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Democrats Concerned Divisions on Energy Could Cost the White House
August 24, 2008 8:59 PM
ABC News' Viviana Hurtado reports: As Hillary Clinton supporters and anti-war protestors join die-hard Democrats in Denver this week, one protest that won’t be easily discerned is the tension in the Democratic Party over energy policy.
Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, who will address the Democratic Caucus on Tuesday, says, "Energy is the one issue that is consuming all the political oxygen in the congressional races, especially the tight races, the ones where we’re in peril, and those we want."
He also believes that if his party does not take the lead on comprehensive energy legislation soon, it could jeopardize the Democrats’ bid for the White House. The legislator from Hawaii says, "This is the issue where we’re having the daylights beat out of us by Republicans and [this issue] can tip close states. ... This is Senator Obama’s election to win."
Abercrombie co-authored HR 6709 with House colleague John Peterson, R-Pa. The National Conservation, Environment and Energy Independence Act is a comprehensive energy bill the centerpiece of which features off-shore oil drilling to finance the development of alternative fuels. With more than 130 Democrats and Republicans on board, he hopes the House of Representatives will vote on this bill in September. The next steps would be for this legislation to be reconciled with a similar proposal in the Senate, before it would be signed into law by the next President.
Presumptive presidential nominee Barack Obama, followed by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, recently said he is open to offshore oil drilling as part of a comprehensive energy package. With the economy the No. 1 issue facing voters and with gas prices still high, "the political tectonic plates are shifting considerably," says Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif., who is one of the signers of HR 6709.
But the change is not enough to be reflected in the draft of the platform that will be presented this week at the Democratic convention. Offshore oil drilling is too controversial to be presented as part of the platform.
Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., co-sponsor of HR 6709, says, "If we could change the platform to show us as centrists, it would take the wind out of the Republicans and give us momentum coming out of the convention. But many convention-goers are activists. They would not support this change."
Democratic supporters of comprehensive energy legislation like HR 6709 confirm they will not play hardball at the convention by introducing an amendment to the platform. But they will continue to pressure the party’s leaders and the Democratic ticket to make comprehensive energy policy, including offshore oil drilling, their top priority.
August 24, 2008 in Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (51)
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They should be concerned about Americans not who is in the White House.
That is why I am a Clinton voter for MCCain.
Posted by: geevill | Aug 24, 2008 9:09:13 PM
geevile
you have been spouting the same crap for months--if you are for mccain get over on the repub side where you belong--seems that is where you have been all along----one of those crossover repubs--limbaugh special--the clintons are the most scandalas and corrupt people ever in the white house--most have had enough of them.
Posted by: rodney | Aug 24, 2008 9:29:36 PM
Obama should cost them the White House
Failure to back anyone who would make a good President.
Stupid enough not to admit it.
Foolish enough to keep the three ring circus going.
Dumb enough to go against the votes of the majority of the people.
Posted by: seah | Aug 24, 2008 9:32:38 PM
it is realy laughable with the drill drill people
pelosi has it right the oil should be of benifit to all --not the exxon john people----use the profit from for alternates as we cannot drill our way out of the 8 year repub mess we are in.
if not you better start learning to speak a few other foreign languages as the opec people will own everything here--never listen to a dummy like mccain---bottom of his class
Posted by: rodney | Aug 24, 2008 9:36:06 PM
cannot wait to see who mcdummy picks for vice pres. we already have dumber--guess the town idiot will be next----go wet start your plane john--show us how smart you really are----mcdummy beats bush by a landslide----duhh how many houses do you own john----ha ha ha ha
Posted by: rodney | Aug 24, 2008 9:40:08 PM
Unfortunately not one of the candidates has shown a willingness to do what needs to be done, though Obama has at least made an effort to LOOK like he is doing something. We need to get off oil and coal as our primary sources of energy. Solar, Wind and Water CAN provide as much as 87% of what is needed in a single term of the Presidency with as little as a $150 billion investment to innovation and tax credits for citizens that utilize the technology. Mass production reduces cost, mass consumption of technology drives innovation. A zero emissions mandate for automobiles, a mandate to include that a percentage of energy needed for every building in the US be produced by on site solar, wind or water tech. Tax credits for exceeding the mandated standards. $220 million would re-open a closed auto-plant in Michigan, put as many as 2500 people back to work building cars that don't run on gasoline. We should be leading the global economy in getting off oil, instead we are 8 steps behind.
Posted by: louis | Aug 24, 2008 9:40:51 PM
Post-Biden poll shows Obama-McCain dead heat!
I guess Obama's super stardom is not holding. His complete lack of experience, lack of good judgment and arrogance is shining through.
Dem for McCain
Posted by: al | Aug 24, 2008 9:42:14 PM
mccain has the answer to everything------duhh i will ask my staff --wow what a brain.
Posted by: rodney | Aug 24, 2008 9:42:37 PM
There is no way the Democrats will mention off shore drilling next week. They will come up with the same old song and dance we tried in the 70's, which did not work. This, the economy, is one issue the Democrats where hoping to beat the Republicans on, but it's now their problem.
Posted by: waggdogg | Aug 24, 2008 9:43:16 PM
mccain new nursery rhym---here we go drill here we go drill---how much have you gotten from exxon ---mr exxon john-----i hope the government taxes the hell out of all new drilling --that will keep the money HERE--MEANWHILE LETS GET ON WITH ALTERNATE ENERGY.THE SMALL % OF OIL THAT WOULD BE AQUIRED WOULD BE NO MORE THAN A DROP IN THE OIL BUCKET --AND WOULD CHANGE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING OTHER THAn THE BOTTOM LINE FOR THE EXXON JOHN GANG
Posted by: rodney | Aug 24, 2008 9:49:31 PM
hey david
guess you would poke fun at
STEPHEN HAWKING
Posted by: rodney | Aug 24, 2008 9:50:51 PM
HEY DAVID I REALIZE THAT YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR JOB--BUT DONT FRET AS THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SOME DRILLING AND PRODUCTON OF OIL----BUT THERE IS JUST NO WAY IT WILL MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE---IF SOME OFF SHORE DRILLING PUSHES FORTH THE PRODUCTON OF ALTERNATES I AM FOR IT --BUT TAX THE HELL OUT OF BIG OIL THEY HAVE GOTTEN AWAY TOO LONG ---AND I TAHE OFFENCE WHEN I AM PAYING FOR IT-----
Posted by: rodney | Aug 24, 2008 10:00:30 PM
I loved it when Brokaw today asked Pelosi about having invested and having a financial interest in T. Bone Pickens
plan. She of course talked about how it was part of a package of financial investments her husband and her had made. While we're talking about McCain's houses we should talk about also the Democrats such as Pelosi and her husband who have money coming out of their behinds. Pelosi has money invested in alternative energy, and we know Pickens is hoping to make a bundle, and that's not a conflict when she's wielding the power she is around this issue? Her excuse though of course is that it's OK because she supports alternative energy. I suppose other politicians could justify their investments also because they support capitalism. What a joke Pelosi, Reid and company are. It's almost worth moving out to CA or NV to vote them out of office. Just like the housing bailout bill they just passed stands to benefit ACORN, one of the Democrats big supporters and who engage in doing voter registration and have been accused of shady voter registration practices. Hey, the Repubs have their friends and the Dems have theirs. The majority of this Country didn't even support the government in bailing out the housing industry whether it be individuals or financial institutions and yet it passed. The majority of the Country supported drilling and yet Pelosi shut down and went on her book promotion tour. I don't know why she feels the need to write a book, she has enough money already to pay for the botox injections . The GI Bill the Dems sat on for almost two years and brought it out only recently for political purposes , it's all in the timing.
The effects of that bill for our military won't even happen for several years and yet the Dems sat on it for a couple years so they can point out their strong support for our military during the election period.
Posted by: alpaig52 | Aug 24, 2008 10:00:38 PM
THIS WINTER WHEN SOME OF YOU ARE CHOSING BETWEEN HEATING YOUR HOME OR EATING I GUESS YOU WILL LEANR ANOTHER LESSON--BUT THEN AGAIN IN THE SEVENTIES WE WERE SHOWN HOW VULNERABLE WE ARE WE WENT BACK TO THE SAME OLD BIG OIL ROUTINE---NEXT TIME AROUND THE LESSON WILL BE A LOT TOUGHER----PELOSI HAS TRIED TO KEEP US FROM FOLLOWING THE SAME PATH--BUT DRILL DRILL THE REPUB BIG OIL SONG IS RINGING OUT AGAIN---DONT BELIEVE ME JUST WATCH THIS WINTER ESPECIALLY IF IT IS A BAD ONE.THE PARTISON BULL CRAP NEEDS TO END---MCCAIN HAS PROVEN WHAT A DUMB IDIOT HE IS --BUT REMEMBER AS HE SAID DUE TO NAFTA WE ARE LIVING IN AN ERA OF PROSPERITY.
Posted by: rodney | Aug 24, 2008 10:10:25 PM
NOW DAVID -----YOU CAN TELL US ALL THE BENIFITS OF OFF SHORE DRILLING AS PERHAPS WE WILL SAVE ONE OR TWO CENTS 10 YEARS FROM NOW and since if we do not go to alternates we will still have to import over sixty percent of what we use-----JUST TELL ALL OF US THE BENIFITS
Posted by: rodney | Aug 24, 2008 10:14:46 PM
DAVID I WOULD AGREE ON A WOMAN---BUT NOT THIS ONE AS THE SCANDALAS BAGGAGE SHE BRINGS WITH HER WOULD BE DISASTEROUS---wow something like the clintons in the white house again---the thought is enough to scare any thinking person.just remember how many cross over repubs tried to change the primarys as they know that mccain would beat her..
Posted by: rodney | Aug 24, 2008 10:19:27 PM
secret jails. protesters will be arrested , the Democrat party and the NAZI party are no different... democrats objects to constitutional right for people. lock up anyone that is anti obama. DNC=HITLER and the Gestapho
Posted by: Hilly-Billy | Aug 24, 2008 10:25:31 PM
hey david now look at what you have done
THE REDNECK GANG ARE ON THE MOVE
Posted by: rodney | Aug 24, 2008 10:27:41 PM
Go hell with Howard Bigmouth Dean, John Loser Kerry, Teddy Murderer Kennedy, Nancy Uglyface Pelosi, and the gang that will be celebrating in Denver.
Vote for McCain!
Hillary 2012!
Posted by: Rob | Aug 24, 2008 10:34:21 PM
AND NOW THE GAY COMMUNITY
GOOD NIGHT DAVID --WE WILL PROBABLY BANG HEADS AGAIN---BUT I DO HOPE YOU KEEP YOUR JOB--ME I DONT NEED ONE AND SHOULD NOT EVEN CARE .
Posted by: rodney | Aug 24, 2008 10:36:56 PM
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