Do these T. Boone Pickens ads undercut McCain?

[bluestateguy]

I've been seeing more of TBP's ads on energy than any of McCain's ads. I realize that TBP is a right winger, and and oil man, and that he supported Giuliani in the primaries. But he has not endorsed anyone yet (and he may very well nominally support McCain, privately).

In these ads he dismisses drilling "this is one problem we can't drill ourselves out of" and calls for alternative sources of energy like wind and solar, which is closer to Obama's position. I'm wondering if these ads, regardless of intent, are undercutting McCain's message on drilling, especially when that message comes from a Texas oilman.

[panader0]

1. I wonder too. I know he has been a big repug supporter in the past

Can it be that he has begun to listen to his conscience before he dies? The line about not being able to drill our way out of the problem does seem to undercut the pukes position on off-shore drilling, or petroleum at all. I'm curious.

[SharonAnn]

39. He has large natural gas holdings and is building wind turbines. To make money!

There's a reason that he's doing all this. It's greed.

Sorry, but T. Boone Pickens never thought of anything but his own pocket, though he's clothed his purposes in robes of "benefits forothers" before now.

[Coexist]

2. in a word, Yes. In more words,

I was recently at an event with lots of hardcore Bush-lovers, one phrase in a conversation about offshore drilling got them all quiet and thoughtful.

The phrase was, "eventually the oil WILL run out, we can either spend our money fighting over the scraps that are left, or spend our money on research to become the owner of the next energy source."

[CTyankee]

8. Yes, this is the thing. These folks LOVE a profit. They are good with money.

Pickens is too. Smart people will bet on and invest in alternate forms of energy. Wind power is SHOWN to be effective and already paying off in Europe. These people aren't stupid about where they invest.

I've already talked to my investment guy about investing in wind power. This is the future...

[1Hippiechick]

9. TBP is probably passing wind so that he can cash in on McBomb's "reward".....

Ooooooooops!

Meant to say "TBP is probably PITCHING wind....."

[CTyankee]

12. FWIW, Bill Clinton was ardently pitching wind power in a speech recently to

the US Conference of Mayors. He was great!

[1Hippiechick]

13. I absolutely agree that wind power is the future. My post was my feeble attempt at humor

which failed miserably, I might add. :blush:

[CTyankee]

19. Nah, I just didn't do a close enough reading of your post. Actually, you were funny, I missed it!

I like Pickens ad. He gets right down to business. Bill Clinton was positively INSPIRED about wind power in that speech to the US Conference of Mayors. He was right on with facts and figures. He and Pickens would make a good team to pitch for wind power to the idiots out there who think that all we need to do is drill more.

[1Hippiechick]

36. Land already set aside for a "wind farm" in NC. Foolish child that I am thought this might also be

a less expensive form of energy. But noooooooo....Duke Energy has already gobbled up all the rights, so that cheaper alternative is "gone with the wind."

I am thrilled that SOMEbody is pushing for an energy alternative - sure can't depend on or wait on the guv'mint that is CONTROLLED BY GREEDY CORPORATE AMERICA.

I'm telling ya, we got to get our act together, get ppl in here talking about getting O elected, and getting ppl registered to VOTE!

I know this is off topic, but I'm on a roll :)

Obama is trying to BRING US TOGETHER because HE knows that that is the only way WE are going to effect change in this country! He HAS to find SOME common ground with the RIGHT and, in the process, HOPEFULLY ppl will begin to REALIZE that we HAVE to UNITE in order to change America! Corporate America is KEEPING THE MASSES DIVIDED so that we WON'T unite and have power! Think about it: if we the people have power, we might take control, God forbid, and Obama is the one who can unite us--that's really why he is so despised--and feared! Corporate America will not stand for that. I predict that it is only going to get worse - they will do whatever necessary to incite and divide us IF WE LET THEM CONTINUE TO DO IT!

Why, oh why, can't ppl in here see this? But noooooooo, we have to have some ppl in here who must have callouses on their fingers from typing so much crap, pissing and moaning about every thing that O does that they (a) don't understand and (b) don't agree with. God, that is SO counterproductive! And, IMO, these ppl are FOOLS for playing right into the hands of corporate America, doing their bidding: they are diverted from the REAL ISSUE of getting O elected. Rather they rant and rave in here rather than going out and DOING something--like REGISTERING VOTERS!!!

GTF over yourself, ppl, AND WAKE UP BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE! F.O.C.U.S. ON WHAT THE REAL PROBLEMS IN OUR COUNTRY ARE! We are PAWNS in the hands of greedy corporations, and most of us don't even realize it - only sleepwalking through life.

End of :rant:

[cherokeeprogressive]

15. Did he do the same when he was CiC? n/t

[CTyankee]

20. I don't know how involved in wind power he was then. I can't believe that Al Gore

didn't clue him in. But in any event, we didn't have the crisis at hand the way we do now.

It makes me want to cry once more because we could have had so much more progress by now if we were allowed to have Al Gore in the oval office...

[Coexist]

28. I went to Pickens site and was slightly impressed

if what he states is true - this could be so amazing for us.

[Robeson]

3. I hope so...

...anything that undercuts McSame - or appears to - is fine by me.

[MarjorieG]

4. He's also a natural gas man. Gegory's show said Obama should be out front on this, BUT he is.

[bluestateguy]

5. Is Obama keen on natural gas?

I have heard him talk about coal and nuclear a lot, but what about gas?

[MarjorieG]

6. Don't know, but I should find out about Obama's policy on gas.

He has been talking wind, a lot. Same as Mr. Swiftboater.

(sp)

[AllentownJake]

7. Pickens is an asshole

However excuse the pun he knows the way the wind is blowing and he's looking for governement subsidies for his next venture. It just so happens to coincide with something we want in more wind farms.

[NattPang]

10. That's how I interpret it.

[zulchzulu]

11. T. Boone Pickens funded the Swift Boat Assholes and he loves Ronald Reagan

Reagan was the guy who took down Carter's solar panels as one of the first things he did when he got into the White House.

T. Boone Pickens is a natural gas man that is greenwashing his ruse with some wind plants and a couple solar panels. I would venture to guess his plan would want 90% natural gas and 10% window dressing with some green technologies.

Trust T. Boone Pickens at your peril.

[Frank Booth]

14. Sure he's doing it all for his own profit, but it'll lead to greater investment in alternative

energy from him and the millions of investors who follow his lead.

So in my book, it's a good thing.

[cherokeeprogressive]

16. Agree.

[TheKentuckian]

17. I do think Pickens is really just trying to have cars run on his gas

but it does undercut McSame's message and blunts the "common sense" "we need to drill NOW" folks' argument coming from someone they'd consider an expert.

By no means do I see this as a true move for green energy, it would possibly be a logical improvement over where we are today. We would be more energy independent and would actually get a real percentage of our power from nature. I think he's calling for 30% of our power consumption goes to wind and solar and that natural gas from turbines and heating would be used to fuel cars.

Probably we can do better, but that would be a solid start in the right direction on more than one front.

[David Zephyr]

37. I'm glad you pointed this out because I was about to after reading the OP.

Pickens is pushing natural gas because he is personally invested so heavy in it.

[bklyncowgirl]

18. I've been wondering about these ads--where is T. Boone Pickens going

This is a guy who funded the Swift Boaters, was a huge Reagan and Bush supporter and now he sounds like he's turned into some sort of environmentalist. I don't buy it.

Is he out to hurt or help McCain. My guess is he's going to spell out a narrative that will in the end back up the Republican rationale.

Unless of course he's seen the light on alternative energy....nah.

[shayes51]

21. Me, too,

[CTyankee]

23. Whatever. The fact is that he is a businessman. He sees the next big thing

to invest in. He'll probably back whichever candidate that he sees as enhancing his chance at making a profit. We should exploit that ourselves, for the benefit of those non-energy issues that a Dem admin. could bring. Making an alliance with him on a renewable, non polluting source of energy that is already working in western Europe with demonstrable results can help us. While I don't excuse his involvement in Swiftboating, we need to make common cause with him on this issue. When we win, we win.

[npincus]

22. Pickens has purchased 600+ wind turbines

so he's putting his $$$ where his mouth is. Is anyone too old to have an epiphany of sorts? I think he is moving away from the presumed repug position.... but don't know how that translates in terms of any formal endorsement. But then, no one cares about Pickens' endorsement, they care about the big, giant wads of cash that he has provided for republican causes and candidates.

watch the money.

[Mass]

24. McCain and Pickens are exactly on the same track here. If anything, it helps McCain

who has been supporting mild alternative energies right now. This is what Pickens supports: give a lot of money to alternative energy no strings attached. Same for McCain.

Sadly, many people will not look who Pickens is (not even here), and will find his ad good, even if it is simply getting a big boondoggle for his company and others. If he was a nuclear firm, we would be all in arms!

[mucifer]

25. except that mccain says we can drill our way out of this problem and pickens says we can't.

I'm not defending pickens. I'm just saying the ad itself comes off as pro-Obama.

[Mass]

26. McCain NEVER said that. He is just proposing that every single solution is used.

He is wrong because oil is bad for global warming, but he never said that, and Pickens is not rejecting drilling. He is seeking money for his company, no strings attached.

Hopefully, Obama's plan does not stop at giving money for companies who want to create big wind conglomerates. Otherwise, I have to change candidate.

[mod mom]

27. My guess is he is funding these ads then will come out & support McCain. Don't trust him.

My guess is he wants the public to think he is outside the box and progressive in the area of energy then bam...will back business as usual-McCain.

[Vinca]

29. But in the meantime, his ads make both Shrub and McCain

look like idiots for wanting to drill their way out of the crisis.

[mod mom]

30. I think he has a trick up his sleeve. People will view him as a maverick and his endorsement

will move lower information folks regardless of the facts. I think it's a ploy.

[Vinca]

31. I agree with you completely. You know whatever he's up to it involves

making big money off little people. I'm only talking about the "drive-by" impression you get from the commercials.

[mod mom]

32. You're correct.

My husband saw the commercial during Countdown and commented that "wow one of *'s cronies was actually doing something positive". This is my fear. Folks will be bamboozled into thinking he is doing something positive then his endorsement will mean something.

[Egnever]

38. I think he is going to run for president

I think its a strategy to lay out his presidential platform and then jump in to try to save mccain.

[Infinite Hope]

33. Most people don't have a clue who he is. Though I'm sure it has some minimal effect. n/t

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

34. No, they are McCain ads.

T. Boone Pickens, the human scum that he is, is going to be endorsing McCain, and these ads are an attempt to make McCain look moderate and have a good energy policy.

[plcdude]

35. Let me say from

my personal experiences with Boone that he is all about wealth. He has recognized that oil is a diminishing resource and he is looking to find the next energy resources to control for profit. He is very big on natural gas replacing the transportation energy resource and wind picking up the electricity needs. He is thoroughly conservative and of the mindset that he and his ilk know or can figure out what is right (also read profitable here) for this country. He is approaching the energy challenges and even foreign policy challenges from a pragmatic viewpoint but ultimately it is about creating wealth through control.