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McCain Calls for Offshore Drilling While Searching for Alternative Energy
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ShareJune 17, 2008 7:44 PM
ABC News's Bret Hovell Reports: John McCain came to Houston, Texas, Tuesday to talk about expanding drilling for oil off the coasts of the United States as a short term solution to the nation's looming energy crisis – a shift in position for him in the face of growing concern over rising energy prices.
"As for offshore drilling, it's safe enough these days that not even Hurricanes Katrina and Rita could cause significant spillage from the battered rigs off the coasts of New Orleans and Houston," McCain said, announcing that he will call for a lifting of the federal moratorium on off-shore drilling and suggest financial incentives to states to are willing to pump oil off of their coasts.
McCain had previously supported keeping the moratorium in place, including in his 2000 run for President.
Tuesday's speech was the first of five speeches the Arizona Senator and soon-to-be Republican nominee will deliver on his energy policy, and he cast the need for energy independence in term of national and economic security.
"The jobs, family budgets, and futures of the American people should not depend on the whims of foreign powers," McCain said, noting that approximately two thirds of America's oil comes from overseas. "Oil and gasoline are the most vital of all commodities in a modern economy…America's dependence on foreign oil is a matter of large and far-reaching consequences – none of them good."
Speaking in a city known for its ties to the oil industry, McCain criticized rival Sen. Barack Obama for supporting a tax on the windfall profits of oil companies, but that too marked a shift in position from just weeks ago.
In early May, McCain told the Charlotte, North Carolina, chamber of commerce that he was open to the idea of a windfall profits tax.
Tuesday in Houston, he elicited jeers from his audience when he mentioned Obama's proposal of the same thing.
"[Obama] wants a windfall profits tax on oil, to go along with the new taxes he also plans for coal and natural gas," McCain said. "If the plan sounds familiar, it's because that was President Jimmy Carter’s big idea too. And a lot of good it did us."
The White House told ABC News President Bush will call on Congress tomorrow to lift the ban on offshore oil drilling.
Said White House press secretary Dana Perino, "With gasoline now over $4 a gallon, tomorrow he [President Bush] will explicitly call on Congress to also pass legislation lifting the congressional ban on safe, environmentally-friendly offshore oil drilling."
Critics say McCain's energy plans have been tried and have failed, and represent the policies of the Bush administration.
"From expanding offshore oil drilling to protecting his friends in big oil from windfall profits taxes, McCain's energy policies are another example of how the new John McCain is all about the failed policies of the past," wrote Democratic National Committee spokeswoman Karen Finney in an statement e-mailed to reporters.
McCain also tied the energy crisis – as he often does – to the growing concern over global climate change.
"In the face of climate change and other serious challenges, energy conservation is no longer just a moral luxury or a personal virtue," McCain said. "Conservation serves a critical national goal."
McCain said he was confident in the prospect of alternatives to oil as a long term goal, but that for a short term fix, traditional energy sources would be needed.
"We should set the highest goals for ourselves for the years and decades to come, and I am a believer in the technologies that one day will free us from oil entirely…" McCain said. "In the short term, we must take the world as it is and our resources where they are -- even as we press on with new and cleaner sources of energy."
ABC News' Jennifer Duck contributed to this report
June 17, 2008 in Hunter, Duncan | Permalink | User Comments (124)
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Good for McCain! It's about time, we ween ourselve away from foreign oil.
Let each state decide: DRILL OR NOT
Posted by: McCain in 08'/Hillary in 12' | Jun 17, 2008 7:58:48 PM
Liberals are the ones that created these laws to prevent Off shore drilling. Now that the price of the liberals cup of latte has gone up because of fuel prices these same liberals are demanding that we start destroying everything to get them gasoline
Posted by: Dems for Republicans | Jun 17, 2008 7:59:45 PM
Come on everyone knows that this oil will not make a dent for at least 5 years and that there isn't enough there to make a differance at all.
The only thing drilling will do is make a nice profit for the oil companies, divert attention from the real problem, that is the US needs to find alternative energies.
Sort of like fighting terrorism, and reduicing WMD in Iraq.
It is all hogwash
Posted by: Thinking | Jun 17, 2008 8:07:00 PM
McCain just earned my vote!
This is exactly the thing we need to be doing right now, and McCain wants to get it done!
Posted by: Drill NOW!! | Jun 17, 2008 8:18:25 PM
I think the announcement that USA will expand the offshore drilling alone would drive the oil future down a lot. USA can produce millions of barrels of oils every day by just expanding offshore drilling a little bit. Why should we beg Saudi Arabia to produce more oil to drive the oil price down?
Posted by: george | Jun 17, 2008 8:41:31 PM
You morons that think more offshore drilling alone will wean us off of Middle eastern oil amaze me. Do you realize how much oil we use in this country every day? Go back to school and get an idea. McCain is panning only to the ignorant and oil companies. Amazing.
Posted by: CMSgt Gary Preston | Jun 17, 2008 8:54:08 PM
McCain voted against Alternative Energy research, to save money for the war. McCain = $5 oil. He has been in the Senate for decades and nothing was done on his watch to change from fossil fuels to alternative forms of energy or mass transportation or design of cities or design of buildings or anything except what his payoffs tell him to do. No restrictions on mortgage companies.
Posted by: bruce becker | Jun 17, 2008 9:03:38 PM
If you have cars that dont get 20 MPG, you can drill for the next two decades and all you will accomplish is using up our oil resources that airplanes must have.
Bush and McDumb came up with the genius plan to "IMPROVE" car mileage to an AVERAGE of 30 MPG by 2012. Isnt that great!!! My car, a 2000 Echo, had a sticker with mileage of 42 MPG. Why on earth would anyone vote for a man who opposed alternative energy research and supported the bill to make the standard for 2012 an AVERAGE of 30 MPG? He is kissing butts instead of leading.
He cannot make the tough decisions on real issues.
Obama can.
Posted by: bruce becker | Jun 17, 2008 9:08:27 PM
You idiots that are for drilling have no clue to anything.
When Obama wins the election, we will no longer need oil to run our cars, heat our homes and produce our electricity.
Obama will release a new alternative energy. This new, clean energy will completely free us from oil and save this planet at the same time.
Change! is what we are voting for and Change! we will get with Obama!!
No more oil needed!
So no reason to drill.
Posted by: Makayla J | Jun 17, 2008 9:11:33 PM
McCain shifts his positions so often it has become difficult to know what he really stands for. He has been known to take opposing positions within a week depending on the audience he's conning... or maybe he simply forgets what he said last week.
Posted by: Javalation | Jun 17, 2008 9:11:53 PM
90% of the oil that ever was in Pennsylvania and Oklahoma is still in the ground, because there were no rules on oil production and greedy men ruined the oil fields. We should do the research to get that oil out of the ground.
And we have to plan ahead, now. Airplanes will need the oil. We can have steam powered cars, anytime.
The only problem with the Stanley Steamer was it had a complicated mechanism that guys liked.
Any engineer could make it friendly to women and young drivers. A steam engine can run on any fuel.
Posted by: bruce becker | Jun 17, 2008 9:11:57 PM
McCain is not used to the internet. He changes his talk depending on the location. Now he is getting caught because his speeches are usually on the internet, except when he does closed doors speeches, which he actually does.
Notice this speech on oil drilling was in Houston.
What will he be for when he is trying to in Florida?
Posted by: bruce becker | Jun 17, 2008 9:13:46 PM
And I forgot to say the most wonderful part. Obama will tax those evil oil companies out of existance to pay for it!
Take that you filthy oil companies!
Obama! Change!
Posted by: Makayla J | Jun 17, 2008 9:14:39 PM
And I forgot to say the most wonderful part. Obama will tax those evil oil companies out of existance to pay for it!
Take that you filthy oil companies!
Posted by: Makayla J | Jun 17, 2008 9:14:39 PM
Makayla J -
Besides the hot air that comes out of Obama's mouth, please tell the rest of us what alternative energy Obama is going to produce to power our cars and heat our homes....
Posted by: Virginia Independent | Jun 17, 2008 9:31:18 PM
It's hard to be taken seriously on alternative energy when it's treated as a sideshow to the main feature of drilling. McCain just lost most of his green pull with moderates.
Posted by: matt | Jun 17, 2008 9:43:57 PM
Great IDEA. Lets get to drilling everywhere. By the way the US Government must sell the oil to the oil companies for the same world price. No more of this 25 cents a barrel stuff any more.
Posted by: DemocratForever | Jun 17, 2008 9:54:39 PM
Hmm. GW was governor and son of a president, we all knew him, he was a t0urd then and still is. Nice try though. Obama rocks, and you will learn to love him
Posted by: fact check | Jun 17, 2008 9:54:46 PM
I know, let's drill a lobbyist in a plane
Posted by: Sidney McDrill | Jun 17, 2008 9:55:28 PM
Look we have to do alternative energy also. but we also need to drill. we need to raise auto mileage. we need to do EVERYTHING possible to fight these high oil prices and the destruction of our economy. We can not continue to buy oil from other countries forever and expect to have a strong economy. We must do everything possible to solve this problem. If McCain can deliver he will get my vote. No vote for Obama he does not understand the issues. his solution is too slow. Besides the Roman Empire ended because of too big a welfare state. Rome no one worked. Everyone got everything for free from the government. That is the same as Obama wants. Obama solution to our problems will destroy USA and bankrupt us the same as it did to Rome and all other world powers. Read your history lessons.
Posted by: DemocratForever | Jun 17, 2008 10:05:49 PM
Big Deal!!!
- It wont lower our gas prices -but it will make McSame/Bush Oil buddies more money.
.
Posted by: GHM | Jun 17, 2008 10:06:52 PM
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