Barack Obama, on his birthday, has energy on his mind

Pander-alert!

"There is no place I'd rather be on my birthday than Lansing, Mich.," Barack Obama said today, as he celebrated turning 47 by stumping in a state that seems essential to his White House hopes.

His audience in Michigan's capital city no doubt was savvy enough not to believe him (and he uttered the remark with a slight, knowing smile on his face), but the line elicited the expected cheer.

Obama used his campaign stop to summarize in one speech his energy policy, bits and pieces of which he's spotlighted in recent appearances. His proposals, as recapped by the Boston Globe, include a $1,000 rebate check from the government to help Americans defray escalating energy costs and a goal of ending U.S. dependence on Middle East oil in a decade.

He also touched upon his latest move to the middle -- his support for ending the federal ban on offshore oil drilling (though only in limited fashion and with strict attention to avoiding environmental damage).

In another position shift, he also called for tapping a portion of the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve in order to provide a quick cut in gasoline prices (The Times' has the details here, and Obama's prepared remarks can be read here).

His campaign coupled his appearance with the release of a new ad bashing John McCain for support the Republican has received from the oil industry. As our friend Mark Silva writes about at the Swamp, the spot links McCain with President Bush with imagery and this payoff line: "After one president in the pocket of Big Oil, we can't afford another.''

As the Swamp item notes, the Republican National Committee -- ever dismissive of all things Obama -- responded to both his birthday and his focus on the energy issue by sending out to selected media members (not us, as of yet) complimentary tire gauges. The reason -- last week Obama mentioned "making sure your tires are properly inflated" as one "small step" Americans could take to improve their vehicles' gas mileage.

And just moments ago, the McCain campaign unveiled a fundraising push wrapped around the tire gauge gimmick. For $25, campaign manager Rick Davis said in an e-mail, contributors will receive a gauge so that they could put Obama's "energy policy to the test."

The e-mail asks (skeptically, of course): "Will simply inflating your tires reduce the financial burden of high gas prices on your wallet?"

-- Don Frederick

Photo credit: Getty Images

Comments

[VJ Machiavelli]

Obama mite be 47 but Gallup has him at 45.

So Happy Birthday Obama from your friends at the daily Gallup tracking poll.

VJ Machiavelli
http://www.vjmachiavelli.blogspot.com

[juliet]

Hey, I'd like a complimentary tire gauge. But at $25 a pop, no thanks. But then, as a long-time member of Congress, that must be the kind of mark-up that Senator McCain is used to.

So, ho hum McCain, yet another lame joke that only turns back on you.

[Ben]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. I can't wait till McCain wins in Nov so he can help us laugh our problems away. What a joker he is. Laughter...the real solution to real problems.

[Jeff in Orlando]

Obama chided McCain on the psychological impact of all the drilling talk. Well, all the talk is having an effect. The price of oil dropped to $120 a barrel even though their is a storm in the Gulf and Iran is making bellicose statements. This time, the oil futures market didn't bite. Lower demand and the talk of drilling is making a difference. If the Democrats would let market forces work, we wouldn't have to have a new round of rebates and a 150 billion dollar government program for alternatives that the taxpayers will have to fund. With the first new drilling site on one of the areas with billions of barrels of oil under it, the price of oil will drop like a rock.

[Sophia]

I wouldn't mind a tire gauge, either.

I don't know why the RNC is snickering so much about it... Obama is 100% correct that keeping your tires properly filled is a small gesture which will improve gas mileage. Just like routine oil changes, not using more than 3 rpms during acceleration, not driving with the windows down on the highway, and filling your gas tank in the evening. I do all those things, and I get better gas mileage for it.

Or is just more of the crazy liberal progressives socialists and their "science."

[Lucas Mackasmiel]

Given the attack ads that RNC and John McCain are throwing at Barack Obama, is John McCain actually READY to LEAD?? Let me try the question he has always used against his counterpart.

If John is ready to lead he should show mature campaign strategies instead of childish behavior. He is 72 years old for crying out loud! Is he empty headed or senile??!!??

Let us start talking ISSUES. Properly inflated tires can help a vehicle save some gas, so can a properly tuned engine! These are not long term fixes but they work. Now John get us the long term ones.

I am beginning to think this has been the longest presidential election.

[Bruce becker]

The war in Iraq was based on lies. One big lie was that there were IRAQI''''s involved in the anthrax murders. McCain said in 2001, HE HAD A SOURCE (WINK!!!) that told him, the IRAQI''''s did the anthrax. NOW WE KNOW, the anthrax murders were done by bio-terrorism experts working in Maryland at a US federal FORT.
So.. since false propaganda leading the USA into war is a CRIME, who is McCAIN HIDING?
WHO IS THE WHITE HOUSE INSIDER WHO HAD McCAIN PUT OUT THE DISINFORMATION TO LEAD THE CONGRESS GO TO WAR TO SAVE YOU FROM THE WMDs of the IRAQI''''s, when in fact they knew it was an INSIDE JOB. McCain is protecting the WHITE HOUSE men who committed treason. WHO?

[Helen]

I have been watching all the election coverage and have always supported the Democrats. Not this time!! It has come to a point where I can no longer watch Obama's face on TV, or listen to what he is saying. I was an ardent supporter of Hillary, but when the Obama sleeze machine began working and wrested the nomination away from her, I knew the Democratic Party would be in trouble at election time. Obama says whatever he thinks will get him elected at any given time. There is no sincerity or conviction in any position he takes. It is as if his agenda is to be the first black president in American history. Period. He will, and has been doing, whatever it takes to achieve that goal.

McCain has always said what he truly believes, whether it is a popular position or not. If he changes his mind about something, it's because he truly feels it is a better course of action for the country and not just the most popular position at that time. He presents himself as he truly is, and doesn't just try to impress the people. He is sincere and genuine, and he feels you can either take him as he is, or not. He doesn't try to be someone he isn't, unlike Obama.

[McPain]

John McCain = $540 loafers

[Ron]

John McCain is so lame that he is almost crippled.

[Curtis J]

Why is that so many vietnam vets think they have ownership on what is tough? To this day they walk around as if the world owes them something, I have known plenty of WWII and Korean vets and the only way they would mention their service to our country is if you asked them, to think that I, a 56 yeard old black democrat, in the event Barack loses, would long even for the likes of a Barry Goldwater rather a hair trigger like John McCain

[Colin]

Man, McCain's attempts at humor are just so esoteric and lame. Only someone with ties to big oil would make fun of a fuel efficiency tip. I honestly used to think John was cool, but he's not responding to Obama's plans with any concrete plans of his own, and he has been flopping around a lot. It's almost as if someone told him the best way not to lose his temper is to turn into Johnny Carson. Is it too late for him to deliver that elevated debate he promised us? Here's hoping he at least tries to change his approach. My vote may hinge on it.

[victor knopp]

someone give obama and his CREW a parachute because the truth is bringing him down faster than he rose,no hillary no chance,,,,floor vote floor vote,show some guts you weakling libirals if you dont grab hillarys hand your done for another decade,3.2.1 your done,maybe next time you will vett your candidate a little better than your mortage

[Ben]

To answer the republicans, yes, it probably will reduce the burden -- significantly.

"Running a tire 20 percent underinflated - only 5 to 7 pounds per square inch (psi) - can increase fuel consumption by 10 percent." according to goodyear.

at 4.19 that i saw yesterday, 10 percent is 41 cents per gallon. Quite a bite back into the wallet, yes?

[DoTheMath]

McCain - the all-sarcasm all the time campaign.

Remember, if it's not confusing, misleading, or distracting, the McCain campaign doesn't want to talk about it.

The tire guage gets a "D" for distracting.

Go ahead, McCain, talk about your energy strategies instead of trying to imply that one of Obama's many, many strategies for improving energy efficiency is all he has to offer.

[Justin]

Is the RNC Touched in the Head? Keep on sending out campaign paraphanalia promoting your oponant. Don't forget of course Pappy Bush recomended the same thing for citizens to increase efficiency of their vehicles.
Come to think of it, increasing the rolling efficiency of your vehicle actually does save gas for little to no investiment.
Realizing the inefiiencey that exists in our daily lives from single citizen to Multi national corp is a HUGE part of what will be the solution to our energy situation. Let the RNC keep advocating their opponant, and continue to be part of the problem. Come this January they won't be part of the solution!

[victor knopp]

has anyone noticed that obama is starting to sweat,maybe its from all those coats hes wearing

[ed]

Having read both campaings energy proposals on their websites, gimmicks aside, Obama proposes tax increases on oil companies and grants (our tax dollars) to encourage research in new technologies. McCain offers tax breaks and tax incentives for new technologies. I'll take the tax incentives over increased taxes and spending anyday.

[Kathy]

And if Obama is mature enough to lead, he should know that lying is very, very naughty.

[TB]

The McCain campaign is running on gimmicks and jokes while the American people are suffering, soldiers are dying, and the economy is circling the drain. That is not what we need now. We need hope, and we need solutions. I think Obama's got the perfect candidacy, and if he can take the high road through three more months of smear, he'll be a shoe-in.

[carl]

Nobody is paying attention to the burning cop cars at his rally? Seen here:

http://fiendfolio.blogspot.com/2008/08/burn-baby-burn.html

[charley]

Offshore drilling will increase oil supply by 1%

Inflating tires will decrease oil demand by 5%

Which one makes more sense?

[Paul Stewart]

The tire gauge is another stupid joke of a move. So this is McCain's sense of humor. I don't get it...

In terms of energy I think Obama will simply do what is right and necessary to achieve a solution - he is a pragmatist after all.

I think that people should realize that it is not that hard to end to the energy crisis and reliance on foreign oil. It just takes time, human energy and redirection of resources. It also takes freedom from special interests and the auto and oil industries and the oil fiefdoms. I think it will take 3 to 5 years to see the light at the end of the tunnel and 7 to 10 to see some rays of sunlight from doing it. America must redirect resources in the short and long term to the right places.

And drilling in environmentally sensitive places is not the right answer, generally and particularly when the oil companies have not even exhausted the tracts of land they have. Oil is the problem, it must be reduced not increased as a source of energy - period. We must develop natural resources such as sun, wind, tidal and thermal.

Some drilling if it helps to get agreement on the larger issues and if done carefully may make sense. The psychology of it may help near term pricing too. Everyone knows it will not add to supply before other measures to reduce energy consumption and other energy sources are developed.

And fundamentally, Americans must understand that this whole energy crisis is not a "free enterprise" kind of thing. OPEC is so not a private enterprise. It is an alien oligarchy that fundamentally is hostile to US interests. Yet, US policy is "free enterprise" and so for that matter is McCain who wants to reduce oil company taxes. Foolish really but that seems par for this administration's course.

To solve what is now again a crisis, indeed yet an even bigger one than before given environmental issues, will take focus. It requires the will of the American people and the American government's attention to this as a high priority issue on a non-partisan and a non-special interest basis. No oil company, alien government, or car company is going to willfully give away an easy route to profit. Nor are they going to pay for increased mileage and reduced pollution when it is not obliged to do it. This will only change with significant incentives and penalties to manage them to appropriate behaviors.

And, when tackling this we must think in terms of stretch goals - like doubling or tripling mileage in a matter of a few short years. The current targets of increasing mileage by 10, 20 or 30% - well, its just ridiculous. I mean, the boat is sinking, its taking on water at a rate of thousands of barrels a minute and we are bailing it out with a tea cup.

Doing this is not rocket science. This is much easier than going to the moon. The technology is there and the risks are much less and rewards much greater. None of this is far fetched or futuristic - just look within parts of America and particularly at Europe to see actual examples of this stuff at work now or under construction or approved for development and construction.

If America and its government had spent the last eight years seizing the opportunity when oil was low cost they would already see the end of reliance on foreign oil and global warming on the horizon. And America would not be funding the terrorists through oil imports. Instead, her political, human and financial capital has been wasted in Iraq on a thankless and unnecessary war.

I would add that the energy problem should not rely on big projects like Boone Pickens' where it is held by few and centrally located. This is a recipe for opportunistic pricing, and less efficient in terms of overall energy as it is lost the greater the distance and extent of distribution. And, importantly, it is a bulls eye target for terrorist and other mayhem doers to shoot for. It should be distributed everywhere. The NIMBY's will be happy to have their own system in their own yard or neighborhood. The various systems would tie in to feed the larger system.

If executed well, this is a once in a millenium opportunity, to create many new jobs, a clean and safe environment and a greater security of supply. It will take someone with vision and strength with great communication skills and respect to lead this. We know who that is.

[BJ]

The point here is... Obama does NOT have a real energy plan, except taxes! Rob Peter to pay Paul. Obama does NOT "own" the alternative energy plan. We all know that's a long term solution that has been touted by Hillary & Al Gore. At least McCain's talk of drilling has caused prices to come down! Obama's threat of taxing oil profits only caused prices to go higher.

[Stephen]

Okay, so given McCain's new tire gauge fundraiser will put tire gauges in the hands of many Repubs and members of the media (they're supposedly sending them out as we speak). Won't these folks be MORE LIKELY to check their car's tire pressure now that they have the gauge? And in so doing, might they notice that they are under inflated and thus fill up their tires properly? It seems they might then actually notice a change in their miles per gallon....

Maybe then, and only then, it might dawn on them that this isn't such a ridiculous idea after all.

[your mom]

i want obama to winn!!! WOOT WOOT (: