Obama Swipes McCain on Energy, McCain Camp Labels Obama ‘Dr. No’
EmailABC News’ Jennifer Duck reports: The two presidential candidates brawled over energy today as gas prices continue to stay above $4.00 a gallon.
Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., attacked Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., for saying offshore drilling would probably have more of a "psychological effect" rather than bringing the price of gas down immediately.
"The American people don’t need psychological relief or meaningless gimmicks … they need real relief that will help them fill up their tanks and put food on the table," Obama said in Las Vegas.
The presumptive Democratic presidential candidate said he was running for president to "do what’s right for America" not what "polls well."
"In case you’re wondering, in Washington-speak what that means is it polls well. It’s an example of how Washington tries to convince you that they’ve done something to make your life better when they really didn’t," Obama said.
The McCain campaign struck back at the comment, calling Obama "Dr. No" on energy policy proposals.
"While John McCain is putting the country first with the best ideas from both parties, Barack Obama has become the ‘Dr. No’ of energy, refusing to accept any idea that will contribute to solving America’s energy crisis," McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds said in a statement.
Obama also launched an attack on McCain’s idea to award a $300 million prize to anyone who could develop a better battery to run automobiles.
"I’ve been talking about this myself for the last few years. But I don’t think a $300 million prize is enough," Obama said. "When John F. Kennedy decided that we were going to put a man on the moon, he didn’t put a bounty out for some rocket scientist to win — he put the full resources of the United States government behind the project and called on the ingenuity and innovation of the American people not just in the private sector but in the public sector."
Obama also praised former Vice President Al Gore, who recently endorsed the Illinois senator for president, saying Gore had great ideas in terms of reinventing government and cutting through the red tape.
"Al Gore, I thought, had some good ideas in terms of reinventing government," Obama said. "Not all of them got implemented. I want reinventing government 2.0 under the Obama administration."
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Obama is like the rich kid at a party leaning against the wall making snide remarks to everybody that passes by.
Posted by: cats meow | June 24, 2008, 11:03 pm 11:03 pm
The demand for OIL world wide has skyrocketed especially in third world country’s while supply has stayed the same. Simple economics will tell you why oil prices has gone up not only in this country but the whole world.
So Obama we need to produce more oil at home and keep NAFTA around witch you oppose so our Canadian friends can keep supplying us with OIL
Posted by: june bug | June 24, 2008, 11:08 pm 11:08 pm
Obama also praised former Vice President Al Gore on his GREEN energy policies.
Al Gore’s Tennessee home guzzles enough energy to power about 20 average American households.
Obama himself drove a gas guzzling car untill he decided to run for president. Or maybe he did not want Muslims sitting behind in one of his events.
That is POLL pandering is it what this article is about
Posted by: found him | June 24, 2008, 11:13 pm 11:13 pm
Cats Meow, be original. Whay copy a misdirected view of Karl Rove who again failed to label Obama in his own image.
John McGimmick has now struck out three times on dealing with the energy issue facing the Nation’s people. (1) holiday tax reprieve, (2) off shore drilling when existing leases and drilling permits are not being exercised, (3) the “big” battery competition, like it will appear tomorrow ready for usage.
Posted by: Lou R | June 24, 2008, 11:13 pm 11:13 pm
Obama and his JUST WORDS speech. How original.
Posted by: green house | June 24, 2008, 11:16 pm 11:16 pm
What does Al Gore and Obama have in common. They both talk out both sides of their mouth.
foundhim you said it perfect about a typical Obama supporter like Al Gore. Do what i say not what i do.
Posted by: joe hack | June 24, 2008, 11:21 pm 11:21 pm
Gore saw his personal wealth increase by an estimated $100 million thanks largely to speaking fees and investments related to global warming hysteria.
In the past year, Gore’s home burned through 213,210 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity, enough to power over 19 average American households for the same period.
AND OBAMA PRAISED GORE. Gore is the most hypocritical Democrat of them all. If you want to trust anything Obama says why did he praise Gore who does just the opposite what he tell Americans to do.
Posted by: getty gas | June 24, 2008, 11:24 pm 11:24 pm
didn’t al gore invent the internet? now he is reinventing govt? you go figure.
Posted by: sonia trevino | June 24, 2008, 11:30 pm 11:30 pm
Gore invented the internet so people from foreign lands who want to dictate who wins American elections can donate large ammounts of money in to their candidate of choice over the untraceable internet.
Posted by: tru be told | June 24, 2008, 11:38 pm 11:38 pm
When is anybody going to learn that any idea you have Obama is going to steal it and spin it to make it look like his idea and his way is better.
Obama will make a company develop this Battery idea of McCain by taxing them out of this country.
Posted by: gangster | June 25, 2008, 12:03 am 12:03 am
Love the big battery competition idea from McCain. Most innovative inventions come from small time garage type of inventors.
But you can’t tell an elitist Democrat that. Democrats think the answer to everything is dumping large sums of tax money on wasteful government projects and expecting good results.
Even the rocket ideas that put a man on the moon where developed by home inventors not the GOVERNMENT or some big company
Posted by: inventor | June 25, 2008, 12:07 am 12:07 am
Obama is so quick to put down McCain’s plans, however, I have YET to see Obama with any kind of plan or remedy to bring the oil prices down. I give it to McCain for trying to put the wheels in motion. Obama, as always, can’t speak unless he is in front of a teleprompter with an Axelrod speech. Obama is a joke and America is beginning to realize it!
Posted by: david from texas | June 25, 2008, 12:11 am 12:11 am
I’m a gay Republican, and I want Mr. McCain to choose Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho as his running mate. They’d make a very cute couple…not old in a bad way, as long as they take showers and keep the body hair trimmed. George W. Bush should also serve as Admiral of the Navy, so we can see him in a sailor suit, not that flight suit he wore when he declared “Mission Accomplished”…but something more attractive and tightly cut.
Thank you ALL so much for letting me be me…I am so proud to be a Republican. A GAY Republican.
Posted by: republican4ever | June 25, 2008, 12:23 am 12:23 am
The American people don’t need psychological relief or meaningless gimmicks … they need real relief that will help them fill up their tanks and put food on the table,” Obama said in Las Vegas.
The presumptive Democratic presidential candidate said he was running for president to “do what’s right for America” not what “polls well.”
Fine, Obama. Now some specifics, please?
Yes, yes, I KNOW you want 25 percent of our energy to come from renewable sources by 2025. That is 17 years away. What’s the plan to get us there?
Not how much it’s going to cost (I already know you want 150 billion over 10 years) even though you haven’t explained where the money will come from.
I mean, what do you plan to do with that money to get us to 25 percent?
And how will the other 75 percent of our energy needs be met? Do we just live in caves and use fire until we’re at 100 percent?
Please excuse my racism. I am trying to overcome it and I simply forgot that racism is revealed when anyone questions the Great Obamessiah, who has the power to not only fix this country (we need another politician to fix things like we need gas to cost $10 per gallon in this country) but the whole world. Maybe the universe?
I know, I know, I will go sit down and shut up, like a good girl.
Posted by: None of the Above 08 | June 25, 2008, 12:25 am 12:25 am
After Obama change everything in this country, All the inventers will be moving to Canada and Mexico,a Marxist, socialist government is no good for inventers.
Posted by: Moe | June 25, 2008, 12:27 am 12:27 am
Isn’t John McCaing 82 years old? Why is he acting like he’s 7.
Posted by: Brush Lintball | June 25, 2008, 12:28 am 12:28 am
Obama thinks GORE and big government invented the Internet and the personal computer.
Wait a minute. The Apple personal Computer was invented in someones home.
Is Obama wrong or is he right.
Posted by: gritish inbash | June 25, 2008, 12:33 am 12:33 am
Disgusting Obama, reinventing government? Just like reinventing the wheels? Reinvent the Internet?
Posted by: golfgirlusa | June 25, 2008, 12:54 am 12:54 am
This multitude of concise, well-worded, gramatically correct pro-republican Obama-bashing smells fishy to me. Surely these comments must be ‘paid for’. I’m a Canadian. The US is full of very good people… I sympathise with them. They should read more about recent history in the world around them. Not CNN. Books!
Posted by: Magzy | June 25, 2008, 2:03 am 2:03 am
I don’t see what the problem is with all this so-called energy. As a gay Republican I think everybody should just calm down and let Mr. McCain solve all of our problems like George W Bush has done for us these past eight years.
John McCain should certainly appoint Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho to be his Vice President, if he wants to get to the bottom of this oil thing.
That’s my two cents…which as a gay Republican makes them worth a nickel.
Posted by: republican4ever | June 25, 2008, 2:22 am 2:22 am
Obama IS psychological relief and a gimmick. And he is right: we don’t needit. And just how long does he think his imaginary oil replacement is going to take to get up and running, when ethanol is ‘taking food off the tables’ of the very people this yuppie who doesn’t have to worry about gas prices claims to succor?
I’m a Chicago Democrat and even I can’t stomach this phony.
Posted by: SullivanGrandfield | June 25, 2008, 2:28 am 2:28 am
B O’s just jealous he didn’t come up with McCain’s idea of a prize…. so he disses it!
He can’t understand that when it comes to offshore drilling you have to start SOME TIME to get the benefit seven or eight years down the pike!
But he’s not for STARTING… because we wouldn’t get the benefits for seven or eight years!
He doesn’t have Hillary to feed him solutions and, left to himself, he’s going to disappear in a pool of unsurmountable dilemmas and gaffes…..
Poor B O!
Somebody get the deodorant!
Posted by: HMMMMM... | June 25, 2008, 2:40 am 2:40 am
People want change. Obama represents that change in a way that McCain can’t. All the bad mouthing and negative talk about Obama wont change the fact that McCain is viewed as old school, with nothing to offer but more of the same.
Obama is smart he is not a push over and has shown he can think on his feet. You may not like him but 3/4 of the people don’t want another Bush and McCain is seen as a 3rd term of Bush..
Posted by: Be Still | June 25, 2008, 3:07 am 3:07 am
The change is coming through Obama no matter how many things you try to find wrong with him… It is not going to be enough. Putting out hate and spinning negativaty around everything he says won’t keep him from the Whitehouse.
I know you guys are posting because you care about what’s happening. But what has gone on for the last 8 year has not been working.
There is a current of support for Obama, and no amount of anger, hate or fear talk is going to change that. Obama is a much better man than you make him out to be. He can bring change.. I am not sure it will be enough to undo the deep damage that has been done. In fact I don’t think the damage can be undone. But still Obama he does bring hope..
Posted by: Be Still | June 25, 2008, 4:18 am 4:18 am
Thanks Be Still
Posted by: runabout | June 25, 2008, 4:24 am 4:24 am
Sadly, Obama has plans to cut NASA — founded largely on JFK’s dreams — which he neglects to mention. Few of us can imagine how many simple daily tools are the result of the space program. Perhaps the Senator needs to focus on his own mis speaks and policy changes more than throw stones at his opponents? Just one woman’s — who is not voting for him — opinion.
Posted by: beebop | June 25, 2008, 5:49 am 5:49 am
Hope doesn’t put beans on the table or gas in my car. The only hope osama has is that he can remake America into a mirror of Africa, thats where his heart is, not here, not now, not ever.
Posted by: sayuncle | June 25, 2008, 10:41 am 10:41 am
I have yet to hear Obama give any specifics on how to get us out of this energy crisis. Sure we need to develop alternative energy, but what the hell does he propose we do in the mean time.
Even after a magic oil replacment is found that will replace oil in millions of every day products and services (roads, toothpaste, toys, steel, recycling, ect.) It would take at least 15 years to build the industry to a level that we need it to survive.
The energy crisis needs to be hit from all fronts, Oil, Nuclear, coal, clean coal, geothermal, wind, and solar, and any other recource or energy supply we find along the way! Eventually we may get to a point we don’t want or need oil, but that is highly unlikely just based on how readily it is used on an every day basis, in nearly every part of our life whether we realize it or not.
Posted by: Karl | June 25, 2008, 12:36 pm 12:36 pm
“Obama is smart he is not a push over and has shown he can think on his feet.”
Lol yeah that’s why Obama is deathly afraid of any debate format that doesn’t involve partial moderators and prescripted answers. This guy is an empty suit who depends on his payments of tens of millions of dollars to marketing companies to frame his campaign.
Posted by: Cryos | June 25, 2008, 12:58 pm 12:58 pm
Jennifer Duck changed or misquoted Obama:
“I don’t think a $300 million prize is enough”
That is either bad reporting or a deliberate attempt to make it appear Obama would be willing to pay more.
The correct quote:
“I don’t think a $300 million prize IS THE WAY TO GO.”
Update needed.
Posted by: Media Bias? | June 25, 2008, 2:30 pm 2:30 pm
Growing algea on algea farms in Arizona will be a short term and long term solution to produce fuel.Much more profitable than growing corn on limited agricultural farm lands.One acre of corn only produce 185 gallon of fuel, but one acre of algea could produce 9000 gallon of fuel.
Posted by: Kanawha | June 25, 2008, 9:17 pm 9:17 pm
“I’ve been talking about this myself for the last few years. But I don’t think a $300 million prize is enough,”
Why did they misquote Obama here?
It should read, “But I don’t think a
$300 million prize is the way to go”
Just say NO! to liberal media. Just say NO! to an Obama nation!
NO! Obama!
Posted by: Denny | June 27, 2008, 2:03 am 2:03 am
Gore pays extra for electricity from renewal sources. Gore did help reduce government waste and jobs, jobs have gone up 60% in last 7 years. Gore did write the bill establishing the internet, he called it the “information superhighway”. I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m tired ofr half truths.
Posted by: manny | August 1, 2008, 1:16 pm 1:16 pm
Maybe its me, i dont know. but i am tired of the ambiguity from both sides as to exactly how they will fix the current energy crisis or the economic crisis. Both of them are loaded down with money so if the price of gas goes up to $5 a gal which makes the food they buy to feed thier kids go up what are they hurting? The money in their bank accounts is still there. They are not watching it slowly diminish week by week or day by day as the average tax paying american is. Our outgoing is increasing almost daily yet the politicians have the audacity to sit in d.c. and bicker about things like who said what and when??? come on all the talk is doing NOTHING to fix our problems!!! These issues with fannie mae and freddie mac, aig, lehman brothers, started with greed….in the ugliest form of it too. lets walk all over the average american because we think they are too dumb to realize whats going on and it will never catch up with us and when it finally does our pockets will be bursting with dough!!! they will get left with the empty purse and must find a way to refill it. I just want one candidate to stand up like a man (or woman) and say enough is enough..i dont care what my party is telling me to say or do i am going to find a way to fix america even if it costs me my reputation among my cronies.
Posted by: d | October 8, 2008, 11:51 am 11:51 am