Pickens: My Energy Plan Is The "Only Plan"

Tells 60 Minutes Wind Power, Solar Energy And Domestic Natural Gas Are The Only Choices To End Country's Oil Addiction

(CBS)  Whatever the motive, Pickens knows he has to sell his plan to the public and to politicians. So he's been barnstorming the country in his $45 million private jet, preaching his gospel to packed town hall meetings.

Boone says he's been a running national campaign that's at presidential level, crisscrossing the country to speak to groups.

And the presidential candidates have been listening closely.

"I've paid attention to one of the, some of the Boone Pickens commercials that you’ve seen," McCain said at a town hall meeting.

And they've been using some of Pickens' best lines.

"Even Texas oil man Boone Pickens has said this is one emergency we can’t drill our way out of," Obama said in a speech.

A life-long Republican, Pickens' candidate this election is his Pickens Plan. And in August, 60 Minutes found him venturing into unfamiliar territory: the Democratic National Convention.

Asked what he was doing there, Pickens told Rose, "I'm here, honestly, what I'm here for, I'm here for America. My cause is a bipartisan, non-partisan cause."

But it didn't take long for the new non-partisan Boone Pickens to have a visibly uncomfortable encounter with his partisan past - Senator John Kerry, whose presidential campaign Pickens helped destroy four years ago when he gave money for the infamous and widely criticized "Swift Boat "ads that attacked the senator's service in Vietnam and his later testimony before Congress.

"You spent $3 million funding an advertising campaign that, in some people’s mind, was representative of dirty politics, smear politics, character assassination, all of that. At this stage, do you have any regrets?" Rose asks.

"None," Pickens says.

Asked if he'd do it over again tomorrow, Pickens says, "What I knew then, I know that same thing now. And nothing has changed my mind."

Surprisingly, that hasn't stopped some of the country's leading Democrats, like Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, from embracing him and his ideas.

"Here is a man who was my mortal enemy. He’s my pal now," Sen. Reid said.

[libslapper]

Mr. Pickens....good job, and THANK YOU for bringing the TRUTH out about John Kerry, who would have been a disaster for this great country.

Now, go out and check on Barry''s Birth Certificate.

[McHineguy]

If we had press that told the important truths we wouldnt need to hurl uninformed insults at each other. McCain AND Obama seem to be good men with different governing philosophies. Wonder what they are? You have to learn that for yourselves. Wonder how they will help America lead the world again? You have to learn that for yourselves.

All I know is that Obama will tax "the big guys" harder to fund bigger allowances for "the people" Obama says it). McCain will try to make business more successful so America can take back some of the good jobs we used to have (stop GM from going broke). But the press wont tell me how that might help me or my kids. They prefer to poke sticks at us and watch us fight like captured dogs.

[tejasdemo]

Pickens is another Okie yahoo just trying to screw everybody.

GTH baby !

[ixoye_02]

Wow, I did not know that Pickens financed the Swift Boat ads. And Pickens is the guy who wants Americans to listen to his plan on energy? Now that I know about Pickens and his political shenanigans, I don''t think Pickens has any credibility to speak to the American people...at least not this one. So, I will leave it to a RESPECTABLE leader to explain the details and I will vote accordingly. Pickens is a disappointment....I was beginning to listen to his plan but now I will ignore Pickens altogether. Other people can come up with the same/similar plan, but respect is the first thing for me to listen to anyone.

[smurfcrusher]

This guy is a lowlife, and his lack of credibility actually harms the alternative energy movement.

He should be ashamed for his funding of that lying group, but I suppose if he was interested in honesty he never would have funded them in the first place.

I''m just surprised he doesn''t lie to save face. Maybe he feels that''s a hopeless task?

What a piece of garbage.

[upto1947]

T. Boone Pickens This guy is a wast. He is trying to screw the people out of 500 million in wind power through tax rebaits. He is a crook and always will be. The wind does not, and well not make up the power we need. Any 3456ing nut would know this.

[upto1947]

Questi0nnews, What is wrong with you? You need help and a lot of it. Go back to your dog house.

[vincan-2009]

We have had the worst disaster possible and his name is George Bush. John Kerry was a man of honor and the person who would have been best for the country. But no, republicans where sure that even though the Iraq War was a quagmire, and Bush''s policies were horrible, they would believe liars and lies that came from republican operatives. People chose to believe these spewing satanic swine. America is in this mess now because of GWB, his incompetence and his criminal activities. Finally Bush will be gone and it will be good riddance for the very worst person ever to be a United States president. Pickens and all those who financed the Swift Boat Scum deserve comtempt and scorn, but so do so much of the media who let these liars get away with it.

[cbsblogger]

Now the T Boone Pickens scum is telling America that his opinion on energy should be trusted. LOL that''s like a chicken trusting Col. Sanders.

Pickens is now out propagandizing to make money from government programs for alternative energy even though he was probably part of the investor class that sent oil futures to $150 per barrel.

[whosaid1]

Vincan : this is not intended as a "cheap" shot...I am truly curious about what Kerry has done that makes you say he is a "man of honor"

[k72360]

T. Boone Pickens is a greedy old man with no scruples. He''s looking out for his billions. Guess what, Boone old boy. I voted against your Proposition 10 that would benefit your natural gas interests. So there. Back atcha.

[repforbarack]

Pickens = rich thug

[tejasdemo]

And, you know what. I had no idea he funded those swift boat ads.

Thanks CBS ! Another horrible slimeball exposed.

[olfishgut]

Here for America, Balony. If he goes anywhere it is for big oil and big business. His kind are being swept out, or more like being flushed.

[ramos937]

After the swift boat ads aired, Pickens bragged that if anyone could find any part of the ads to be false, he would give that individual $1,000,000. Senator Kerry presented proof that everyone (even his political enemies) considered to be proof. When confornted, Pickens welshed on the deal. This from a billonaire!!

[questionnews]

Ha! HA! HA! hA! HA! Viagra! lol

www.chilitoz.com check sarah palin commiting crimes against America.

Posted by Questi0nnews at 03:17 PM : Oct 23, 2008


Questi0nnews

*note the slight spelling change


HoooRayyyyyyy

Some little angry putz has honored me by imitating my handle!!! Gee nobody has ever seen that before.
And it''''s the paid political poster!!
(What''''s the matter h0wzilla, did the dog pee in your shoe this morning??)
Do you get a bonus for that??
I must have honked him off by mocking the manure he gets paid to post. He''''s probably also pizzed because in a couple weeks he will have to go back to holding a cardboard sign on the freeway off ramp.

I finally made the big time!!!....Thank you......Thank you.......Thank.....Thank you..... I''''m honored......Thank you.

Posted by The Real Questionnews

[ramos937]

I also remembered the swift boat ads very clearly. In one of them, a former sailor in Kerry''s crew claimed that an action where Kerry was decorated never happened. The problem is that the sailor had won a bronze star in that engagement. His commanding officer (not Kerry) had written the justification for the sailor''s medal. When confronted with his claim in the ad, the ex-sailor claimed the action never took place but would not return the medal. He felt that he had earned it. How can someone win a bronze medal for an action that never happened?

[tmittelstaed]

T. Boone Pickens isn''t trying to screw anyone out of money through tax rebates on wind power. What he is trying to do is move heavy vehicle traffic, such as busses, semi trucks, delivery trucks, off of diesel and on to Natural Gas. If that was done and the passenger car fleet was moved onto electric, the savings in oil consumption would allow the country to stop importing oil
The only problem with the Pickens Plan to do this is that Natural Gas is also a carbon generator, (although not as much as coal) What the country really needs is to move to a completely renewable fuel that is carbon-neutral. Rather than moving the heavy fleet on to Natural Gas it would be better to move the heavy fleet onto BioDiesel, and figure out a way to produce a lot of Biodiesel without chewing up our food supply. And the fact is that there''s a number of promising technologies coming out that may appear to do just that.

[walt1944-2009]

CBS 60 Minutes will do a story about T. Boone Pickens, the mega-rich oil man who earned the nickname, "Mr. Swift Boat" in 2004 for his ads against John Kerry and received the lasting gratitude of the Great Emperor Bush II and all neocon Fascist Nazi Republicans everywhere.

Although Pickens will not apologize for what he did to Kerry, it appears he wants to make some kind of "amends" by promoting alternate forms of energy besides oil, and thus trying to get some kind of toe in the door of Obama''s energy platform, especially since it appears Obama will win the election!

It is a VERY rare thing for a energy billionare to suddenly reform and become environmentally conscious, that is, unless he sees an opportunity to make billions more by getting in on the scheme!

If I were Obama, I would keep on eye on T. Boone and not get too trusting of the guy!

SIG HEIL, LET''S GIVE T. BOONE A MEDAL!!!, BUSH!!!
sig heil, T. BOONE''S OK; HE LIVES IN A RED STATE!!!, McBush!!!
sig heil, T. BOONE IS AS GUILTLESS AS I AM!!!, Palin!!!

[dagrandma]

Early every Thursday morning the local disposal company stops by my house to pick up our week''s worth of donations to the local landfill. And every Wednesday night I look at my husband and say, "darling, have you taken out the T. Boone Pickens yet?"

[whosaid1]

Being a military retiree with "many" years of service and a Vietnam Vet with multiple tours....I remember the "HONORABLE" Mr. Kerrys lies about the troops in Vietnam.....there''s nothing he could ever do or say that would make me think he was anything but scum...

[smurfcrusher]

"Vincan : this is not intended as a "cheap" shot...I am truly curious about what Kerry has done that makes you say he is a "man of honor""

Posted by whosaid1

Unlike Bush, who used his connections to get into the Air Guard (and evade conflict), Kerry went into harm''s way in Vietnam, aggressively attacking the enemy (driving his swift boat directly at the attackers) and saving his fellow Americans.

Kerry was wounded multiple times from these choices, and served with distinction in Vietnam.
Kerry chose not to honor the false attacks from the Swift Boat veterans "for truth - what a sham!" until too late. By the time Kerry produced documented proof of their lies, the campaign was lost.

T-Bone bears a heavy burden of shame for his disgraceful actions and would rightly be treated with contempt by honorable Americans.

[rudy654-2009]

People who have no conscience generally don''t have many regrets. They of course will regret the day that no one gives a caca about them, but it won''t have a thing to do with repentence. This man will grow old and lonely and when the time comes his family will only hope he goes quickly and leaves enough money to bury him with.

[pr_boxer]

Well, we really got a deal in Bush, he took us from a wealthy, respected nation to despised, economically crumbling one in just 8 short years.

T.Boone you should be proud of the mess you helped create. Oh BTW, you supporting that Collaborator McCain this time?

[bobnjersey]

[Rose later asks Pickens whether he has any reservations over the ads that were roundly criticized and partially blamed for Kerry''s loss to George W. Bush. "None," responds Pickens. "You''d do it over again tomorrow?" asks Rose. "What I knew then, I know that same thing now and nothing has changed my mind about what I felt like," he tells Rose. ]

wow ... he contributed nothing positive to the process ... his actions contributed to the results we are all now forced to deal with ... and he has no regret? pathetic.

[whosaid1]

smurfcrusher: Well I can see that you''ve read Kerry''s account of it...the truth of the matter according to his immediate boss, is that he served 4+ months and was allowed to falsely claim a 3d wound so that the could get rid of him....he was a trouble maker in the unit. He then came back to the states and got a little visibility and told "big" lies about the troops in Vietnam. No, he''s not a hero....I know heros from my 30 years of active service%u2026and he''s not close.

[willkurz]

What a despicable human being. Whether you agree wiuth his politcs or not, Seantor Kerry is a true American war hero who was justly awarded our greatest military honour.

To pull him down in the most low-life way possible to elect a weak and intellectually challenged draft dodger ( who incoidentally happened to be in the pockets of oil magnates like Pickens) is something that makes me ashamed to have ever been associated with the conservative movement.

I am not a Democrat, but I hope the Democratic Convention gave him the "warm" welcome he deserves,

[whosaid1]

WillKurz: I think you are thinking of KERREY...not KERRY.....a lot of people make that mistake...

[hermitdave]

Of course this rich guy can lie or do anything he wants. Kerry was gutless not to use his money to fight this guy.

[hennighg]

See, this is why guys like this Pickens jerk are so bad. John Kerry''s actions in Vietnam got him the medals he deserved. Then he spoke to the congress. That angered military people and veterans. And that is what all the swift boating is about.
Now, some people say, "But he didn''t deserve those medals." To which I can only say: if John Kerry''s medals are no good, what good are ANYBODY''S? I used to see a medal and think, "Hey, this person is a hero." I didn''t think about how the medal was won, or if the person had a rich family, or if it was deserved. I just assumed: medal = hero.

But not anymore. Now when I look at a medal, I have to think, "What butt got kissed for this one?"

The conservatives are so agenda-driven that they mindlessly bash everything in their path. While draping themselves in the Star and Bars, they commit atrocious anti-American act. The swift boating issue is a prime example.

No one has to win a medal to speak before Congress. However, Kerry, as a citizen of the US, did so after winning medals in Vietnam. Pickens, a conservative nazi, doesn''t want him in office. He prefers W, who, as we all know, didn''t go to Vietnam at all nor can we be shown any proof that he actually did any service. Shame on Pickens, shame on the swift-boaters, and shame on John Kerry for letting them get by with it.

And shame on any Iraqi- or Afghani-war vets, too, who might display their medals. They are now badges of nothing. In my old America they were badges of courage. Not anymore.

[whosaid1]

hennighg: what a narrow minded view..........

[tigerrram9]

My fellow vets
google mccain collaborator
or go to www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnmcain.com to get the real story..Why did McCain have his POW record permantly sealed, Why? Is it because he violated the Code of Conduct Article V. If I was a proud hero, I would want my records opened so people could see the ordeal that I went through. Why are his records sealed for life? Should we be asking, why? I am not taking anything away from John and his captivity. All I am saying if you are proud, let us read your heroics...just that let us read what you went through in the hands of our enemy..The North Vietnamese Army. My friend and neighbor came back from the Nam paralyzed...his records are not sealed. He is not a hero, he was just doing his duty. Obeying the 6 articles of the Code of Conduct..
God Bless our military..

[chimpyout]

Bumper sticker noted yesterday: "Read my lips--no more Texans!"

[elwould88]

no regrets, and no honor.

[ecs1749-2009]

"When all the T. Boone''''s take their money and go abroad after Obama announces new taxes, who will have the last laugh?????????"

Surely you are not suggesting that it will be a crime to be rich if Obama gets elected?

[cdfoxtrot4]

When all the T. Boone''''s take their money and go abroad after Obama announces new taxes, who will have the last laugh?????????

Posted by bob5ford

Don''t worry. America will still be the place where fortunes are made. Even if a black man is president. It won''t be that bad. Even for racists like you.

[janetlynn12]

All you good Republicans should be proud of Pickens and his nasty campaign. It got Bush elected for you. That''s what you wanted, isn''t it??? There is no "last laugh" in this case. All the bad things you and Bush have done to our country isn''t funny at all. Don''t you find it a little strange that McCain is using the same company to smear Obama that Bush used to smear him? I guess since it worked for Bush, McCain thinks it will work for him. Not!!!!

[kcvab]

well, he can blame himself for losing over a billion $ in the stock market. what an idiot!

[kcvab]

well, he can blame himself for losing over a billion $ in the stock market. what an idiot!

[kcvab]

well, he can blame himself for losing over a billion $ in the stock market. what an idiot!

[kcvab]

well, he can blame himself for losing over a billion $ in the stock market. what an idiot!

[longtree-2009]

pickens has always been about himself, his wealth, which is perfectly natural. but he does cloak it as being a patriot and really caring about things other than himself. but, it is all him. he is wealthy and will die wealthy.

[ioweign]

Being a military retiree with "many" years of service and a Vietnam Vet with multiple tours....I remember the "HONORABLE" Mr. Kerrys lies about the troops in Vietnam.....there''''s nothing he could ever do or say that would make me think he was anything but scum...

Posted by whosaid1 at 05:05 PM : Oct 23, 2008



And then there is AWOL Fly Boy Bush and his sidekick 5 Deferment Cheney.


Boy, you and Pickens really showed Kerry didn''t ya...

[loon0519]

Scumbag

[lmartink]

Pickens has done a lot of good lately with his Pickens Plan.

Despite all of the political hype coming from both candidates, the Pickens Plan could deliver us from the evil of $700 billion dollars being exported annually just to keep us supplied with gasoline. That money goes out of circulation here, and goes mostly into the arab world. This huge loss is one aspect of our recent financial collapse.

While I despise the ultra-low integrity and honor of the Swift Boat Liars for Truth campaign. They sold their souls to the devil just to salvage another term for the low life scumbag in the White House.

We must move on. Pickens has come out with a good plan, and we should recognize something good coming from an 80 year old man after a life of crime.

[tryhonesty]

Just another RepubliCON BIGOT AND LIAR!!!

[bm6005]

bob5ford

Why don''t you ask the Wizard for a brain.

[noloyalisti]

What do expect from a Con? That''s how they operate, lie, cheat and steal if they can. Pickens is a typical one, whatever he thinks is the truth is what it is. He along with McSame and Quaylin and McBush and the rest of the GOP crime family don''t see anything wrong with their corruption and depravity.

[asteroi06]

T. BONE PICKENS..looking for more money from the government to build an even bigger oil empire. Yes..he''s been an "oil man" all his life..that aint all

[excoachken]

Why would he regret it? This lie made him millions of dollars. He''s the scum of the upper crust.