Barack Obama in Springfield, Mo., hitting the Republicans back on the expanded domestic oil drilling issue. From CNN.com:
“The oil companies are shoving this thing down the throats of Congress, because they know everybody wants to try to pretend they’re doing something about the energy crisis,” Obama said. “This is not real. I know it’s tempting. The polls say its one of the ways that a majority of Americans think we’re going to solve this problem, but it’s not real.”
“I understand how desperate folks are. If I thought that I could provide you some immediate relief on gas by drilling off the shores of California and New Jersey… I’d do it.”
But the Democratic presidential candidate added, “The soonest you would see any drop of oil from drilling off our shores would be 10 years from now….The most you would end up saving 10 years or 20 years from now would be a few cents on the gallon, although at that point, I figure oil might be $12 a gallon.”
That’s one part of the equation, but Obama needs to add the second part: What will saving Americans money? Otherwise he keeps playing into the Republicans “Dr. No” strategy, as in Obama says “no” to just about every idea the GOP throws out there to lower gasoline prices like more American drilling and a gas tax holiday.
Obama at the same event continues:
To a standing ovation, he said, “And let’s get serious about alternative energy sources like solar and wind and bio-diesel. Let’s raise fuel efficiency standards on cars. Let’s get plug-in hybrids all across America. Let’s finally free ourselves from dependence on foreign oil. That’s the direction we need to go.”
Here’s where the GOP is flailing about in this election. We have Obama talking about issues, getting into the nitty gritty, running head first into a perceived weakness among the electorate (energy policy) while the Republicans keep rolling out attack ads hoping to tarnish his image. See the latest one comparing Obama’s overseas popularity with Britney Spears and Paris Hilton?
Let’s see, about 80 percent of the country thinks America is heading in the wrong direction.
Obama’s talking about substantive issues.
Republicans are countering attack ads on Obama’s image.
Buckle up, folks, we still have about three months of this to go.
