u2019s coast. His staff insists his proposal pertains only to natural gas, and not oil, and that it is completely in line with the state%u2019s other two leading Democrats %u2014 Gov. Tim Kaine and former Gov. Mark Warner, who is running for Senate.
Yet by attaching his name to the bill, sponsored by Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), Webb is taking a step away from Barack Obama (D-Ill.), the party%u2019s presidential candidate, who opposes offshore drilling, and one closer to Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), the GOP standard-bearer who recently called for lifting the federal ban
I''''m John McCain and I approve this message (just as soon as the check clears that is).
(*John McCain is a wholly owned subsidiary of Exxon-Mobil and other oil companies.)
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Posted by SgtRDS-E4 at 04:25 PM : Jun 20, 2008
Yeah, so is Barak Obama...isn''t it hilarious that the Obama idiot can even suggest that average Americans and college kids have provided him with $500,000,000 in campaign funds!
Just makes you wanna laugh your arse off doesn''t it?
The point that you don''''t get is that we have alternatives that will meet our needs without degrading the environment.
There''''s more involved in our quality of life than driving around in an SUV or Hummer.
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Posted by realpatriot1 at 04:12 PM : Jun 20, 2008
The point you don''t get, is that there are no alternatives in place except ethanol, and it will take years to get them in place.
The only alternative we have right now is to drill what we have and wean off foreigners.
Can''t get that thru your pea brain, can ya?
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Posted by sunspro at 04:51 PM : Jun 20, 2008
Beautiful pristine coast of Texas is just fine...and you people certainly enjoy that oil that''s taken off it.
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Posted by denn034 at 05:04 PM : Jun 20, 2008
Exactly! Flood the market, bring the price down!
Obama is all mouth and no common sense. He''s a slick character who thinks he knows more than the majority of American citizens.
You think it''s bad now, vote Obama as president and get ready for "real" major troubles for this country.
The environment will survive and off-shore drilling 11 miles out to sea can''t be seen from land.
Wake up people! McCain is no miracle either, but at least we might just save this country!
I mean, what will happen to Exxon Mobile, Dow, Halliburton, et al? ------ you know, the huge corporate entities that are currently raping Iraq and impoverishing
Americans with record high gas prices? Who will take care of THEM if we end the Iraq debacle?
Don%u2019t you people care about the %u201Cbig guys?%u201D
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Posted by psy_war at 05:06 PM : Jun 20, 2008
Well, it''s a done deal now and we''re over there, and we can''t just jump out of there now matter who is in the White House!
If you want to yip and yap about going over there and being lied to...hip and yap to the democrats who have taken impeachment and war crimes COMPLETELY OFF THE TABLE! Go b/itch and gripe to them!
Posted by mudrose at 02:31 PM : Jun 20, 2008
They (Big Oil) already have 68,000,000 acres leased. Where is the beef ?
And do you really think you will be served this beef ?
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Posted by RowdyWicca at 05:08 PM : Jun 20, 2008
Rowdy, better mark this one down girl, I actually AGREE with you on this statement. H/E/L/L/ must be freezing over!
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Posted by sunspro at 05:12 PM : Jun 20, 2008
Nope, the rigs are like at least 22 miles out! The only place you see tankers is when they''re going up the ship channels, and even in those places the beaches are still gorgeous and have tons of tourists.
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Posted by sunspro at 05:12 PM : Jun 20, 2008
Depends on where you''re at; both you and Rowdy''s description apply, it''s a long coast.
Posted by psy_war
And yet liberals vote for them. Go figure.
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Posted by RowdyWicca at 05:08 PM : Jun 20, 2008
Rowdy, better mark this one down girl, I actually AGREE with you on this statement. H/E/L/L/ must be freezing over!
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Posted by aldon61 at 05:15 PM : Jun 20, 2008
lol, Must be! :)
The thing is, the democrats have been in the majority for two years...haven''t done a damned thing but scream and yell and b/itch! Haven''t investigated a damned thing...haven''t stood up and said NO MORE! NADA! NOTHING!
Awwww, pffft...one dictator is as good as another...you can vote for McCain, who has at least some sense on foreign affairs, or you can vote for a Marxist shill that wants to totally socialize your country into communism...
Since I can''t vote for a centrist democrat, I''ll take Grandpa McCain any day!
Posted by RowdyWicca at 05:19 PM : Jun 20, 2008
1994 to 2006 Roll over or shut it down - quite the legacy too...
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Posted by RowdyWicca at 05:19 PM : Jun 20, 2008
Two times in one day? You''re right on the money, the democrats completely folded when they took impeachment off the table. I still want them to control the congress, but they need to grow some gonads. Wishful thinking on my part though!
Because that 30 years is bull spit! They can have a rig up in little more than a month and half, and start drilling. They know exactly where the oil and/or natural gas is. All you have to do is say...get to drillling! And think of the jobs, my gosh you should''ve seen the people it took to get this well going here! They had the pad down in two weeks, and the rig up in less than another month and were drilling already after the papers were signed.
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Posted by IOWEIGN at 05:22 PM : Jun 20, 2008
I agree with you too; congress has been a huge disappointment for several years now, too much partisan politics and scrambling for money. The big thing that Rowdy and I agree on is this: Impeachment was taken off the table......very early on, by Pelosi. This administration has violated our laws, torn our constitution to shreds and laughed at us while they did it. There has NEVER been an administration more deserving of impeachment. Got a little wordy, didn''t I, guess Bush just strikes a nerve with me.
Educate yourself on the alternatives! Hell it would take the US five years just to form a committee to decide on which alternatives are viable!
And then it''ll take years for the alternative to be reproduced at a marketable price!
Get a clue! They''ve been developing alternatives for YEARS! And still don''t have any!
The American entrepreneurs are great, they''ve already got something going on using the stripped sugar cane for ethanol basis, they''re just getting it to marketable. They''ve also invented a silicon paint that can go right on your roof that acts like a solar panel! But it''ll be years before it''s ready!
In the meantime we''re pouring billions and billions into foreign oil!
When the heat is on, he avoids debates, changes his mind, defends his thinking with speeches and runs from the press.
Obama will not speak one word without a script. He is poor at best in debates and he knows that an open speech might divulge his true character.
Voted Present over 100 times while in the senate not to upset anyone
The icing on the cake was for Osama to change his mind on public financing.
Barack Obama has worked on the issue of political reform for years.
On Larry King in Jan. 2007, he told Mr. King that the public-financing system works.
He challenged the Republicans since Feb 2007 to limit their spending. He vowed to do so along with them if he were the Democratic nominee. In fact, a majority of his career was spent talking about how much he believed in public financing.
He speaks so calmly but he''s got the "king or prince" title in mind. Obama%u2019s ambition is to destroy anything in his way with no moral compass, just to further his ambition.
He%u2019ll say whatever he has to so the public think he%u2019s the nominee of %u201Cchange%u201D, a uniter, a man of the future. Nothing could be further from the truth. A naove politician? We think not.
I am writing on behalf of my community that is concerned about the Democratic nominee, Senator Obama.
We have come to the conclusion that Barack Hussein Obama is a conning the American people and will do or say anything to win this election.
Please keep on top of his tactics. All nominees need to be transparent.
This is a short synopsis of how my community feels about Senator Obama.
This guy is a con, a Chicago politician. Obama has weak morals and will stop at nothing when it comes to further his ambition. He%u2019s a fast talker speaking out of both sides of his mouth.
He bragged about his church
Then threw them under the bus
Bragged about his pastor
Then threw him under the bus
Bragged about his grandmother then called her a typical white person
She then went under the bus
He wrote a book about his father but now that he%u2019s been found to be a non practicing Muslim
He threw his dad under the bus. Definitely had to disown him.
Mortal, I''m not against embracing them. America right now has billions of gas guzzling cars on the road. People paid good money for them, and intend to drive them! Not many Americans can afford to throw away a brand new gasoline car, and buy a $30=$40,000 new hybrid car! It''s a wonderful idea and I''m for it. Just be realistic...
Right now the way to bring down the price of oil is to flood the market with it...until we can get those alternatives in place.
Or should we just sit with our thumbs in our mouth and wait, and b/itch about it?
Hagel said in an interview with The Associated Press that after devoting much of his life to his country %u2014 in the Senate and the U.S. Army %u2014 he would have to consider any offer.
"If it would occur, I would have to think about it," Hagel said. "I think anybody, anybody would have to consider it. Doesn''''t mean you''''d do it, doesn''''t mean you''''d accept it, could be too many gaps there, but you''''d have to consider it, it''''s the only thing you could do. Why wouldn''''t you?"
Note: Hagel served as an Army sergeant in Vietnam and was twice wounded in 1968, earning two Purple Hearts. He was the only member of his party on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to support a nonbinding measure critical of Bush''''s decision to dispatch an additional 30,000 troops to Iraq.
Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb, speaks during a town hall meeting in this 2007 file photo in Lincoln, Neb....
Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb, speaks during a town hall meeting in this 2007 file photo in Lincoln, Neb. Hagel said Friday he would consider serving as Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama''''s running mate if asked, but he doesn''''t expect to be on any ticket.
"There is no strategy. This is a ping pong game with American lives,"
Hagel said at the time.
Well, I don''''t feel as if we have really put much effort into any of the alternatives.
I am not totally in disagreement with you. We shouldn''''t take more oil drilling totally off the table. However, the oil companies have already leased 90 million or so acres of land for oil exploration of which they haven''''t bothered with the majority of it.
Here is a fact:
Oil companies are not producing oil or gas on the vast majority of federal land onshore and offshore already under their control. Offshore, Big Oil is producing on only about 23 percent of the land they hold, while onshore, companies are producing on roughly 27 percent of the acres to which they hold the drilling rights.
Why do they need more?
Do a search, there is legislation on the table now to force the oil companies to start drilling or lose the leases. Do a search for oil and "use it or lose it"
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Posted by mortal3 at 05:45 PM : Jun 20, 2008
Well, don''t you think that if this country said GET TO DRILLING that they would? How long are we going to have to wait for the government to act???
Why isn''t your government going...you can drill for all the oil you want. It stays in this country and you will set a reasonable price for it!
I mean how damned hard is that?
(*John McCain is a wholly owned subsidiary of which ever lobbyist group check is the biggest)
-Larry Sinclair
Larry%u2019s words, my post! http://www.larrysinclair.org/press.html
Geezus Keeeriiiiiiiist man, this country has had a MORATORIUM on drilling for years!!!!
That''s why they''re trying to get it lifted!
We even have capped wells that are drilled already!
-Larry Sinclair National Press Club Press Conference
Larry%u2019s words, but........my post! http://www.larrysinclair.org/press.html
(*John McCain is a wholly owned subsidiary of which ever lobbyist group check is the biggest)
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Posted by SgtRDS-E4 at 05:56 PM : Jun 20, 2008
So is Obama...he''s just to stupid to figure out how fix it!
So is Obama...he''''s just to stupid to figure out how fix it!
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Posted by RowdyWicca at 06:01 PM : Jun 20, 2008
Funny isn''t it, McCain just trumped Obama with drilling and he''s squealing like a pig because he didn''t get to promote it first like all his lobbyists and oil and energy people wanted him to do!
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Posted by mortal3 at 06:04 PM : Jun 20, 2008
You too, take care!
As for the "use it or lose it" hanging over the oil companies, environmental law firms constantly sue to prevent them from drilling to force them to lose their leases (there is a limited time for these leases, in essence, they are abusing the court system to run out the clock).
I realize that the Obamas of the world who think that the government should take over my life because it can do a better job with my life, do not want the government interfering with their businesses. Case in point--Mr. Obama has decided that the private sector will do a better job of funding his election than the private sector.
Obama has done a good job of marketing himself as ''new politics'' but his lies and taking advantage of situations for himself are as ''old politics'' as they come.
His marxist ideas are pretty old, as well. Freedom, liberty, choice. Obama believes the government must tell you where to live, what to eat, what to drive, how to think, where to go and what to say. I do not like communism, Mr. Obama.
Posted by apolloknowsa,
Really. Would you please state the source of this information? Is it credible or is this another conservative lie intended to increase our fear?
What are the Vietnam going to use for a drilling platform? A river boat from Hanoi is just not going to support a drilling rig unless they have some sort of anti-gravitation device to work from.
Do you care to comment on how the Chinese are going to transport the steel, the engineering needed to build such a structure and sustain them for months at a time when they have trouble shipping product out of thier own ports?
How about discussing the number of takers they will need and how they plan on loading them without a port to operate from?
How about telling me when the Chinese did the exploration to locate the oil reserves? When was this accomplished? Are the Chinese going to just show up and start drilling and hope they hit something?
It will take years for even us to start drilling and pumping and we even have the exploration to support where we might try.
As the rest of you see, this is just another conservative who starts smarting off without doing some critical thinking..
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