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Obama shifts, says he may back offshore drilling
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Friday he would be willing to support limited additional offshore oil drilling if that's what it takes to enact a comprehensive policy to foster fuel-efficient autos and develop alternate energy sources.
Shifting from his previous opposition to expanded offshore drilling, the Illinois senator told a Florida newspaper he could get behind a compromise with Republicans and oil companies to prevent gridlock over energy.
Compare and contrast with this story from the same source from a mere two hours and fifty-three minutes previous:
Obama risks voter ire by opposing new oil drilling
Obama seeks to turn the issue on its head, arguing that McCain and Bush are practicing the old politics of simply promising people something that's symbolic without addressing the real problem. Discounting drilling, he proposes energy rebates, a crackdown on oil speculators who manipulate the market and a renewed focus on energy alternatives.
On Friday, during a campaign stop in Florida, Obama proposed a windfall profits tax to fund $1,000 emergency rebate checks for consumers besieged by high energy costs.
"Instead of offering any real plan to lower gas prices, Sen. McCain touts his support for George Bush's plan for offshore oil drilling," Obama said Thursday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. "But even the Bush administration acknowledges that offshore oil drilling will have little impact on prices. It won't lower prices today. It won't lower prices during the next administration. In fact, we won't see a drop of oil from this drilling for almost 10 years."
You can almost see the skid marks.
This has been your featured Obama-Flex™ polling-responsive Pivot of the Week®, as foretold in the prophecy!
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Yes, I thought we'd see more
Yes, I thought we'd see more Dems move on this issue, especially after the "Gang of 10" proposal. I don't think Nancy will budge though.
Chris
Nancy's not budging--not
Nancy's not budging--not until after local primaries and the convention, she's not.
I saw this one coming too. Considering the poll numbers, and in
light of recent events, it doesn't surprise me. The benefits and consequences are there, but there is a plausible excuse Obama could come up with.
"In the world you will find tribulation, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world."
John 16:33
He's getting clobbered on
He's getting clobbered on the issue (predictably). He calculates he can hold the Greens, who won't vote McCain (but who might vote Nadar), while appearing moderate to the 75% of us who want drilling and nuclear and all other energy forms. If elected, he'll never drill; his true feelings are betrayed by his initial position.
It also reveals a serious Obama flaw: he's lousy at tacking toward the middle. It's something he didn't have to do against HRC in the primaries. He's not adept at it. Looks like pure political cynicism. Let the equivocating begin.
O double negative
Just saw that Fox News is labeling it Oil Slick That's cute.
Clinton was a master at moving toward the middle, robbing the GOP of issues and making them his own. Here, Obama's effort seems awkward- if he gets an otherwise acceptable energy package, he won't veto it if it includes restricted offshore drilling. It's the worst of both worlds- making his Green supporters queasy while 'endorsing' limited drilling via a double negative ("I Won't Veto...")
P.S.- after watching a bit of his press conference, he's couching his position in terms of bipartisanship, a positive campaign issue for him. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.
The intra-party fallout will
The intra-party fallout will be fascinating. Here's D Day:
"I don't know about you, but I'm partying like it's 1996. I can't wait to be told to shut up and that I don't know how politics works, either. And I really can't wait for Republicans to chip, chip, chip away at this proposal too, until there's little left but the drilling, and for the official statement that 'this was the best we can do' and 'we should be happy with what we got.'"
This is the kind of thing that plays to an independent. If Obama's really Clinton in 96, that's a good thing.
Is this Barack's way of restating that the perfect is the enemy of the good?
Clinton was a master at
Clinton was a master at stealing the opposition agenda and claiming their "compromise" reforms as his own.
Obama, not so much.