McCaskill: Obama Didn't Play Race Card
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That speaks it all.

because it came out of the mouth piece of the phony 0maba.

The only one obsessed with Obama is Obama. That's their point.

@ Chubbs Wolfe :

I like your post. McCaskill is a liability for Obama. She still has hopes of becoming his VP candidate and we all know it. As was stated, Obama's associations are going to do him in, in this election. Now, along with his flip-flopping, he's playing the "race" card himself. As he set Clinton up with this "race" issue, he's trying to do the same thing to McCain...the difference now is that Obama is playing with the GOP and it won't work this time. Obama is grasping at straws, as usual.

Obama did play race card. What Can Obama do? No experiences, no accomplishments. Play politics and race card. He is doing anything and saying anything to win

becky:

obama played the race card first by calling his grandmother a "typical" white person.....

c'mon now, do your research before you make such stupid posts!

This isn't politics as usual. Obama is using his blackness as a political tool. He knows that any hit of racism should work in his favor. The fact that HE keeps bringing it up confirms to me that he is a very cunning guy who will apparently do and say anything to win. The swoon factor amongst the mainstream media is mind boggling.

Jefferson said: the media is McCain's base!

Man, what island are you living on. Even Obama has said the media is in his favor.....wake up, man, smell the coffee!

Of course Obama didn't "play the race card." It wouldn't benefit him to do so. The accusation is absurd and is wedge politics at its worst. The overblown response/attack of the McCain campaign makes it clear that they wanted to make race an issue. McCaskill is right that Obama was talking about the general tactics used in this election. You'd have to have your head buried in the sand to not have seen some of what has gone on in the last six months--the insulting and disgusting viral e-mails, the bigoted comments from the likes of Fox "News" and conservative commentators, the god-awful materials they sell at their state conventions, and the advertisements used by both state-level and national-level Republican committees. It has been occurring throughout this campaign and that is what Obama was referring to.

I wonder if the people in Missouri ever wonder how she go elected? Listning to her speak and try to explain Obama's sneaky way of using the race card, made me and other intelligent American angry. She is as arrogant as he is. She honstly feels that we don't understand english. Hopefully, people from Missouri will understand their HUGE mistake in electing her. I don't care what party he/she is from, as long as they treat American Voters with the dignity and honesty and respect we deserve. She has shown that she feels vastly superior to those of us who, in her estimation will buy anything she says. She surely knows how to speak down to us Lowly Peons.

Tiff:

She gave an honest sincere statement which is much more substantial than your little bits or ridicule for people who desire something more for this country than negative campaigning. Go Green!

Did you even pay attention to the post JA wrote to you? It's hard for anyone to even follow your line of thinking in your post. How old are you?

People keep bringing up the Reverend Wright issue. As a Democrat, I have put that issue to rest. When Barack tells us he didn’t realize that his minister held hated-filled opinions of white people, I believe him! Unfortunately, I just can vote for him. A man who spends 20 years in a church without realizing his minister and fellow parishioners are racists is just too mentally impaired to be president . . . . by the way, where the hell is Michelle? You know, the Michelle who isn’t proud of her country, the Michelle who thinks Hilary has no business in the White House because she couldn’t take care of her own house, the Michelle who wants to scratch Bill Clinton’s eyes out, the Michelle who admitted to ABC that she’d have to “think about” supporting Hillary Clinton if her husband lost the nomination, the Michelle who whines to voters because she had to pay $10,000 for her daughters’ ballet lessons, the Michelle who got into an Ivy League college on affirmative action and then whined about having to pay back her student loans, the Michelle who whined that her husband, being black, could get killed just crossing the street . . . yeah, that Michelle. They shut her up, didn’t they? About damn time . . . Crazy Harry

The Surge was one of four factors that slowed the violence in Iraq, Very significant was the Sunni awakening which fought Al Qaueda in Iraq , Muqtada Al Sadr militia being driven out of Basra by Iraqi & US Military & Al Sadr subsequent cease fire and most important political reconcilliation between the different Iraqi factions.
The surge was a tactical manuever, If you put 20000 US fighting forces anywhere the area will be secured sooner or later. Our Service men & women allways rise to the task. Think strategically The terrorist that attacked America are in Afghanistan & Pakistan,We should have finished the real war against terror in Afghanistan. Before starting a irresponsible and unnecesary war in Iraq!

Obama 08

Jane H. Obama-- is that you? Have you flipped sides? You were an apologist just a couple of weeks ago???

Crazy Harry wrote:

by the way, where the hell is Michelle? You know, the Michelle who isn’t proud of her country, the Michelle who thinks Hilary has no business in the White House because she couldn’t take care of her own house, the Michelle who wants to scratch Bill Clinton’s eyes out, the Michelle who admitted to ABC that she’d have to “think about” supporting Hillary Clinton if her husband lost the nomination, the Michelle who whines to voters because she had to pay $10,000 for her daughters’ ballet lessons, the Michelle who got into an Ivy League college on affirmative action and then whined about having to pay back her student loans, the Michelle who whined that her husband, being black, could get killed just crossing the street . . . yeah, that Michelle. They shut her up, didn’t they? About damn time . .

********

I was wondering the same thing. They did shut her up. She was a liability to her own husband. Yeah, I want her in the White House....LOL!

Jack: OMG... Walmart does not want you to vote for Obama because they do not want UNIONS!!!

UNIONS are for you...what an a**.

Oh JA I did look at both sides. And I did look at the issues. But I will say anyone who thinks a woman doesn't have a right to say what she'll do with her body is a man who wants to put women in their "place". And I'm not manipulative, except when it comes to dating and then it's fair game. And believe me, no one is pulling the strings on me, except maybe Visa because I do have to pay them back. And who gives a crap about "free-market" and "socialization" when China will be the world's most powerful country in 25 years. That is if global warming doesn't drown out the east-coast first (Thank you fossil fuels).

Yes, Robert.....Obama playing the race card is the of low. He will do anything to win this election and it appears its all about him. Also, when he refused to visit the troops in Germany, that did it! I just can't stand to see him in the White House. There are many of my family members, like me, that have turned against him and will vote for McCain in the fall.
I don't particulary like McCain, but at least he takes a stand, whether right or wrong, and will not deviate from it....Obama on the other hand, tells us what we want to hear and continues to change daily.

If McCain can't rally his conservative base around him ,he intends to spear Obama enough to send them out to vote against Obama. This is his strategy. since he is going to use the same old failed Bush policies for his presidency he is trying to distract americans from the real problems and issues with these dumd attacks ads,because he knows some people feed on them. People please get real !!!!!

It IS harder to become President if you are black. It's even harder when you are black and have NO accomplishments as a Senator.

Hillary never looked so good in comparison

The fact that every single one of these bloggers has nothing to offer except a stream of what McCaskill calls "nasty, nasty stuff" just proves her point. Thanks McNastys! Thanks all you "low road" McBushies. The republicans have nothing to offer and can only hide behind their smears and character assassinations.

Jane-- What a testimony. It is so good to see real analysis in motion. Who will I argue with? Oh yeah Nat.

Jane Hussein, my age has nothing to do with it. Lets just say I'm old enough to vote and sleep with 50 year old men, but I'm not old enough to have a Cosmo at the nearest club. But if you can't follow my hyper-disjointed reasoning than that's your fault not mine. Let me have my fun. Anyway there are half-truths in most of the crap people put on the bolgs. But a half-truth is like having a half-a**, it just doesn't sit well!Toodles!

Hey Jack, I agree – McCaskill wants to be vice president. And she is a liability, simply because women of a certain age are loyal to other women. My mother remembers a time when she was chased around a desk by a male boss, and her only recourse was to quit her job. There was no women’s movement. Women in my mother’s generation know they will not live to see a woman president, and they’re going to take out that anger on Obama and anyone connected to him. I don’t uphold or defend them. It’s just an observation. Of all the women in my condo development and all of my mother’s older women friends, NOT ONE is going to vote for Obama, including the Democrats. I’ve asked some of them if they’d vote for Obama if Hillary was on the ticket, and the answer was a resounding NO! As my mother explained – they don’t want Hillary anywhere on the ticket. They want him to lose, and then Hillary can run again. Don’t think that’s going to happen, but it’s interesting how they think. At any rate, I hope Obama’s not counting old “old white women” to put him in the White House. As for McCaskill, I’ll be amazed if she’s re-elected.

Jane, unfotunately in our two party system, it always boils down to the lesser of two evils.

Thank you Robert and for your comments. There will be many, many more Obama supporters recanting and going with McCain in November. Obama is imploding more everyday, and will continue this downward spiral until November when he loses the election .

How many black presidents have you all voted for?

"I think 'they' is everyone out there who wants to make sure Barack Obama doesn't become President," McCaskill said Friday on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

"I think when Barack was using that phraseology, he was talking about the larger issue of the challenges he has in this election," she said, "You know, it is harder to get elected president of the United States if you are black."

McCaskill added, "I don't think he was suggesting that John McCain was racist."

So a far as she knows Obama wasn't calling McCain a raicst. He was merely ssaying anyone who doesn't support or vote for Obama is racist.

Got it Claire. You cantake your foot of oyour mouth anytime now.

Yet another Obama statement that must be refined and re-interpreted for its proper meaning.

Thanks for clearing that up. What he MEANT to say was...

Obama is a racist. That's just the way it is.

Here is a great article on it:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/08/negative_ads_and_the_race_card.html

"
It's true; Obama is black. And the person who keeps mentioning that Barack Obama is black most often is Barack Obama.
Yet, in reality, the typical American, according to a recent Gallup poll, is far more prone to spurn an elderly candidate (or gay, atheist, Hispanic, Jew, etc.) than they are to reject an African-American candidate."

Wait Jane are you a real woman? A real woman wouldn't ask another woman's age like that! You would already know. You asked me an irrelvant question (McCain supporters seem to know irrelavance well). Anyway I'm kidding. I do actually look up info from both sides because I think it is important to be informed. I used to date a conservative, and I was willing to be open to opinions. I just hate pettiness, and it's getting to that point for many and sometimes me. In November we'll see where America stands on the issues. It would be unwise to say who'll win the election now. It could go either way but this is definitely the most important election in most's lifetime.

I just can't believe what is happening on this thread-- people are actually thinking about issues. Especially those who were drinking the koolaid before the Europe trip. Aside from Jane, what's going on?

Chubbs: what a sad world we live in.... to bad your family has to act so childish. They should be looking at the policies of both. They should be basing their vote on who will be the best person to help America and the future of our children and grandchildren.

How sad you people are.

America, there's the toilet!! Is there any intelligent life in America? Are America's great schools only for international students? Or maybe this blog has an inordinate number of skinheads who learnt to type.

There are a lot of Republican sypathesisers on this blog. There must be one that can explain what NcCains policies are without mentioning Obama. Please educate the American voters on McCain's stance. What are the difference between McLame's policies & President Bush. I am waiting, don't all of you respond at once. This should be very intersting fiction.

Obama 08

Someone needs to remind Obama, his handlers, aides, supporters etc. that 99.9 % of us are no longer stuck in the 60's. Race thing just doesn't work...geez we are too busy trying to make ends meet. Personally, I don't see EITHER of these candidates as beneficial so it will be up to the individual person to survive the negative economic changes that we will face....I am basing my vote.. on the security issue for this country something that I have no control over.......

Ha. So now they are admitting that Barry was playing the race card. McCaskill should have just kept her mouth shut.

Elitist-- let's start with energy independance. McCain, responsible drilling and free market solutions to alternatve energy, nuclear. Obama, better auto mileage, inflate tires, increase gas tax, no nuke, no drilling. Care too add.

"..All the European Leaders he visited (Germany, France & England) has the thrown their wholehearted support behind Sen Obama foreign policy.."

You forgot Hamas, you know, one of our enemies...

Why on earth would you vote for someone your enemies endorse...

I tell ya what Obama supporters...

Take everything about Obama, his friends, his church, his comments, his wife, etc... and let's pretend he's the same person, except he's a white guy.

Let's say he went to a church that is "proud" of his white heritage and the white community. Just pretend he's said and done everything the same up until now EXCEPT he's white, would you still vote for him?

The same people that call non-Obama supporters raci$t, will vote for a raci$t, as long as he's black, or half black.

Black or White, I would not vote for a closet raci$t.

Anne:

"c'mon now, do your research before you make such stupid posts!"

Hey Anne, why don't you do some research before making a complete @ss of yourself.

Barack Obama:

"The point I was making was not that my grandmother harbors any racial animosity," Obama said on WIP. "She doesn't. But she is a typical white person who, if she sees somebody on the street that she doesn't know, there's a reaction that's been bred into our experiences that don't go away, and that sometimes comes out in the wrong way, and that's just the nature of race in our society."

Repub: I hear your point, however you haven't explained one policy position on how America will move forward. I guess its hard to imagine the future when McShame is loving in the past. Sort of like a time warp. Admit it McLame doesn't knows what he is for or against. remember McLame's comment on Social Security "raising payroll tax are not off the table" next day McLame's campaign states that McLame ids wrong and cannot speak for his own presedential campaign. I do not want another President acting like a Pinnochio beholden to lobbyists & Special intersts groups.

Change You can believe In
Obama 08

Yikes,

If the hate energy invested into these posts could be transferred into electricity, we would not need the oil drilled in foreign lands and traded in free markets - the same markets that will trade oil drilled from currently banned off-shore wells.

Go out into the world and do something positive that makes others happy and thankful to you.

Why doesn't the Obama camp simply say the following?--

"The big difference between Barack Obama and those other presidents on the currency is that Obama doesn't look miserable and tired of it all."

Elitist-- let's start with energy independance. McCain, responsible drilling and free market solutions to alternatve energy, nuclear. Obama, better auto mileage, inflate tires, increase gas tax, no nuke, no drilling. Care too add.
Posted by: Robert in Cleveland

Answer :Barack Obama’s Plan
Reduce the Burden of Rising Gas Prices on Working Families
Provide a Tax Cut for Working Families: Barack Obama has called on the President to enact a second round of economic stimulus to immediately put tax rebates in the pockets of American families to pay for rising energy prices. As president, Obama will enact a tax fairness agenda that provides 150 million workers a “Making Work Pay” tax credit of $500 per person or $1,000 per working family.

Crack Down on Excessive Energy Speculation

Fully Close the “Enron Loophole”. One of the reasons our energy market is particularly vulnerable to excessive speculation is the so-called “Enron Loophole” which prevents the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) from fully overseeing the oil futures market. As president, Barack Obama will fully close the Enron loophole by requiring that U.S. energy futures trade on regulated exchange to crack down on any excessive speculation in the energy market.
Ensure That U.S. Energy Futures Cannot be Traded on Unregulated Offshore Exchanges. Barack Obama will limit the price impacts of excessive speculation by preventing traders of U.S. crude oil from routing their transactions through off-shore markets in order to evade speculation limits and also impose reporting requirements.
Work with Other Countries to Coordinate Regulation of Oil Futures Markets. Barack Obama believes we must work with our other countries to establish uniform approaches to avoiding excessive speculation in commodities futures markets. This effort will help ensure that as the U.S. strengthens oversight and transparency in U.S. exchanges, these efforts are not undermined by overseas trading subject to lax regulations.
Call on the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice to Vigorously Investigate Market Manipulation in Oil Futures. Barack Obama does not believe we cannot afford to wait weeks and months more to vigorously investigate whether energy traders and oil companies manipulating the market at the expense of consumers. He is calling on the FTC to immediately expedite its investigation into market manipulation, including in the oil futures markets.
Enact a Windfall Profits Tax on the Top Grossing Oil Companies and Ease the Burden on American Families: The oil industry has profited greatly—over $150 billion in 2007—due to global instability fueled by conflict in Iraq, failing domestic fiscal policies that have weakened the U.S. dollar and skyrocketing global demand resulting from a lack of investment in alternatives. Barack Obama supports imposing a windfall profits penalty on oil selling at or over $80 per barrel. Revenue from the proposal will be invested in a number of measures to reduce the burden of rising prices on families.

Require Oil Companies to Use Existing Drilling Leases: The 68 million acres of stockpiled leases have the potential to produce an additional 4.8 million barrels of oil each day. This would nearly double total U.S. oil production. The Obama plan would force oil and gas companies to either produce or pay a fee on unused federal onshore and offshore leases they are stockpiling.

End Oil and Gas Industry Tax Breaks: Obama has called for repealing the oil and gas industry tax breaks that President Bush himself has said himself are unnecessary given today’s strong market incentive for expanding exploration and production.

Cooperate with Oil Importing Nations to Reduce Demand: As new large oil importing nations come on the market, the United States is at the mercy of an ever more volatile oil market. Obama believes we should use existing organizations, like NATO, to make energy security a shared global goal. We should take steps to engage the largest new consumers, China and India, including by inviting them to join the International Energy Agency.

Reduce Carbon Emissions 80 Percent by 2050
Cap and Trade: Obama supports implementation of a market-based cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions by the amount scientists say is necessary: 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. Obama's cap-and-trade system will require all pollution credits to be auctioned. A 100 percent auction ensures that all polluters pay for every ton of emissions they release, rather than giving these emission rights away to coal and oil companies. Some of the revenue generated by auctioning allowances will be used to support the development of clean energy, to invest in energy efficiency improvements, and to address transition costs, including helping American workers affected by this economic transition.
Confront Deforestation and Promote Carbon Sequestration: Obama will develop domestic incentives that reward forest owners, farmers, and ranchers when they plant trees, restore grasslands, or undertake farming practices that capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Invest in a Clean Energy Future
Invest $150 Billion over 10 Years in Clean Energy: Obama will invest $150 billion over 10 years to advance the next generation of biofuels and fuel infrastructure, accelerate the commercialization of plug-in hybrids, promote development of commercial-scale renewable energy, invest in low-emissions coal plants, and begin the transition to a new digital electricity grid. A principal focus of this fund will be devoted to ensuring that technologies that are developed in the U.S. are rapidly commercialized in the U.S. and deployed around the globe.
Double Energy Research and Development Funding: Obama will double science and research funding for clean energy projects including those that make use of our biomass, solar and wind resources.
Invest in a Skilled Clean Technologies Workforce: Obama will use proceeds from the cap-and-trade auction program to invest in job training and transition programs to help workers and industries adapt to clean technology development and production. Obama will also create an energy-focused Green Jobs Corps to connect disconnected and disadvantaged youth with job skills for a high-growth industry.
Convert our Manufacturing Centers into Clean Technology Leaders: Obama will establish a federal investment program to help manufacturing centers modernize and Americans learn the new skills they need to produce green products.
Clean Technologies Deployment Venture Capital Fund: Obama will create a Clean Technologies Venture Capital Fund to fill a critical gap in U.S. technology development. Obama will invest $10 billion per year into this fund for five years. The fund will partner with existing investment funds and our National Laboratories to ensure that promising technologies move beyond the lab and are commercialized in the U.S
Require 25 Percent of Renewable Electricity by 2025: Obama will establish a 25 percent federal Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) to require that 25 percent of electricity consumed in the U.S. is derived from clean, sustainable energy sources, like solar, wind and geothermal by 2025.
Develop and Deploy Clean Coal Technology: Obama will significantly increase the resources devoted to the commercialization and deployment of low-carbon coal technologies. Obama will consider whatever policy tools are necessary, including standards that ban new traditional coal facilities, to ensure that we move quickly to commercialize and deploy low carbon coal technology.
Support Next Generation Biofuels
Deploy Cellulosic Ethanol: Obama will invest federal resources, including tax incentives, cash prizes and government contracts into developing the most promising technologies with the goal of getting the first two billion gallons of cellulosic ethanol into the system by 2013.
Expand Locally-Owned Biofuel Refineries: Less than 10 percent of new ethanol production today is from farmer-owned refineries. New ethanol refineries help jumpstart rural economies. Obama will create a number of incentives for local communities to invest in their biofuels refineries.
Establish a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard: Barack Obama will establish a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard to speed the introduction of low-carbon non-petroleum fuels. The standard requires fuels suppliers to reduce the carbon their fuel emits by ten percent by 2020.
Increase Renewable Fuel Standard: Obama will require 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels to be included in the fuel supply by 2022 and will increase that to at least 60 billion gallons of advanced biofuels like cellulosic ethanol by 2030.
Set America on Path to Oil Independence
Obama's plan will reduce oil consumption by at least 35 percent, or 10 million barrels per day, by 2030. This will more than offset the equivalent of the oil we would import from OPEC nations in 2030.

Increase Fuel Economy Standards: Obama will double fuel economy standards within 18 years. His plan will provide retooling tax credits and loan guarantees for domestic auto plants and parts manufacturers, so that they can build new fuel-efficient cars rather than overseas companies. Obama will also invest in advanced vehicle technology such as advanced lightweight materials and new engines.

What was McCains energy plan again?
If I was McCain I would change the Subject to Brittney and Paris also.

Obama 08

Elitist: We can copy and paste too.

"As President, I'll propose a national energy strategy that will amount to a declaration of independence from the fear bred by our reliance on oil sheiks and our vulnerability to the troubled politics of the lands they rule. When we reach the limits of military power and diplomacy to contain the dangers of that cauldron of burning resentments and extremism, energy security is our best defense. We won't achieve it tomorrow, but we must achieve it in our time.

The strategy I propose won't be another grab bag of handouts to this or that industry and a full employment act for lobbyists. It will promote the diversification and conservation of our energy sources that will in sufficient time break the dominance of oil in our transportation sector just as we diversified away from oil use in electric power generation thirty years ago; and substantially reduce the impact of our energy consumption on the planet. It will rely on the genius and technological prowess of American industry and science. Government must set achievable goals, but the markets should be free to produce the means. And those means are within our reach.

Energy efficiency by using improved technology and practicing sensible habits in our homes, businesses and automobiles is a big part of the answer, and is something we can achieve right now. And new advances will make conservation an ever more important part of the solution. Improved light bulbs can use much less energy; smart grid technology can help homeowners and businesses lower their energy use, and breakthroughs in high tech materials can greatly improve fuel efficiency in the transportation sector. We need to dispel the image of conservation that entails shivering in cold rooms, reading by candlelight, and lower productivity. Americans have it in their power today to contribute to our national security, prosperity and a cleaner environment. They understand the dangers we face, and are prepared to respond to appeals to patriotism that explain how we can free ourselves from them.

We need not wait for another age, in which science fiction becomes every day reality. Flexible-fuel vehicles aren't futuristic pie in the sky. We can easily deploy such technology today for less than $100 per vehicle; and we must develop the infrastructure necessary to take full advantage. We were able to overcome the challenges of putting seatbelts, airbags, and computer technology in practically every car. We can provide fuel options and improve the fuel efficiency of our vehicle fleet by making them out of high tech materials that improve their strength and safety. We are doing that very thing right now to beat our foreign competitors in the aerospace industry.

Alcohol fuels made from corn, sugar, switch grass and many other sources, fuel cells, biodiesel derived from waste products, natural gas, and other technologies are all promising and available alternatives to oil. I won't support subsidizing every alternative or tariffs that restrict the healthy competition that stimulates innovation and lower costs. But I'll encourage the development of infrastructure and market growth necessary for these products to compete, and let consumers choose the winners. I've never known an American entrepreneur worthy of the name who wouldn't rather compete for sales than subsidies.

America's electricity production is for the most part petroleum free, and the existing electric power grid has the capacity to handle the added demand imposed by plug-in hybrid vehicles. We can add more capacity and improve its reliability in the years ahead. Nuclear energy, renewable power, and other emission free forms of power production can expand capacity, improve local air quality and address climate change. I'll work to promote real partnerships between utilities and automakers to accelerate the deployment of plug-in hybrids.

With some of the savings from cutting subsidies for industries that can stand on their own, we can establish a national challenge to improve the cost, range, size, and weight of electric batteries for automobiles. Fifty percent of cars on the road are driven 25 miles a day or less. Affordable battery-powered vehicles that can meet average commuter needs could help us cut oil imports in half. The reward will be earned through merit by whomever accomplishes the task, whether a laboratory in the Department of Energy, a university, a corporation or an enterprising young inventor who works out of his family's garage.

There is much we can do to increase our own oil production in ways that protect the environment using advanced technologies, including those that use and bury carbon dioxide, to recover the oil below the wells we have already drilled, and tap oil, natural gas, and shale economically with minimal environmental impact.

The United States has coal reserves more abundant than Saudi Arabia's oil reserves. We found a way to cut down acid rain pollutants from burning coal, and we can find a way to use our coal resources without emitting excessive greenhouse gases.

We have in use today a zero emission energy that could provide electricity for millions more homes and businesses than it currently does. Yet it has been over twenty-five years since a nuclear power plant has been constructed. The barriers to nuclear energy are political not technological. We've let the fears of thirty years ago, and an endless political squabble over the storage of nuclear spent fuel make it virtually impossible to build a single new plant that produces a form of energy that is safe and non-polluting. If France can produce 80% of its electricity with nuclear power, why can't we? Is France a more secure, advanced and innovative country than we are? Are France's scientists and entrepreneurs more capable than we are? I need no answer to that rhetorical question. I know my country well enough to know otherwise.

Let's provide for safe storage of spent nuclear fuel, and give host states or localities a proprietary interest so when advanced recycling technologies turn used fuel into a valuable commodity, the public will share in its economic benefits.

I want to improve and make permanent the research and development tax credit. I want to spend less money on government bureaucracies, and, where the private sector isn't moving out of regulatory fear, to form the partnerships necessary to build demonstration models of promising new technologies such as advanced nuclear power plants, coal gasification, carbon capture and storage, and renewable power so we can take maximum advantage of our most abundant resources. And I'll make it a national mission to develop a catalyst capable of breaking down carbon dioxide into useful chemical building blocks, and rendering it a new source of revenue and opportunity.

America competes in a global economy where innovation and entrepreneurship are the pillars of prosperity. The competition is stiff and the stakes are high. We have the opportunity to apply America's technological supremacy to capture the export markets for advanced energy technologies, reaping the capital investment and good jobs it will provide. Our innovators, scientists, entrepreneurs and workers have the knowledge, resources, and drive to lead the way on energy security, as we have in so many other world-changing advancements. The race has always been to the swift, and America must be first to market with innovations that meet mankind's growing energy and environmental needs. Again, government should set the standards, and leave it to the marketplace to win the race.

I have proposed a bipartisan plan to address the problem of climate change and stimulate the development and use of advanced technologies. It is a market-based approach that would set reasonable caps on carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions, and provide industries with tradable credits. By reducing its emissions, a utility or industrial plant can generate credits it may trade on the open market for a profit, offering a powerful incentive to drive the deployment of new and better energy sources and technologies; for automakers to develop new ways to lower pollution and increase mileage; for utilities to generate cleaner electricity and capture carbon; for appliance manufacturers to make more efficient products, and for the nation to use energy with maximum efficiency-building conservation into the economy in a manner that produces financial and environmental benefits. Dupont Corporation has reaped $2 billion dollars in energy savings and reduced its carbon emissions by 72% since 1990.

As it always does, the profit motive will attract the transformational power of venture capital, and unleash the market to move clean alternative fuels and advanced energy technologies from the margins into the mainstream.

Some urge we do nothing because we can't be certain how bad the problem might become or they presume the worst effects are most likely to occur in our grandchildren's lifetime. I'm a proud conservative, and I reject that kind of live-for-today, "me generation," attitude. It is unworthy of us and incompatible with our reputation as visionaries and problem solvers. Americans have never feared change. We make change work for us.

In the coming months, other proposals will be offered to establish a national climate policy. I welcome this. But let's not let urgency breed rashness and irresponsibility. I claim no monopoly on the best answers. Let the marketplace of ideas flourish. But as there is great reward in the responsible policy, there's also enormous risk in the wrong way forward. The policy must include mechanisms to control costs and protect the economy. Just as there is danger in doing too little, there is peril in going too far, too fast, in a way that imposes unsustainable costs on the economy. I believe "cap and trade" is the best way to manage cost and maximize benefits, but we must look at other market-based means to give added assurance that our policies are an instrument of job creation, economic progress, and environmental problem solving.

Climate change is a global problem that requires a global solution. But we know America has both an obligation and a compelling national interest in fulfilling our historic leadership role. China's carbon emissions will soon exceed ours. As President, I will invite a collaborative relationship with China to make coal use cleaner and climate friendly. But, we should address the problem on our terms, and bring others into the fold of a common sense effort to solve it, while we sell to the world the technologies needed to do it.

Answering great challenges is nothing new to America. It's what we do. We built the rockets that took us to the moon not because it was easy but because it was hard. We've sent space probes into the distant reaches of the universe. We harnessed nuclear energy, mapped the human genome, created the Internet and pioneered integrated circuits that possess the computing power of Apollo spacecraft on a single silicon chip you can barely see. In twenty years we've gone from using this cell phone, a $4000 toy for the wealthy, to this cell phone, an inexpensive and virtually universal means of communication. We can solve our oil dependence. You can't sell me on hopelessness. You can't convince me the problem is insurmountable. I know my country. I know what we're capable of. We're capable of unimaginable progress, unmatched prosperity, and vision that sees around the corner of history. We've always understood our times, accepted our challenges and made from our opportunities, another better world. My people are Americans. Our time is today. That is the country I ask to lead."

Elitist---- Who pays?

Or to put it another way:

John McCain - Free market solutions

Barack Obama - Crackdowns, Tarrifs and Socialism

Take that elitist!!

"How many black presidents have you all voted for?" JV, why would we vote based on race like RACISTS like you?

Damn, you guys can't make your point in a couple of paragraphs?

This is where the Bots get into trouble---specifics.

Another Democrat Liar Like
Bill, Hillary, Obama!
After denying it at first, David Axelrod
admitted that Obama was referring to his
race in the three speeches he gave yesterday! Just Say No To Obama!
No You Can't!

A detail:

If McCain wants to persuade China of anything energy-wise, he'd better stop holding hands and skipping about with the Dalai llama. That's for sure.

Elitist---- Who pays?

Posted by: Robert in Cleveland | Aug 1, 2008 12:54:01 PM

Answer:
My self respect, the knowledge that America can and must her get her House in order. There are many important and precarious decisions to be made in the future. In my opinion McCain hasn't explained how wishes to do this. Negative Ads are mostly meant to shine the light away from the attacking Candidate /McShame. I personally think that Mccain is not qualified for the job. Convince otherwise, please in a civil manner. I respected John McCain in 2000, now I am appalled by his recent loss of honesty, integrity & self respect.

Obama 08

Wow-- even Jim Webb seems to be critical of the mighty one-- see Ben Smith Politico.

"McSame the Panamian child's comparison of Obama with B.Spear and P. Hilton is telling to black people and a black candidate, you are as these two girls who can only entertain and nothing else, they cannot be leaders, they cannot manage economy, etc."

Since when did Obama become the entire black population in this nation. If any criticism is aimed specifically at something Barack says or does idiots like BKMC are going to say it's a slander of the entire black population. How moronic is that.

The fact whenever they can Democrats/liberals will call their opponents "racist" when they cannot win an argument or debate with facts, logic and reason. Obama and his supporters have been doing this all along and nomral Americans are getiing pretty f-ing tired of it. That, along with his arrogance is going to cost him the election. I am going to savor every last second of Obama's concession speech this November as the realization sets in that he is not the messiah.

Elitist:

"My self respect, the knowledge that America can and must her get her House in order. There are many important and precarious decisions to be made in the future"

This is an answer to the question "who pays?" What the hell are you talking about? This sounds exactly like Barack Obama. A bunch of shiny words all in a row completely devoid of any real meaning.

"Convince otherwise, please in a civil manner."

Why do you call for civility when every one of your posts here is peppered with insults and ad hominem attacks? Trying to have a civil exchange with people like you is like wresting with a pig. You both get dirty, but the pig enjoys it.

McCain was a Military man how could he forget the military mottos born out of individual Sacrifice. "Duty, Honor & Country" "Integrity of Action" these convictions are held very dear. McCain once swore and upheld these values. McCain has resorted to the lowest of all, by using fellow brothers in arms as campaign fodder. McCain has gone far beyond the realm of Negativity into the twilight Zone of Dishonesty & Carpetbagging!

I hope none of the repubs posting here are men, cause y'all sound wussy--since when did old-fashioned masculine American confidence become "arrogance," you unpatriotic meek-ass trolls?

Elitist-- Please be more specific-- I know its difficult-- but try.

I am the one the World's been waiting for-- this is confidence?

Robert in Cleveland:

I could give you an answer to all of your questions? However since you are blogging and you can read & write, why not try a bit of independent thinking! Try going to google and finding out why major Veterans give McCain a D- and Obama a B+ when it comes to supporting the Military and their Families!

If you keep talking to me you are going to wind up Voting Obama! The only thing that the truth does not penetrate is a closed mind, however I am not concerned because have an inquiring mind. In a week given the facts we will be on the same team!

Obama 08

"Elitist-- Please be more specific-- I know its difficult-- but try."

Yes Elitist, for example could you please explain what you mean by "carpetbagger"? Twenty six years ago McCain's opponents charged him with being a "carpetbagger" because he had been in Arizona only two years. The fact is that his service to his country kept him away from home, travelling from one place to another.

In the context of a 2008 general election, what do you mean by carpetbagger?

Elitist-- I don't think so-- I'll even bet that the Demos superdelegates will have a hard time, come Nov.,pulling the Obama lever. Want to make any bets?

What's Obama doing in Chicago? He was raised in Hawaii, wasn't he?

She is as out of touch with reality as Obama is. Do they ever talk to everyday Americans?

You know Elitist-- we have given you every opportunity to make a specific case against McCain and you have failed. We say McCain--you say Obama.