Offshore drilling is a major weakness for the Democrats in 08.

[GarbagemanLB]

I'm glad to see Obama has realized that and has started to weaken his opposition to it.


As much as we know that more drilling won't solve the energy crisis, it is at least a PRO-ACTIVE and VISCERAL course of action that the majority of idiots in this country think will work.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

1. Same could be said for the gas tax holiday.

Another stupid idea that won't do anything but provide brief "psychological" relief.

[babylonsister]

2. How has he weakened his opposition? nt

[FrenchieCat]

3. I agree.

The media hasn't done us any favors. They basically sold this notion as being the majority notion in this country. Fighting that tide would be a loser for sure. I also like the energy rebate he is offering paid for by the windfall tax to be imposed on the Oil Company who reported record profits again this quarter.

[babylonsister]

4. Except...

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/46135.html

[AndyTiedye]

29. That's Why The Repiglickins and Their Media Make Us Cave In on EVERYTHING

EVERY issue is a loser for us when the Repiglickins own the media!

[Alexander]

5. I disagree. I think most Americans don't care about offshore drilling.

Gun control, now that's a losing issue.

[GarbagemanLB]

28. With gas at 4 bucks a gallon, and perhaps even 5 by November, it is one of the top issues.

[NYC_SKP]

6. It won't be a weakness once it's explained correctly.

Not only that the oil won't make a dent in the price of gas, it needs to be explained that the oil companies are seeking to expand the territory where they can drill, while sitting on existing leases that haven't yet been exploited.

I think the campaign has a plan...they aren't asleep, they watch the same news as we do and everything!

[Union Thug]

10. Exactly. It's an oil company 'land grab' that just happens to also

include our oceans. F*ck the oil companies.

[Just-plain-Kathy]

18. An oil company "land grab", THAT'S how Obama should frame this issue.

...Then he should go on to explain how our occupation of Iraq, and taking down Saddam, was a way for American oil companies to control Iraqi oil.

If we're paying for the corporate American takeover of Iraqi oil, why are American companies charging us so much? ...Greed :grr:

[doc03]

20. I disagree, you can explain it to the average Fox News

American until you are blue in the face and they will not understand. That's where the Republicans beat us every time they come up with a simple solution like we need to drill, then the Democrats try and explain themselves and their eyes just glass over. You got to bring it down to a grammar school level.

[NYC_SKP]

25. He can do both. nt

[Thrill]

21. In politics. You don't have to explain stuff like that. Its all soundbytes

[GarbagemanLB]

31. Exactly. Obama's campaign realizes this is a losing issue, and good for them for

adjusting so early in the game.

[rzemanfl]

7. Can someone print beach blankets with pictures of oil spills on

them? I am against pandering to idiots.

[Union Thug]

8. The only weakness is our inability to communicate the

facts. Drilling is not a realistic answer.

[Gman]

9. OFFSHORE DRILLING SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE!!!!!11!!

There is NO shortage of gasoline! Do you see any lines at the pumps?? OF course not! Therefore there is NO shortage!

The problem of high gas prices is speculation by investors AND the trashed third-world level dollar. Oil is priced in dollars. If the dollar was at the same level it was in 2000 when Clinton left and if speculation on oil had been outlawed, gas would STILL be in the $1.50 - $2.00 (max) range.

It PISSES ME OFF that we're not over-shouting the the oil companies wanting to drill off shore and in ANWAR as a flat out misleading bald-faced lie of an answer to high oil prices. This is a STEALTH end run by the oil companies and a last gasp effort while Bush is still president because they see the writing on the wall!!!

If democrats are "vulnerable" on offshore drilling its because they're not out-shouting the RW on this horrible lie.

[KittyWampus]

12. the argument isn't that ALREADY existing leases shouldn't be expoited, is it?

We already do drill off shore and I though oil co's already have pre-existing leases they haven't used yet.

[Gman]

15. That's a side issue and it plays along with the GOP argument

they can drill or not drill in pre-existing leases. Drilling is a non-issue in gas prices because there is no shortage, there are no lines at the pumps! It won't affect prices one single bit because, again, oil is priced in trashed third-world level U.S. dollars AND continued speculation of oil prices threatens national security by driving up the price. People that never drilled a well much less intend to take possession of the oil are threatening this countries national security by driving up prices and making us pay trillions per year to Arab countries for oil. Drilling on the outer continental shelf and ANWAR won't fix that. it'll just give the oil companies one more victory before the Democrats take over the WH and solidify their control on congress.

[doc03]

23. Fox News has already convinced the average

Joe there is no oil on that land and we have to drill in ANWR and offshore where the oil is..

[madfloridian]

11. Oh wait....now we are all for offshore drilling? Just because low info voters want it?

Amazing. My head is popping.

:crazy: :silly: :wow:

[KittyWampus]

13. there already is offshore drilling. Oil co's already HAVE leases not being used.

So one has to specify if they're objecting to exploiting already existing leases or the granting of NEW leases for drilling.

[Fleshdancer]

14. Why weren't the repubs pushing for this when they had full control?

The price of gas has steadily risen since McBush has been in office but suddenly NOW the republicans think something should be done?

http://www.dailyfueleconomytip.com/miscellaneous/president-bush-and-gasoline-prices/

When President Bush took office on January 20, 2001, the national average gas price was $1.46 per gallon. Six and a half years later, on August 27, 2007, the national average gas price had jumped to $2.76, roughly 89% higher. Compounded annually, this represents about a 10% jump each year Bush has been in office.

Now, let’s compare the numbers over the same time period for President Clinton.

When Clinton took office on January 20, 1993, the national average gas price was $1.06 per gallon. six and a half years later, the national average gas price had jumped to $1.22, roughly 15% higher. Compounded annually, this represents about a 2% jump each year.

Even when you compare all of Clinton’s term (38% jump overall) against the first six and a half years of Bush’s term, the overall jump in gas prices between the two presidents isn’t even close. In order to meet Clinton’s “numbers” gas prices would have to fall to $2.02 per gallon - or roughly 36%.

[iamthebandfanman]

16. yeah, who cares if we destroy even more

of our environment for oil that wont matter just to make the oil companies even richer.


dont get me wrong, im glad its such a passive issue for you... but for many of us its not.

raping the earth for oil that doesnt do anything isnt a solution.

to act as if itll neither hurt nor help is just as big or a distortion as saying itll solve all our oil problems.

[bluerum]

17. All that he has to say is that he will do anything that can be demonstrated to reduce oil prices.

If the oil corpos can convince and guarantee him and his cabinet that the price of gasoline will come down enough it's a done deal.

[Just-plain-Kathy]

19. It's very expensive to drill off shore...if drilling this way becomes the norm,

we're in for even higher gas prices.

[enough already]

22. Why the fuck are we catering to idiots?

We're better than that. At least I thought we were.

[doc03]

24. Cause idiots vote!

[GarbagemanLB]

26. If idiots didn't vote we would have had a president Gore or Kerry.

[madfloridian]

27. Now let's just take all of the right wing agenda.

All at once, get it over with.

[Phx_Dem]

30. I kinda of agree.

I am just so disgusted by the same OLD Republican bullshit politics. I don't really care what Obama "says" to make the idiot class happy. There isn't going to be any offshore drilling. Please. But if it makes people happy to hear that he "might" support it, I say knock yourself out, Obama. I'm tired of the being the party that plays nice with the other party is sticking a shiv (shank?) in our back. Fuck that.

It boggles my mind that the majority of people think we should drill in the Alaskan Wildlife Refuge. I just saw a couple of polls the other day from several battleground states where the overwhelming majority support this insanity. It's NEVER going to happen under a Democratic administation, but if the people who support it want to want to think it might happen, then good for us.

[JCMach1]

32. He will appear weak because it is a change (flip-flop) of a position

It will also NEGATE any momentum he had in Florida when McCain came out for this.

[PolNewf]

34. That might have been true if

McCain had not done the same flip flop a month ago. Obama still ties his support to a real alternate energy policy so the flip isn't even as bad. He will begrudgingly support it out of political neccessity for the greater good in a post partisan compromise.

[Mass]

33. What about telling the truth, for once? We think we have to lie because of the idiots.

Tell them the truth, that the GOP lies, that it will take at best 10 years before any oil is produced, and that we need to reduce our carbon based energy consumption, not increase it.

I understand why he did that, but feel sorry, particularly because it is both USELESS and HARMFUL, and our politicians, Democrats and Republicans, do not think the American people deserve the TRUTH.