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Obama Swipes McCain on Energy, McCain Camp Labels Obama 'Dr. No'

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June 24, 2008 10:56 PM

ABC News’ Jennifer Duck reports: The two presidential candidates brawled over energy today as gas prices continue to stay above $4.00 a gallon.

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., attacked Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., for saying offshore drilling would probably have more of a "psychological effect" rather than bringing the price of gas down immediately.

"The American people don't need psychological relief or meaningless gimmicks ... they need real relief that will help them fill up their tanks and put food on the table," Obama said in Las Vegas.

The presumptive Democratic presidential candidate said he was running for president to "do what’s right for America" not what "polls well."

"In case you're wondering, in Washington-speak what that means is it polls well. It's an example of how Washington tries to convince you that they've done something to make your life better when they really didn't," Obama said.

The McCain campaign struck back at the comment, calling Obama "Dr. No" on energy policy proposals.

"While John McCain is putting the country first with the best ideas from both parties, Barack Obama has become the 'Dr. No' of energy, refusing to accept any idea that will contribute to solving America's energy crisis," McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds said in a statement.

Obama also launched an attack on McCain’s idea to award a $300 million prize to anyone who could develop a better battery to run automobiles.

"I’ve been talking about this myself for the last few years. But I don’t think a $300 million prize is enough," Obama said. "When John F. Kennedy decided that we were going to put a man on the moon, he didn’t put a bounty out for some rocket scientist to win -- he put the full resources of the United States government behind the project and called on the ingenuity and innovation of the American people not just in the private sector but in the public sector."

Obama also praised former Vice President Al Gore, who recently endorsed the Illinois senator for president, saying Gore had great ideas in terms of reinventing government and cutting through the red tape.

"Al Gore, I thought, had some good ideas in terms of reinventing government," Obama said. "Not all of them got implemented. I want reinventing government 2.0 under the Obama administration."

June 24, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (34)

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Obama is like the rich kid at a party leaning against the wall making snide remarks to everybody that passes by.

Posted by: cats meow | Jun 24, 2008 11:03:16 PM

The demand for OIL world wide has skyrocketed especially in third world country's while supply has stayed the same. Simple economics will tell you why oil prices has gone up not only in this country but the whole world.

So Obama we need to produce more oil at home and keep NAFTA around witch you oppose so our Canadian friends can keep supplying us with OIL

Posted by: june bug | Jun 24, 2008 11:08:09 PM

Obama also praised former Vice President Al Gore on his GREEN energy policies.

Al Gore's Tennessee home guzzles enough energy to power about 20 average American households.

Obama himself drove a gas guzzling car untill he decided to run for president. Or maybe he did not want Muslims sitting behind in one of his events.

That is POLL pandering is it what this article is about

Posted by: found him | Jun 24, 2008 11:13:14 PM

Cats Meow, be original. Whay copy a misdirected view of Karl Rove who again failed to label Obama in his own image.

John McGimmick has now struck out three times on dealing with the energy issue facing the Nation's people. (1) holiday tax reprieve, (2) off shore drilling when existing leases and drilling permits are not being exercised, (3) the "big" battery competition, like it will appear tomorrow ready for usage.

Posted by: Lou R | Jun 24, 2008 11:13:38 PM

Obama and his JUST WORDS speech. How original.

Posted by: green house | Jun 24, 2008 11:16:36 PM

What does Al Gore and Obama have in common. They both talk out both sides of their mouth.

foundhim you said it perfect about a typical Obama supporter like Al Gore. Do what i say not what i do.

Posted by: joe hack | Jun 24, 2008 11:21:17 PM

Gore saw his personal wealth increase by an estimated $100 million thanks largely to speaking fees and investments related to global warming hysteria.

In the past year, Gore's home burned through 213,210 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity, enough to power over 19 average American households for the same period.

AND OBAMA PRAISED GORE. Gore is the most hypocritical Democrat of them all. If you want to trust anything Obama says why did he praise Gore who does just the opposite what he tell Americans to do.

Posted by: getty gas | Jun 24, 2008 11:24:12 PM

didn't al gore invent the internet? now he is reinventing govt? you go figure.

Posted by: sonia trevino | Jun 24, 2008 11:30:16 PM

Gore invented the internet so people from foreign lands who want to dictate who wins American elections can donate large ammounts of money in to their candidate of choice over the untraceable internet.

Posted by: tru be told | Jun 24, 2008 11:38:27 PM

When is anybody going to learn that any idea you have Obama is going to steal it and spin it to make it look like his idea and his way is better.

Obama will make a company develop this Battery idea of McCain by taxing them out of this country.

Posted by: gangster | Jun 25, 2008 12:03:22 AM

Love the big battery competition idea from McCain. Most innovative inventions come from small time garage type of inventors.

But you can't tell an elitist Democrat that. Democrats think the answer to everything is dumping large sums of tax money on wasteful government projects and expecting good results.

Even the rocket ideas that put a man on the moon where developed by home inventors not the GOVERNMENT or some big company

Posted by: inventor | Jun 25, 2008 12:07:38 AM

Obama is so quick to put down McCain's plans, however, I have YET to see Obama with any kind of plan or remedy to bring the oil prices down. I give it to McCain for trying to put the wheels in motion. Obama, as always, can't speak unless he is in front of a teleprompter with an Axelrod speech. Obama is a joke and America is beginning to realize it!

Posted by: david from texas | Jun 25, 2008 12:11:32 AM

I'm a gay Republican, and I want Mr. McCain to choose Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho as his running mate. They'd make a very cute couple...not old in a bad way, as long as they take showers and keep the body hair trimmed. George W. Bush should also serve as Admiral of the Navy, so we can see him in a sailor suit, not that flight suit he wore when he declared "Mission Accomplished"...but something more attractive and tightly cut.

Thank you ALL so much for letting me be me...I am so proud to be a Republican. A GAY Republican.

Posted by: republican4ever | Jun 25, 2008 12:23:35 AM

The American people don't need psychological relief or meaningless gimmicks ... they need real relief that will help them fill up their tanks and put food on the table," Obama said in Las Vegas.

The presumptive Democratic presidential candidate said he was running for president to "do what’s right for America" not what "polls well."

Fine, Obama. Now some specifics, please?

Yes, yes, I KNOW you want 25 percent of our energy to come from renewable sources by 2025. That is 17 years away. What's the plan to get us there?

Not how much it's going to cost (I already know you want 150 billion over 10 years) even though you haven't explained where the money will come from.

I mean, what do you plan to do with that money to get us to 25 percent?

And how will the other 75 percent of our energy needs be met? Do we just live in caves and use fire until we're at 100 percent?

Please excuse my racism. I am trying to overcome it and I simply forgot that racism is revealed when anyone questions the Great Obamessiah, who has the power to not only fix this country (we need another politician to fix things like we need gas to cost $10 per gallon in this country) but the whole world. Maybe the universe?

I know, I know, I will go sit down and shut up, like a good girl.

Posted by: None of the Above 08 | Jun 25, 2008 12:25:38 AM

After Obama change everything in this country, All the inventers will be moving to Canada and Mexico,a Marxist, socialist government is no good for inventers.

Posted by: Moe | Jun 25, 2008 12:27:31 AM

Isn't John McCaing 82 years old? Why is he acting like he's 7.

Posted by: Brush Lintball | Jun 25, 2008 12:28:16 AM

Obama thinks GORE and big government invented the Internet and the personal computer.

Wait a minute. The Apple personal Computer was invented in someones home.

Is Obama wrong or is he right.

Posted by: gritish inbash | Jun 25, 2008 12:33:00 AM

Disgusting Obama, reinventing government? Just like reinventing the wheels? Reinvent the Internet?

Posted by: golfgirlusa | Jun 25, 2008 12:54:07 AM

This multitude of concise, well-worded, gramatically correct pro-republican Obama-bashing smells fishy to me. Surely these comments must be 'paid for'. I'm a Canadian. The US is full of very good people... I sympathise with them. They should read more about recent history in the world around them. Not CNN. Books!

Posted by: Magzy | Jun 25, 2008 2:03:19 AM

I don't see what the problem is with all this so-called energy. As a gay Republican I think everybody should just calm down and let Mr. McCain solve all of our problems like George W Bush has done for us these past eight years.

John McCain should certainly appoint Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho to be his Vice President, if he wants to get to the bottom of this oil thing.

That's my two cents...which as a gay Republican makes them worth a nickel.

Posted by: republican4ever | Jun 25, 2008 2:22:15 AM

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