Barack Obama links John McCain to Bush-Cheney oil policies

To listen today to Barack Obama, it's all Dick Cheney's fault.

An "economy in turmoil." An energy policy developed by the vice president. Add it up and the all-but-certain Democratic presidential nominee has a combo of issues he is pushing to the top of his agenda today, and making the connection to John McCain, his Republican opposition.

"McCain has taken a page out of the Cheney playbook," Obama said in Youngstown, Ohio, a Democratic stronghold in a perennial battleground state.

Indeed, Cheney, who interrupted his government service to work in the oil business in Texas in the 1990s, has long been seen as the bete noir in the Bush administration energy policy -- and his role drew even more attention as gasoline prices climbed dramatically in recent months.

With that policy now under attack, it's no surprise that Obama sought to connect McCain to Cheney.

Here's how he did it, his words relayed to Countdown to Crawford by the Times' Peter Nicholas, who is traveling with Obama:

You won't hear me say this often but I actually agree with what McCain said a few weeks ago. Our dangerous dependence on foreign oil was 30 years in the making.... What he neglected to mention was that he was there 26 of those 30 years. He was there. Unless all the bad stuff was done in the four years that he wasn't there. During those years he voted against renewable sources of energy, against biofuels, solar and wind power. And unfortunately in this election McCain has proposed an energy plan that is the same.

Obama continued:

Cheney met with renewable energy once and oil companies 40 times. He has offered a gas tax holiday that at best would give you 30 cents a day for three months but assuming that the gas company would pass that on to you. McCain is offering $4 billion more in tax breaks to the biggest companies in America -- ExxonMobil, that just announced the largest profits in history. You are paying nearly $3.70 a gallon in gas. Two and a half what it cost when George Bush took office. They had a plan. The problem was that it was the oil company plan and it wasn't a people plan and we need a people plan. And that is why I am running for president.

It all reflects an effort to tie McCain to the oil industry, the Associated Press' Tom Raum noted. Problem is, he adds, McCain has no direct links to the industry, unlike Cheney and President Bush himself.

Obama is also using a new ad to draw attention to what he says is Big Oil's $2-million in campaign contributions to McCain.

He doesn't mention the $400,000 from oil company executives that, according to the McCain campaign, have helped the Obama effort.

--James Gerstenzang

Photo: Alex Brandon/Associated Press

Comments

[Mark Davis]

Unfortunately for Obama that link includes a yet little known technology called Biochar which only the Republicans are working on.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochar

[R Jackson]

Maybe McCain will be a 3rd Bush term but that is still better than a reverend Wright 1st term.

[dragonfly777]

Obama always one step behind in taking a stand. This was McCain's idea and now Obama is calling for a change in energy policy...Geez, does this guy have any ideas of his own?? NOPE!!

[Chris Dickson]

Obama attacks John McCain for his energy policy. And what is Obama's energy policy? Oh yeah, inflate your tires to the proper pressure.

[Steve Lucas]

If you go to www.therealmccain.com you will see how many of John McCain's closest advisors are tied to the oil industry. Obama is probably right. The "mavrick" McCain has pretty much followed the Bush administration like a puppy about 95 percent of the time. Why would you want more tax incentives to an industry that is reporting record profits? Why would you want to drill ANWAR and off shore when the oil industry does not even have the equipment to drill there. They have failed to invest in their own infrastructure. Why give them more land when they are sitting on over 60 million acres of leases that they are not drilling on.
We only have 3 percent of the world's provable reserves. We simply cannot drill out of this problem. Do you want American foreign policy made by Exon/Moble, Royal Dutch Shell, British Petroleum? How arout ARAMCO? Even more dangerous. If this is what you want then vote for 4 more years of Bush with John McCain. He is bought and paid for by big oil.

[very impresive DR no]

It is so amazing the way this guy fip flops. First he says he has the best energy policie, bar none, but, the only thing you know of his policy is he would not allow off shore drilling.
Now, looking at polls, he changes his position and tries to fool us by shifting the focus on McCain.
He is promoting the same policy that McCain is but somehow his is, of course, better and his opponents is bush's policy.
What a shame.

[Doug]

My question is, who is Senator Obama running against? It remains my understanding that Vice President Cheney is a member of the lame-duck administration now seated and that the Republicans have yet to choose a running mate for Senator McCain. Perhaps the virtuous man of change can cease campaigning on the past and instead focus on the future as he proclaims he represents. It would appear to be that Obama's latest charge against Bush/Cheney is another smoke-screen. Senator Obama's sudden energy policy reversal is staggering. I wonder how this radical about-face will sit with Nancy Pelosi? Please stay tuned for these upcoming fireworks!

News flash James Gerstenzang the Republicans are all in bed with big oil! Ten senior Hess Corporation executives and/or members of the Hess family each gave $28,500 to the joint RNC-McCain fundraising committee, just days after McCain reversed himself to favor offshore drilling, according to Federal Election Commission reports. You think the newest puppet for the RNC isn't going to get into office and do a soft-shoe for big oil! McCain is simply a continuation of the failed Bush/Cheney policies, whether it's their failed ideas toward the Middle East, or their calamity of a domestic policy, McCain's only master will be big business. If you enjoy the way the government has funneled money into faceless corporations that have raped our country for far to long, by all means, vote McCain in November!

[scootmandubious]

Was this blog post written by the McCain campaign? It sure reads that way, beginning with your smarmy opening line, "To listen today to Barack Obama, it's all Dick Cheney's fault."

You then conclude the piece with a mention of $400,000 that he allegedly received from oil company executives.

Since big business always hedges their bets, you might wish to, In the interest of fairness and honesty, list the comparative amounts that each candidate received from the oil industry.

Despite your cynicism, I think the American public deserves to know what went on behind closed doors with Cheney and the oil magnates crafting our energy policy. If everything was above board, why the secrecy and refusal to disclose? National security?

You think asking for transparency here is a frivolous request?

As for the charges that Obama made about McCain constantly voting against alternative fuel sources, why not just critique it on its merits. Is it true or false?
Has McCain sought offshore drilling during his time in office, or not?

I, for one, have had it with those in bed with McCain shaping the way news gets transmitted. We no longer take what alleged 'journalists' say at face value.

[twilightgal]

John McCain embraced Bush, and so he should share in the credit for the massive failure on every level that is the Bush administration. McCain has shown zero vision for getting this country out of the mess it is in. Yet Obama is hammered for showing leadership, as if that is a crime or failing.

[Jimbo]

Obama is a nit-wit. It's his power driven Congress after 2 years that boasts of an approval ratings of 9% that is responsible for the gas policy. They go on a 5 week vacation and Pelosie and her cronies tell the American people to tuff it out. I hope and pray that all the encumbants are thrown out of office on their ears and we start a new group with the understanding they will be out if they don't conform to all that is right!

[Sharon]

Critics of the offshore drilling plan noted that the Energy Department released data July, 2008 showing that U.S. exports of finished petroleum products, including gasoline, diesel fuel and jet fuel, soared to 1.592 million barrels per day in May. The exports set a record for the month and were up 31 percent from a year ago.

Exports were equal to about half the 3.204 million barrels a day in petroleum roducts that the United States imported during May. In May, U.S. oil companies shipped 183,000 barrels of gasoline a day out of the country, even as Americans saw prices at the pump steadily rise. May's gasoline exports were almost double year-earlier levels, the most for May since 1945 when America was providing motor fuel to other countries toward the end of World War II

The president, vice-president, commerce secretary and national security adviser all have strong ties to the oil industry. Samples.
(1)2001 -Vice-President Dick Cheney amassed some £50m-$60m while he was chief executive of Haliburton oil company.
(2)2001- Commerce Secretary Donald Evans held stock valued between $5m and $25m in Tom Brown Inc, the oil and gas exploration company he headed.
(3)National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice was a director of Chevron.
The concentration of energy connections is so pronounced the Bush government is being called the "oil and gas administration".

Americans are not hearing these facts. It does appear Republicans are protecting oil companies. It also seems John McCain has joined them now. He is using "Rove Playbook" now for a month plus -has hired Strategist Bush used 2004, and Karl Rove is lending his expertise through Republican Freedom Watch with backing of some of the super rich in US.

[Bill Jenkins]

Obama appeals only to leftist democrats and the politically inept/ignorant.

He isn't running against John McCain, he is running against Bush and Cheney and must paint John McCain as Bush. His leftist followers say "McSame" a million times on the internet trying to help him along.

These comments simply show that Obama has no grasp of the realities involving economics...especially in regards to oil prices.

His "We'll be off foreign sources of oil in 10 years" is a LIE because we get huge amount of energies from Canada and Mexico which are foreign as well.

Obama = Dud.

[Darrelld]

Hmm... $400,000 vs $2,000,000? You make it look like they are equal amounts, but if you had the option of taking one as a salary or the other, I bet they wouldn't be equal amounts in your eyes then.

[Cryos]

Yay more political posturing to cater to the naive.

FYI Exxon the company under fire is globally only the 14-17th largest oil company (depending on criteria) and Chevron the 20th. Think about that before you spout off how american companies are the ones behind gas prices. Nationalized foreign oil companies control 94% of world reserves. Please factor that into your viewpoints and don't fall prey to the blind following of "republicans and big bad oil."

[Cryos]

Here is a list of the largest oil companies in the world. Please use your brain and ask yourself how the 17th and 20th largest oil companies in the world are going to control prices especially when Exxon buys 90% of its petroleum?

I know there is this witch hunt by democrats to take down every successful AMERICAN industry but please ask yourself how that will help us in a GLOBAL economy. Please use your head not your heart on these issues and don't defer America's future to environmental radicals who seem only concerned with taking down american interests.

This list is from a different poster but I've found similar lists with only slight changes in ranking on different source sites.

1 National Iranian Oil Company (Iran)
2 Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Arabia)
3 Iraq National Oil Company (Iraq)
4 Qatar General Petroleum Corporation (Qatar)
5 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (UAE)
6 Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (Kuwait)
7 Petroleos de Venezuela.S.A. (Venezuela)
8 Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (Nigeria)
9 National Oil Company (Libya)
10 Sonatrach (Algeria)
11 Gazprom (Russia)
12 PetroChina Co. Ltd. (China)
13 OAO Rosneft (Russia)
14 Petronas (Malaysia)
15 OAO Lukoil (Russia)
16 Petroleos Mexicanos (Mexico)
17 ExxonMobil Corporation (United States)
18 BP Corporation (United Kingdom)
19 Egyptian General Petroleum Corp. (Egypt)
20 Chevron Corporation (United States).

[Gary]

"Obama always one step behind in taking a stand. This was McCain's idea and now Obama is calling for a change in energy policy...Geez, does this guy have any ideas of his own?? NOPE!!"

His plan has been available from the beginning. Sorry if the idea of fixing our problems for good through alternative energies and conservation isn't as nice as a quick fix that doesn't actually fix anything.

Obama is right that we CAN'T drill ourselves out of this problem. McCain may hint at other energies but oil still drives his plan. We need to go elsewhere.

[ARby]

Biochar=Trees for fuel...

Thanks, but no thanks!

[Cryos]

To all the liberals who have been bought and sold on the "big bad corporations" a couple questions. Why do democrats only target american industries? You only see american companies in their crosshairs and they act like the foreign companies such as in China paying slave labor and using no environmental standards aren't doing something wrong. Remember to adjust your viewpoints to a global economy and remember if you tax and take down american companies FOREIGN COMPANIES DIRECTLY BENEFIT. Somehow I don't think the way to american independence is to go on a witch hunt taking down american corporations and making us completely dependant on foreign companies.

[eLone]

Some of you need to stop watching FOX News for the information you are spouting out here.

Obama did not change his policy on off-shore oil drilling. He CONCEDED it as part of a much bigger overall energy plan. He does NOT agree with it, but isn't going to be fussy about it just to serve some kind of liberal agenda.

He works with BOTH parties in the best interest of ALL people.

Unlike the Republican party which caters only to the wealthy, and promotes this fake idea of conservatism to idiots who think they stand for something because of it.

The two party system is dividing and destroying this company. Who is going to work with BOTH sides? Obama. He pisses off liberals and conservatives.

And he's the next President of the United States.

[OReilly]

Do you remember who helped right our current Energy Policy? Ken Lay of Enron fame.
Obamas Policies:
Fully Close the “Enron Loophole”. One of the reasons our energy market is particularly vulnerable to excessive speculation is the so-called “Enron Loophole” which prevents the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) from fully overseeing the oil futures market. As president, Barack Obama will fully close the Enron loophole by requiring that U.S. energy futures trade on regulated exchange to crack down on any excessive speculation in the energy market.
Enact a Windfall Profits Tax on the Top Grossing Oil Companies and Ease the Burden on American Families: The oil industry has profited greatly—over $150 billion in 2007—due to global instability fueled by conflict in Iraq, failing domestic fiscal policies that have weakened the U.S. dollar and skyrocketing global demand resulting from a lack of investment in alternatives. Barack Obama supports imposing a windfall profits penalty on oil selling at or over $80 per barrel. Revenue from the proposal will be invested in a number of measures to reduce the burden of rising prices on families.

Barack Obama's Record

Renewable Fuels: Obama has worked on numerous efforts in the Senate to increase access to and use of renewable fuels. Obama passed legislation with Senator Jim Talent (R-MO) to give gas stations a tax credit for installing E85 ethanol refueling pumps. The tax credit covers 30 percent of the costs of switching one or more traditional petroleum pumps to E85, which is an 85 percent ethanol/15 percent gasoline blend. Obama also sponsored an amendment that became law providing $40 million for commercialization of a combined flexible fuel vehicle/hybrid car within five years.
CAFE: Obama introduced a bold new plan that brought Republicans and Democrats, CAFE supporters and long-time opponents together in support of legislation that will gradually increase fuel economy standards and offer what the New York Times editorial page called "real as opposed to hypothetical results."

[Susan]

What Obama fails to mention is that he voted FOR Bush's energy bill in 2005....McCain voted against it. See excerpt from news from today below:
"Obama voted for a 2005 energy bill backed by President Bush that included billions in subsidies for oil and natural gas production, a measure for which Vice President Dick Cheney played a major role. McCain opposed the bill, saying at the time that it included billions in unnecessary tax breaks for the oil industry"

Obama's gall is unbelievable to me. He says McCain is in Big oil's pocket when McCain voted against a bill giving them billions in tax breaks and Obama voted for it???? So sad that Obama has turned out to be such a fraud.

[Master]

People are wanting one of these bickering clowns as our next leader. Ha.

God (or insert your favorite deity) save us all, for our country's days are numbered.

If I was your President, all of our troops would be brought home to protect our borders. Illegal immigrants would have 1 week to leave, if caught on US soil after that they will be executed on the spot for their criminal actions against the USA. Likewise for anyone employing them, harboring them, etc. I dont care if they come from a 3rd world nation, you will come into this country legally or suffer the consequences. There are plenty of Americans waiting for someone to say that it is open season on illegals. By the way, anyone waving a Mexican flag will be deported. This is America, wave the correct flag.

Ethnic information will only be used for medical purposes. No longer will someone be "African American" or any of that nonsense. If you are here in the states you are American. You are no longer better or worse than your neighbor. We are one and we will stand as one. Think of 9/11 how we were all united regardless of skin color. That is how we will be always.

Gang members would receive no trial, just execution on the spot. All of them. Every single one will be hunted.

These so called Death Row inmates would no longer be able to appeal for 20 years or more. They would have 1 year, then its over.

Repeat offenders for drug dealing... execution. On a similar note, marijuana would become legalized, but would have to be used responsibly like alcohol.

Bountys will be placed on those who are trying to sell off this country. We need patriots, not money grubbing greed driven old men. They are traitors and I would want them in front of me alive. Then the public will decide their fate.

Want to hear more?

Vote for me, the Master, for your next President and America will become strong again!!!

[tom one]

Shoulde'nt obama and his family be linked to aid's? They are arrican are'nt
they?

[Dom Cast]

One of McCain's only trump card is his insistence on new drilling. This belies the fact that supply is not the problem just as OPEC has said. There are plenty of oil products available. Prices this high are an aberration brought about by speculators and a host of other contributing factors.

New drilling would not solve the problem today when the public needs it solved, but ten years from now or later. That's the minimum lead time from the beginning of drilling to product available on the market. It doesn't happen overnight, and would provide no immediate relief. I'm sure McCain is well aware of this.

See for yourself. Try typing "drilling to market oil lead time" into Google's search engine and read the articles experts have written on the subject.

Exposing his hoax would warn the public of McCain's shameless rhetoric and make his other bogus promises, like budget integrity while the Republican give away to the rich and crooked goes on unabated.

Catch him red handed backing vacuous proposals that only seek to misguide the electorate and Obama will not only win, but may show the longest coattails in history.