Barack Obama's energy speech draws attention -- to his changing stances

Barack Obama surrogates fanned out on various TV interview shows today to discuss the dominant issue of the moment -- energy -- and to press the case that their candidate rose to the occasion Monday in laying out a comprehensive policy in a high-profile speech in Michigan.

We have to wonder, though, if the much-vaunted Obama campaign team anticipated that print coverage would focus so heavily on his latest change of position in the energy debate -- his support for tapping the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserves to drive down the cost of gasoline.

Here were the leads from the big three dailies:

"With the politics of energy shifting as rapidly as gasoline prices, Democrats, led by presidential candidate Barack Obama, are retreating from long-held positions and scrambling to offer distressed voters more immediate relief from spiraling costs." (Los Angeles Times)

"Sen. Barack Obama altered his position on Monday to call for tapping the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve to lower gasoline prices as he outlined an energy plan that contrasts with Sen. John McCain’s greater emphasis on expanded offshore drilling and coal and nuclear technology." (New York Times)

"Sen. Barack Obama called Monday for using oil from the nation's strategic reserves to lower gasoline prices, the second time in less than a week that he has modified a position on energy issues, as he and Sen. John McCain seek to find solutions to a topic that is increasingly dominating the presidential race." (Washington Post)

The first-day Associated Press story by Tom Raum, which no doubt was widely used by medium-sized and smaller newspapers, quickly drew attention to both Obama's shift on the petroleum reserves and his surprise support late last week for a compromise that would ease the long-standing federal ban on offshore oil drilling.

Obama's new proposal, Raum wrote, "includes two significant reversals ...

... of positions he has taken in the past: He had steadfastly fought the idea of limited new offshore drilling and was against tapping the nation's emergency oil stockpile to relieve pump prices that have stubbornly hovered around $4 a gallon."

In terms of opinion pieces on Obama's plan, his aides won't bat an eye at a bashing from the conservative New York Post, which began an editorial today: "One more week, one more Barack Obama reversal on a key issue. Actually, make that two reversals."

But Obama aides may have noticed -- and become concerned about -- the San Francisco Chronicle's editorial take: "Sen. Barack Obama's energy policy is offering more flip-flops than a Lake Tahoe souvenir stand."

That's not quite the narrative the Obama camp was looking for from his speech.

-- Don Frederick

Photo credit: Associated Press

Comments

[T Vazquez]

Imagine, someone changing their mind due to changing circumstances.

[Clinton for Pres.]

We're voting Hillary Clinton for President.

Obama is a phony, opportunistic, self-serving flip flopping gasbag with a nutjob hater wife

McCain is an outdated one-track limited thinker

Edwards is a smarmy, deceitful betray-and-humiliate-his-cancer-afflicted-wife liar

You men make a disaster of this world, be it in politics or business.

We have stopped doing business with men as much as possible because they always make a mess and misery. With women, all prosper. This assessment was formed only after repeat experience and observation.

Clinton for Pres. Write it in. Demand it.

[BJ]

It's about time the press and media caught up with the negative aspects of Obama! And they ARE numerous!!!

The Democratic Party only have 3 weeks to correct their gravest error in pushing Obama as their "presumptuous nominee".

Hllary supporters are NOT turning to Obama. If anything, more and more people are getting turned off by him! He truly is the "emperor with no clothes".

[Sam]

The media really hates Obama. I Wish the media would report instead of lie.

[edward cookman]

HMMM, do I want a president that is flexible and allows himself to consider all options, and make changes according to changing conditions, or do I want a president that decides on a policy and sticks to it no matter what?

[Donald A Gonzalea]

You want this man to be our next president? You cannot trust his positions from one minute to the next.

[Donald A Gonzalea]

What a phoney

[Earl]

both McCain and Obama has shifted on various positions. They're politicians and thats what politicians do. What;s the NYT, NYPost. LA Times and SFC plans on energy? All i see and read his cynicism. At the least the 2 have plan, personally, i perfer Obama's plan. MSM cynicism--its no wonder news paper readership is down 45%.

[Robert Witherington]

So whats the big deal? he compromised to get somthing done. What canyou say for GWB/DC or for that matter McOil?

[Nick Wiley]

What happened to the good old days when politicians staked out their positions on issues for decades, no matter how irrelevant or irrational their positions became as world events changed. Take George W Bush for example. He'll _never_ alter his position on anything no matter what happens or how irrational his views become. Solid as a rock, that guy...

[Arthur LEMAY]

Know we KNOW Obama is an imbecile, and should not even be in the Senate.

The .emergency oil stockpile is intended for a national emergency, particularly for the military. If we use it for everyone, it will run out in a few weeks and will not affect prices. So, using it this way will not work and we risk jeopardizing our military capabilities.

Is this our next President? He is a feeble minded incompetent and fool.

[kate cooper]

"We have to wonder, though, if the much-vaunted Obama campaign team anticipated that print coverage would focus so heavily on his latest change of position in the energy debate"- more LA times anti-Obama propaganda - Who writes the news anyway? Everyday the LATimes has a negative story about Obama and gives McCain's flop-flops a total pass. Don't you!!

No one wrote much about - McCain saying he would accept a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq -- What too busy with the Paris Hilton story ..LA times...??

McCain didn't want to drill off-shore untill the oil companies dumped millions on him last month.

how about him being against torture - untill he voted for it.
on and on and on but not the LA Times no they just monitor Obama position.s McCain he's the ONE and gets a total pass.

[The big picture]

Why is it unreasonable for Obama to make compromises on the oil reserve or drilling if it helps get the energy bill passed? A number of people may not realize it, but those are the types of compromises that are sometimes necessary to get a bill passed. I don't believe the senator is a fan of either of those compromises, but will accept them for the greater good. And enough with the personal attacks... why don't we talk about the issues.

[jojo star]

what is the surprise, he doesns't stand fo anything except being the first black president - when you understan that then you realize he can say anything or change anything he previously said because that is not the issue he is pushing - vote for the black man or be a racist

as or the press hating him, he is just getting a few justified comments after flipping so much, the press still loves him compared to how the treated clinton or are ignoring maccain

[Dave]

Obama's flip/flops are so regular that the phrase "To Obama" is entering the lingo at my work.
It isn't about changing circumstances- gas prices have been coming down over the last few weeks.
Tapping into the strategic reserve is for emergencies.- like Iran using nukes against Israel.

Again, this really calls into question his judgement. He was right to not tap into it.
It also calls into question the judgement of those people who still support him. Change is not neccesarily always good. No matter how bad things are, they could be worse. And Obama seems like the person best qualified to ruin what we have left.

[Bob Fanning]

Obamagasims generated by the Establishment Press. I think they are really overplaying their hand and pissing off a lot of Americans for their over-the-top promotion of Obama.

In his entire life, Senator Obama has never managed an organization larger than a Senate staff, or that of a law school publication. And, he's never operated a for-profit business or been responsible for any profit center within one. "

He just turned 47 and has never had a job, which qualifies him for;..................

PLENIPOTENTIARY POOH-BAH FOR LIFE OF THE WHOLE WORLD........coronation Aug. 28, 2008 in Denver where 75,000 will lock arms and sing "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mOEU87SBTU before toasting "The One " & consuming Kool Aid.

[chowderhead]

Baloney! John McCain was against offshore oil drilling before he was for it. Who's changing stances? Besides, what has McCain offered that's worth anything? Environmentally unsound offshore drilling, and patently dangerous nuclear technology. Obama's proposal makes infinitely more sense, and at least offers something to get us into the future without reliance on oil, foreign or otherwise. McCain's a hack, and he's been fooling us for years. Time to show him the door.

[Sin Amos]

Why are people so obtuse when it comes to reality that circumstances change and that the reason the war went so wrong is because the commander in chief was too daft to ADAPT to unseen situations and issues? People can just use crusty logic to make any thing seem how they want to show it. Shame on you ignorant folks that don't understand much about anything. LIFE is chaotic and ever changing and those that stay STAGNANT and do not adapt, PERISH. Get it. Learn it. Love it.

[Bruce]

Do you know what the "changing situation" is that made Obama change his position?

He was behind in the polls.

If he was well in front, he would not have changed his psotion several times in a few days.

[BrianD]

Dear Don,

I realize you have to deal with the stigma of being with the LA Times and the accusation of being a dreaded liberal.
You need to overcome that guilt, end your obtuse bias, and report news objectively.
If you were to do so, you would then evenly report of the many flip-flops of John McCain. Stop giving him the beneift of the doubt because he is 72 years old.
It's OK to be objective. Say that again.
Do not allow youself to be drunken by the slop from the right. Balance out, my friend. Get real and be real.
Stop falling for the BS that comes from the mouth of McCain and the right, dude.
Get a clue, and you shall redeem yourself. Otherwise, Join Fox.
Brian

[eman]

In all his speeches, I hear Obama criticize McCains' plan. Obama says McCain is wrong. He tells you what he envisions instead, but never gives ANY details about HOW he intends to accomplish the task. He seems to be all talk, with nothing to back it up.

Its a simple fact that if we want to reduce carbon, we need to go nuclear. Sure wind and solar can SUPPLEMENT our power, but the sun doesn't always shine, and the wind doesn't always blow, and we use power 24 hours a day, rain or shine. Besides, the Kennedy's have been blocking the installation of a wind farm near their property. Who else is going to block the construction wind farms in their neck of the woods? I'not saying that we shouldn't pursue wind, but it isn't a silver bullet either. At least McCain is addressing ALL options available that do not create huge quantities of carbon.

If you need to replace the source of gigawatts worth of constant coal power, then nuclear is the ONLY viable answer. Otherwise, if Californians don't have enough power to run their air conditioners today, then how do they expect to power a fleet of millions of cars as well? You would need a soloar system costing $30-60K to power our car. How does that reduce the cost to everyday americans?

Clinton didn't want to drill in ANWAR, stating that it would take ten years to see any of that oil. It's been ten years, and we could sure use that oil right now. Isn't anyone thinking about ten years from now? It could replace 3% of our foreign oil habbit. Obama argues that drilling in ANWAR is stupid because keeping our tires filled would do the same. Here's a thought...add 3% to our capacity AND reduce our consumption by 3% and now we're at 6% of the way there. How do you argue against that?

Obama says McCain is part of big oil bacause he supports off shore drilling. Now he changed his position, stating that SOME off shore drilling is OK. No information on WHICH drilling is ok, why his approach is any better, or how that doesn't put him in big oils pocket as well. Heres a thought. If you don't believe in supporting big oil, then stop buying their product.

Obamaa is just a wind bag that I can no longer support.

[me]

flexibility is good retards. being a rigid unconditional mule is a bad thing!

[Dath Lightbringer]

Obama has the right to change his mind, just like McCain did the other day. Or should we forget McCain tried to enter his wife into the Miss Buffalo Chip contest in Sturgis the other day. Oh and that Yugoslavia hasnt existed in 20 years.....de de dee.

If you want the same M.O. in the white house for the next 4 years vote for McCain, but if you want real change...then vote for Obama. Clinton supporters please give it up, shesh you are worse than those confederate asshats that still fly the confederate flag.....YOU LOST, GET OVER IT.

[Robert Downey]

Sycophants crack me up.
We have 3 people on here saying, "circumstances changed, that's why he changed his mind."
Really, other than dropping poll numbers, WHAT circumstances changed regarding oil and it's prices?
What made what he thought a terrible idea suddenly a good idea?
And didn't YOU supporters think his positions were glorious?
As for Witherington, I guess this is the mindset of Obama supporters. He compromised to "get things done?"
What are you babbling about?
He isn't getting "anything done." He isn't president (YOU DO KNOW THAT, RIGHT?) And I suspect it is these types of "moments" that will prevent him from being POTUS.

[rollingmyeyes]

Have you all heard McCain speak at one of his town hall meetings lately and make any attempt to talk about his policy positions? I haven't seen anything different from him and Bush. He is vague about talking about policy positions and then attacks versus offering any solutions to any problems just like BUSH. His press conferences are even worse because reporters will destroy him with questions he doesn't have any qlue how to answer so just like Bush they don't even take unprepared questions at press conferences any longer. McCain just stumbles and bumbles along rambling about any ole thing before finally making a stop at the Let Me Find Something Bad To Say About Obama Express. If elected "guaranteed" we will be the laughing stock of the world and corporate corruption will continue.