May 30, 2009
How Obama Made His Energy Platform "Pop"
Washington Post: President Has Gained Support By Framing Issues In Terms Of Jobs, Security
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President Barack Obama speaks at the Energy Department in Washington, Feb. 5, 2009. (AP Photo)
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In-Depth Obama Presidency Photos, major events and key personalities in the Obama administration.
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In-Depth Q&A: Alternative Energy Questions and answers about the effect of the economic crisis on alternative energy.
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After a long day of campaigning on July 8, candidate Barack Obama arrived at his Chicago headquarters for a three-hour brainstorming session about a suddenly hot issue: energy and climate change.
He had summoned a cross section of experts, including top executives from three utilities and two oil companies, the chief energy economist of an investment bank, a climate scientist, a California energy and environment expert, an oil consultant-historian, and several campaign staffers. Despite the late hour, one participant recalled, "He walked in as if he had just gotten up after a refreshing night's sleep to lead a class. He was clearly there to harvest information and then do something with it."
While Obama had held a similar session early in his Senate career, the Chicago meeting marked a turning point in his thinking. He knew there was a moral case for addressing the nation's dependence on fossil fuels, but this time, he realized he could make a political and economic case for it. And top advisers say internal polling showed that with gasoline prices at more than $4 a gallon, the American public was open to an energy platform based on economic competitiveness and national security.
Obama went around the room asking the experts about oil prices (then days away from their all-time peak), oil drilling on public lands on and offshore, energy efficiency, and ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to global warming. As he listened to the group, his advisers said, he began to grasp how he could sell a low-carbon future to the American public.
"This stuff needs to pop more," he told his aides as he left the room. "We need to find a way to make it pop more."
Now, four months into his presidency, Obama has elevated energy and climate issues to near the top of his agenda; he's made them pop by packaging them as ways to create "green" jobs and reduce U.S. dependence on imports of foreign oil. Favoring pragmatism over moral suasion, the president is attempting to make a sharp shift in national policy on an issue that many voters have yet to embrace as a priority, advisers and lawmakers say.
His efforts, combined with those of congressional Democrats, have already pushed forward groundbreaking initiatives. February's stimulus act lavished money on projects for renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy research. This month, the White House announced that it had negotiated corporate, state and environmentalist support for higher fuel-efficiency and tailpipe-emissions standards that would clamp the first nationwide limits on greenhouse gases.
Finally, the House Energy and Commerce Committee on May 21 approved a bill that would take a cap-and-trade approach to curtailing greenhouse gas emissions, inching closer to a domestic legislative compromise that has eluded climate activists for the dozen years since the adoption of the international Kyoto accords.
"Whether or not you think that is a good idea or not depends on your perspective, but no one can deny that the fight going forward and its political implications will reshape how we look at energy issues," said Frank Maisano, an energy industry lobbyist at Bracewell & Giuliani.
Making climate a key issue was not an obvious decision for Obama. The political benefits are debatable. Energy and climate issues usually register low on lists of voters' concerns; climate legislation is rooted in the idea of limits; Republicans have sought to portray Obama's backing of cap-and-trade legislation as support for a giant new tax; and if legislation is adopted, it will be impossible for decades to point to specific climate trends and claim success.
In the 2004 Senate race, Obama cited his backing of climate-change legislation in seeking support for his Democratic primary bid from the League of Conservation Voters, which ultimately spent $400,000 boosting his candidacy. But energy and climate were not his specialties when he arrived in the Senate after teaching constitutional law, working as a community organizer and serving as a legislator in a state that relies heavily on coal.
But even before the late-night session in July, Obama had begun to educate himself about energy and climate and to use those issues to define himself as a politician, say people who have advised him. He read a three-part New Yorker series on climate change, for instance, and mentioned it in three speeches in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, a former aide said.
Jason Grumet, executive director of the National Commission on Energy Policy, recalled meeting Obama during the winter of 2005 as oil prices were rising. Grumet met often with members of Congress; he would tell them that doing something about oil consumption meant taking on the auto industry, raising fuel efficiency and then not seeing much benefit for a decade or so. At that point, he said, "I'd get the yawn, the glance at the clock, and was told, 'Thanks very much, I'll tell my staff person to get in touch with you.'"
But Obama was different, he said. "If it was going to take years to bear fruit, his response was, 'We'd better do something now.' I was like, 'Wow.' "
Obama asked Grumet to organize a dinner at the Hotel George with a group of people who had differing views on automobile fuel efficiency. The attendees ranged from the conservative R. James Woolsey Jr., a former CIA director and believer in fuel efficiency, to a steelworkers union leader who had long lobbied against higher fuel standards for the auto industry. Obama came away convinced that higher standards were necessary and worked with Sen. Richard G. Lugar, R-Ind., to make them part of the 2007 energy bill.
During the presidential campaign, Obama stressed the fuel-efficiency failures of U.S. auto companies in a speech at the Detroit Economic Club, long before the financial crisis would thrust his administration into a central role in reshaping the industry.
Obama advisers say he saw that action on climate and energy issues could be sold as boosting job creation and strengthening U.S. companies as well as a matter of economic national security, an argument that he distilled during the campaign into a criticism of how the United States was borrowing money from China to pay Saudi Arabia for fuel to move gas guzzlers down American roads.
Reaching out to Lugar on fuel efficiency was also part of Obama's use of energy issues to shape his bipartisan image. That approach landed him in trouble in early 2007 when he joined Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) on a proposal to promote the conversion of coal to liquid fuels, a process that environmental experts say creates twice as many greenhouse gases as the refining of conventional petroleum products. After he co-sponsored a proposal with Bunning, environmental leaders called to complain. Obama later said that coal-to-liquid fuels would have to meet certain greenhouse gas standards, effectively making the proposal unworkable.
Obama has remained keenly aware of the politics of energy and climate change. He has backed ambitious federal mandates for ethanol use, a position that helped him win support in the crucial Iowa caucuses, even though environmentalists criticize the production process for corn-based ethanol because of its intensive use of energy and fertilizer.
And though during the campaign he spoke against a gasoline tax holiday to offset price increases at the pump, Obama continues to oppose a higher gas tax, which could steer motorists toward purchasing more fuel-efficient vehicles.
But many environmentalists and corporate executives have praised the White House for taking a pragmatic approach to negotiations over the cap-and-trade bill. Duke Energy chief executive James E. Rogers, who promoted free allowances for local electricity firms, said Obama understands the need to protect key industries, states and consumers, and he praised energy and climate czar Carol M. Browner for marshalling congressional support without dictating terms.
Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.) said that the president "is trusting us to work these things out internally, and he's not putting down markers."
"This is in keeping with how we have worked with Congress on a number of key issues," a senior administration official said, citing the stimulus and budget bills. "If the president draws a bright line and says, 'I have to have this,' the proposal is dead on arrival."
On May 5, as House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) was trying to cement support for the cap-and-trade bill, Obama invited 35 lawmakers to the White House. He said that it was a difficult issue but that dealing with difficult issues was the reason they were there. As the lawmakers were getting ready to leave, Obama said, "We have to do something more than symbolic here."
"It was a personal appeal," said Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.), who attended the meeting. "He's demonstrated . . . he's willing to put it on the line to get a bill done. You don't do heavy lifting like this without having a president who's willing to put it on the line."
By Washington Post Staff Writers Steven Mufson and Juliet Eilperin
© 2009 The Washington Post Company
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Add a Comment See all 38 Comments
- What Obama proposes and what goes on in Germany for energy is not the same at all. They dont even tax noncomerical diesel fuel there and make diesel from coal not windmill cars or other stupid ideas as here.
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- And though during the campaign he spoke against a gasoline tax holiday to offset price increases at the pump, Obama continues to oppose a higher gas tax, which could steer motorists toward purchasing more fuel-efficient vehicles.
Obama, use you're brain. Higher taxes when so many Americans are out of work is the most lame idea I've ever heard. Where are people going to get the money to buy cars? Better concentrate on the job market first. Thousands of people are still losing their jobs, how are you going to replace those jobs? You can't, only those people who are willing to gamble away their money on this economy tyhat is worse than it ever was. Remember, it didn't take long for those ancient civilizations to fall, were fragile, we can fall. - Reply to this comment
- The enemy is not Venezuela or Iraq or Saudi Arabia.
The enemy is Exxon, Shell and BP.
The way we fight them, is with freeway-speed electric cars so we can stop purchasing gasoline. - Reply to this comment
- I'm just glad that human activity is having no effect on the climate,
and also that the earth is flat. - Reply to this comment
- I'm just glad that human activity is having no effect on the climate,
and also that the earth is flat.. - Reply to this comment
- "...the latest facts on the huge federal subsidies necessary to make wind and solar power work..."
Posted by cbs4111
Maybe we can divert some of the huge federal subidies we are currently giving to the Oil companies. - Reply to this comment
- Look, creating jobs by subsidizing windmills makes as much sense as banning tractors; think of all of the farm helpers that would have to be hired to guide the horse-drawn plows.
Read the article by Patrick Bedard in the latest Car and Driver - it has the latest facts on the huge federal subsidies necessary to make wind and solar power work. It's a sad thing when Car and Driver has better information than the President. This energy plan proves that the education Obama received in law school didn't impart to him the slightest amount of common sense. - Reply to this comment
- Now let me guess? The panel of experts included as follows: (1) climate scientist from Lord Gore's camp a (1) Caliphonia energy & environment expert ( on a life support GW economy), an a (1) oil consultant with several of Obamas campaign fund raisers present. A Cross Section of Experts???? an a Biased CBS Reporter.
A streamlined Group that represents The Advanced Studies of The GW Curriculum 101. Upon completion a BS Degree to be awarded by The Lord Gore's Mutual Admiration Society. A follow up Economic Class on How to Get The People to Bail Out Your States GW Economy on Life Support will be presented by Treasury Secretary Tim "trust me" Geitner. So Sad! - Reply to this comment
- Bush told us that curbing CO2 emission would harm our economy, so we did nothing. We have done nothing and now our economy has been harmed. I would call a lose/lose situation. Using less fossil fuels by using more renewable energy and becoming more efficient will create jobs. It will improve the economy. If you are an oil trust fund brat and all your family and friends are profiting from the oil industry, then I suppose you would see things differently.
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- Go Obama Go...
Green Energy is the only answer for the future. Anyone debating it is just lost - Reply to this comment
- "He had summoned a cross section of experts, including top executives from three utilities and two oil companies, the chief energy economist of an investment bank, a climate scientist, a California energy and environment expert, an oil consultant-historian, and several campaign staffers."
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Well I've got to hand it you........ Let's say you are Half Right!
Put aside this mutual admiration society mentality..........
I hope you don't plan to blame Bush & Cheney pass failures.......
Posted by pepperwood2
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Actually, as I already pointed out to you, the "mutual admiration society mentality" stopped on Jan. 20th, 2009, since bush/cheney and their horde of "yes" men and lackies left the White House with the worst executive branch job approval ever!
BTW, it was bush/cheney that started the massive bailouts with taxpayer funds, due to their running the economy right into the ground with "supply-side" bushonomics, and the worst job creation level during an economic uptick cycle, except for those in 3rd world countries. We can't give corporate America or the wealthiest Americans tax breaks for offshoring jobs! The jobs need to be created right here in America, and those companies doing so, deserve the tax breaks and American support.
That's exactly why a clean and green, renewable energy economy like in Germany is much needed here in America. Take a look for once instead of constant knee-jerk opinions from your favorite biased FOXX pundits and talking heads, and completely understand that Germany is now the #1 exporter in the world, with manufacturing jobs that America used to have, and many new jobs in the renewable energy sector. This is exactly what President Obama has proposed, in order to cut greenhouse gas emissions as well as reduce foreign oil imports.
Get a clue....there's a new Sheriff in town, and the reckless cowboy is back in texass! - Reply to this comment
- "How can anyone trust a snake oil salesman."
Posted by enriquieGonzales
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Nobody did, as the bush monkey left office with the lowest job approval rating of any president, and unlike the puppet master cheney, has wandered off into the sunset with his mouth firmly shut, knowing that Americans don't want to hear any more from a "snake oil salesman."
Tell me one congresscritter that ever read even half of the Unpatriot Act in 2001, as anthrax attacks were running rampant and anti-Muslim crowds were acting like the KKK. - Reply to this comment
- "He had summoned a cross section of experts, including top executives from three utilities and two oil companies, the chief energy economist of an investment bank, a climate scientist, a California energy and environment expert, an oil consultant-historian, and several campaign staffers."
Well I've got to hand it you. Now let me guess? He had a (1) climate scientist from Lord Gore's camp a (1) Caliphonia energy & environment expert ( on a life support GW economy), an a (1) oil consultant and several of his campaign fund raisers. A Cross Section of Experts???? an a Unbiased CBS Reporter. Let's say you are Half Right!
It is time to get beyond your politics of slanted, biased reporting. Put aside this mutual admiration society mentality and get back to doing the Work of the American People by Fair & Honest Reporting.
I hope you don't plan to blame Bush & Cheney pass failures for the Failure of this Administration & President for the Next 4 years for not being able to get The American People off the ground. You may be content with State after State reporting Life Support Economic Situations from this Mentality. Don't you think that We The People deserve better that having to PAY for every Bail Out that comes along? So Sad! Its such a disgrace. - Reply to this comment
- itsjusta thought- the commodities dealers look at the supply of gas and oil. Lower supplies, higher costs. The oil supply is down so prices go up. It is economics and a market as spread out as this is not easy to manipulate.
Posted by jschmidt27
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Unfortunately, the OIL/GAS market is very easy to manipulate and goes well beyond just the normal supply and demand economics, since we have a high supply right now, and as prices continue to skyrocket, we also know that the low demand is not driving the price during this bad recession. It's the futures commodities market driving the GREED of the investors betting on an economic turnaround and improvement that will lead to higher demand and less supply since BIG OIL has been sitting on leases and doing absolutley no new exploration due to the LOW PRICE of OIL.
Please get a clue for once, and stop the false rhetoric and highly-partisan nonsense!
Supply Up, Demand Down, But Oil Prices Rise - Consumer WatchdogMay 24, 2009 ... The worldwide oil market is awash in petroleum, ... "We need to look no further than today's oil prices, ... "I think there's no question that supply-demand fundamentals are not reflected in the current (oil) price," said ... Even the video's tag at the bottom says just "TexacoEcuador." Read More » ...
www.consumerwatchdog.org/energy/articles/?storyId=27509 - Reply to this comment
- Obama is taking the lead in trying to improve our lives before it is too late. We do need new solutions not just more of the empty chatter we have heard so often in the past. Sure it will cost some jobs in one sector but will open new opportunities in new fields. We can not sit still because a few fear a new and better future.
New answers do not come from the old profit incentives. Once Obama realises we must break from the past both in both ecomomic motivations and prevailing --wisdom?-- (lets make that rhetoric!) then we can look forward to a new and better future.
Posted by kenhamlett
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Exactly! The moronic republican'ts are stymied, since all they have is more of the same old, tired profit incentives driven by GREED, which just puts money in all the wrong pockets for all the wrong reasons. We must break from the past, and this is what scares the conservatives the most, since they are truly afraid of the UNKNOWN and any CHANGE that might come about. This is quite evident in all of their postings.
President Obama sees the need to address America's many problems like energy, climate change and the health care debacle before it's too late, since we already have seen that the party of NO has no new ideas or solutions -- just attacks and rhetoric.
By assembling those experts in their fields and discussing our problems in a most intelligent and pragmatic way, President Obama continues to show the American people exactly why the vast majority trusts his judgment and supports his progressive way for our future, and the minority curmudgeons can only spew more LIES and DECEPTIONS! - Reply to this comment
- You will pay a green tax for everything you do.
....that live the good life without having to worry about any of those "little people rules."
Posted by mav547166
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Did your RNC multi-millionaire leader racist rushbo tell you that or was it the other multi-millionaires on FOX propaganda, that certainly live the "good life" while allowing you lackies to carry their water for them?
You and your ilk are getting quite carried away with your rants, and we can see exactly how worried you are as your party fades away into oblivion, and President Obama's popularity continues to rise from his pragmatic approach to all of our many problems. - Reply to this comment
- "Just fill the room with those that support your views at taxpayers expense. Sort of like we belong to a mutual admiration society mentality."
Posted by pepperwood2
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You're obviously very confused, since this is exactly what we saw with the incompetent and inept bushies, filling the room with "yes" men and bush lackies for 8 long years, and this was NOT at taxpayer's expense as you wrongly stated!
"......at his Chicago headquarters for a three-hour brainstorming session....."
"He had summoned a cross section of experts, including top executives from three utilities and two oil companies, the chief energy economist of an investment bank, a climate scientist, a California energy and environment expert, an oil consultant-historian, and several campaign staffers."
Stop your highly partisan rants and LIES, and completely understand that President Obama is a GOOD LISTENER and QUESTIONER on subjects beyond his expertise. He continuously assembles groups of experts in the field, with diverse views on any given subject -- certainly not a "mutual admiration society mentality" as you wrongly stated! In this case, he even had OIL people, utility executives and bank economists for a much more diverse opinion, along with a climate scientist, an energy and environment expert and an OIL consultant-historian -- certainly different opinions around the room on energy and climate change.
This is a dramatic change from the past 8 years, since cheney was in charge of bush's "energy" summit in early 2001, and only invited BIG OIL CEO's to the meeting -- obviously, all in agreement and marching in lockstep with the OIL-soaked bushies.
Sorry, but your LIES and DECEPTIONS about President Obama will not go unnoticed, since he is much more intelligent and pragmatic about policies than any recent president we've had -- especially the last one that was such a disgrace. - Reply to this comment
- Wow CBS, does it ever get heavy toting the Presidents water like you do?
- Reply to this comment
- How Obama Made His Energy Platform "Pop"...........Washington Post: President Has Gained Support By Framing Issues In Terms Of Jobs, Security
This isn't rocket science. Just fill the room with those that support your views at taxpayers expense. Sort of like we belong to a mutual admiration society mentality. Then you fool those Caliphonia Liberals into believing that Tax, Spend & The People's Bailout Money will take them through the twilight zone. When the meeting is over and everybody buys into this BS they will wonder why their States Exonomy is On Life Support. Maybe your State is on the List already.
For Example: If it is so important for the Caliphonia Elite, at this time, to have an Elite Green Economy that the rest of the Country has to bail them out? There's enough of Hollywoods finest Green supporters to do their fair share. If the Brilliant Bureaucrats cannot balance the budget that they created. Then perhaps they will have to come up with other ways than the waste & disposal charges & C02 credits charges that they managed to pass on to the Businesses & People. `They will have to do what the Rest Of The Country has to do. Downsize, Cut Costs, & Balance their Budget that they mismanaged from the get go. So Sad that these Tax & Spend Bureaucrats have no accountability or responsibility for creating this mess. Only Bail Me Out on the Double when this concept Pops! So Sad! - Reply to this comment
- You will pay a green tax for everything you do. You will live a life where you can only heat your house to 64 in the winter and cool it to 82 in the summer with a white roof. You will drive a sub compact that cost twice what its worth, and you will not be able to eat steak. You will subsidize the rich democrats lifestyle that live the good life without having to worry about any of those "little people rules."
- Reply to this comment
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