Barack Obama 10/08: "explore new ways to get more oil, and that includes off-shore drilling."

[Clio the Leo]

Y'all excuse me while I do some more "apologizing."

You know, a lot of you remember the tragedy of 9/11 and where you were on that day and, you know, how all of the country was ready to come together and make enormous changes to make us not only safer, but to make us a better country and a more unified country.

And President Bush did some smart things at the outset, but one of the opportunities that was missed was, when he spoke to the American people, he said, "Go out and shop."

That wasn't the kind of call to service that I think the American people were looking for.

And so it's important to understand that the -- I think the American people are hungry for the kind of leadership that is going to tackle these problems not just in government, but outside of government.

And let's take the example of energy, which we already spoke about. There is going to be the need for each and every one of us to start thinking about how we use energy.

I believe in the need for increased oil production. We're going to have to explore new ways to get more oil, and that includes offshore drilling. It includes telling the oil companies, that currently have 68 million acres that they're not using, that either you use them or you lose them.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/07/presidential.debate.transcript/

[Richardo]

1. He's in big trouble with DU for doing exactly what he told us he'd do.

...instead of being the progressive's Pygmalion.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/

101 of 500+ promises kept in a little over 1 year.

17 broken, some of which, like the public HC option and home mortgage adjustments, are big disappointments.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

27. And when you state that, people wrongly think that means you want to silence them.

Though if somebody can be "silenced" on the internet, they have serious issues.

[CBR]

2. Thanks.... also -- August 2008

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/44/2008/08/01/obama_opens_the_door_to_offsho.html

"Sen. Barack Obama suggested he could accept an expansion of offshore oil drilling today if it is in a broader package of energy measures that would free the logjam on energy bills in Congress.

"My interest is in making sure we've got the kind of comprehensive energy policy that can bring down gas prices," Obama said in an interview with The Palm Beach Post."

"Obama, through his Senate office, issued a written statement welcoming a proposal sent to Senate leaders Friday by 10 senators -- five from each party -- that would lift drilling bans in the eastern Gulf of Mexico within 50 miles of Florida's beaches and in the South Atlantic off Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia, but only if a state agrees to the oil and gas development along its coast."

&

http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/08/04/obama-shows-new-openness-to-offshore-oil-drilling.html

"Sen. Barack Obama today softened his opposition to new offshore drilling, saying in a speech at Michigan State University that he is "willing to consider" allowing additional drilling in a limited number of offshore areas if it helps Congress pass energy
legislation."

"In his speech, Obama indicated that his shift on offshore drilling is political, not philosophical. "I still don't believe that's a particularly meaningful short-term or long-term position," he said, but added that he did not want to make "the perfect the enemy of the good."

[Clio the Leo]

10. another good one, thanks. NT

[impik]

3. Nothing to apologize for. People can criticize the decision and it's a legitimate criticism

But just as with Afghanistan, no one can say that he's doing something different than what he said during the campaign.

[joeybee12]

4. You're right of course, why anyone thought a man who actually believes in "clean coal"

is any friend of the environment is beyond me.

[NJmaverick]

5. Damn those facts! You are ruining a lot of good rants

[eShirl]

6. At least I knew what I was voting for when I voted for him.

A mixed bag, for sure, but the best of the available choices.

[dave29]

7. Bottom line: this gets us an energy bill.

And moves us forward. Smells like HCR to me.

[CBR]

8. Exactly +1 nt

[global1]

9. Maybe It's Reverse Psychology.......

the Repugs take the opposite position that he does because they want him to fail. Maybe he's using that. He says open up offshore drilling - and the Repugs - say 'no'.

[Clio the Leo]

11. I await that Palin woman's response. NT

[livetohike]

12. That's what my husband said this morning, too

:hi: I knew Pres. Obama said he was open to this idea while he was campaigning. I wasn't happy with it then and I am disappointed now, but not surprised.

[Clio the Leo]

14. MSNBC is now running the headline "Is Obama stealing the GOP's thunder on energy?"

I think they've already figured out that portraying this as a "broken campaign promise" is one of those non-hunting dogs. ;)

[fasttense]

13. Drill baby drill. n/t

[CakeGrrl]

17. Now Obama = Palin?

Yeah, he hasn't really accomplished anything that she wouldn't have already done if she and McCain had won.

:eyes:

Dumb, dumb, dumb.

[Mass]

15. I disagreed with him then and I still disagree now.\nt

[Uzybone]

23. thats my position too

[PVnRT]

16. So...because he promised it, we have to support it now.

Sure thing :eyes:

[Oregone]

18. Campaign promises supersede doing the right thing

[jenmito]

20. So did you speak out against it when he stated his position back then?

I mean here at DU...

[Oregone]

26. Speak against it? I was advocating it!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=4998691

With blood dripping sarcasm

[donco6]

28. And now Canada bought Volvo!

Darn Canucks.

I remember reading that before and thought it was hilarious - thanks for the link.

[Oregone]

31. What? I thought China got Volvo just recently

[donco6]

32. LOL! Yes - but you parallel China with Canada in your linked post.

"melamine tainted timber . . .

[Oregone]

33. haha. Gotcha!

:)

[Drunken Irishman]

25. No. But don't lie or act shocked when he says he's doing.

[donco6]

19. So I guess next time we find a candidate we agree with 100%, or -

Don't vote at all.

[uponit7771]

21. SHIT!!! There he goes keeping his word again...../sarcasm

[jenmito]

22. Thanks. I wrote to David Shuster who called it a "flip-flop."

:hi:

[Cleobulus]

24. You can't extract blood from a turnip, and this is no different...

The oil isn't there, or, I should say, there isn't enough oil there to make a difference, and as far as energy independence, there is no way we can drill ourselves into a solution there, there is not enough oil off the coasts to do that, even including Alaska.

[4lbs]

29. I like the sentence after the bold-faced one in the OP.

<snip>
It includes telling the oil companies, that currently have 68 million acres that they're not using, that either you use them or you lose them.
<snip>

The oil companies which have all those permits and leases, haven't really done any new offshore oil drilling on a large scale. Yet, they always whine, complain, and get the Repuke Congress critters on their side to say we need offshore oil drilling to stave off high oil and gas prices.

As I said in another thread, when the Repukes were in full control of the government, and the oil companies had their friendliest political climate in decades, only one, count'em, ONE, offshore rig was ever installed in those 6 years. You'd think with all that in their pockets and corner, they'd be putting in rigs all over the U.S. coastline. Nope.

That lone rig was installed in 2005 off the Gulf Coast of Texas/Louisiana.

That rig is owned by...



wait for it...



BRITISH Petroleum. A foreign oil company. Not a U.S. oil company.

Seems to me that offshore rig was 'payment' by the Bush admin in exchange for Britain sending troops to Iraq in 2003.

[IndianaGreen]

30. and he spoke of a public option as well, and babbled nonsense about clean coal

We didn't get a public option, and there is no such thing as clean coal.