Factcheck.org Says Obama Ad Uses Incorrect Figure on Oil Donors

I think Obama himself came out and said the smaller figure today didn’t he?

McCain and the RNC are one. Just as Obama and the DNC are one.
Easy to change ad to McCain plus the RNC to make it factcheck accurate.
Factcheck hasn’t stopped McCain ads either. McCain had a bogus ad about Obama didn’t want to visit the troops because he didn’t want to bring press with im. That has been disputed.
But the bottom line is that McCain got $1.1 million from the Big Oil companies AFTER he flipped on off-shore oil drilling.
McCain is in the tank of big oil.

This is very interesting – the CRP is saying that the figure will probably be much higher than 2 million.
The question that the press should be asking is why did over a million dollars go from Big Oil into the McCain victory fund in June? I believe it had something to do with him changing his position on some issue related to the oil companies?

The question that you Jake should be asking is why did McCain get $1 million plus to his “Victory Fund” after he flip flopped on off-shore drilling.
Again, this is starting to smell very fishy.
Dems need to hit McCain HARD on being in the tank with big oil.

alex: “How about 50 million last month for Obama? Where did that money come from?”
99% of it came from individual donors versus McCain’s 83% from individual donors. Of course, the majority of PAC and industry money is being routed through slush funds such as the Victory Fund and the RNC – as the author of campaign finance reform, Senator McCain has proven he knows exactly how to flout the intent.
As a world-record fundraising with a base of over a million people giving small donations, Senator Obama has proven he doesn’t need to flout campaign finance reform.

Why can’t individuals who happen to work for oil companies donate to anyone’s campaign? I’m sure Obama has gotten some donations from employees of companies that would surprise many of us. Also, I wonder how many people who aren’t Americans (i.e. Europeans) are donating to Obama’s campaign?

The BIG Question, why was Big Oil suddenly in the tank for McCain….
They smelled money when McCain flipflopped. BIG money.
Big Money has no interest in regular Americans, only in their stockholders.
Remember when you hear the pundits on tv all speak on tax cuts and blablabla.
These pundits all make more than $250,000. They are watching out for their own wallet.

Obama accepts oil money, McCain accepts oil money, but according to Obama, McCain is “in the pocket of big oil,”. Obama don’t realize, this comment makes him look a real hypocrite. Well, if the shoe fits…

Very true that the McCain “Victory Fund” and McCain are one in the same.
Accurate ad.

Gosh – you mean he only took $1.33 million from Oil interests just before he flip flopped about off shore drilling – why then golly what is the big deal? Why it was way back in May of ’08 that McCain was against off shore drilling – ancient history.

… and how come, according to this blog… Obama NEVER took any money from Oil or Gas companies.
Right!
BUT:
“He voted for the Bush/Cheney energy bill which gave $27 billion in subsidies to the oil companies after declaring that corporations and the wealthy should be taxed. He has already flip-flopped numerous times on energy issues. The fact is that he just doesn’t grasp the issues and doesn’t know what to think. Both Clinton and McCain voted against the Bush energy bill because both have an understanding of energy issues far superior to that of Obama”

@Susan: “Why do so many people hate big oil?”
The proper question would be: “Why does Big Oil hate you”?

Maybe this is the “change” obama promised, lies and half-truths.

Part of Obama’s campaign, no more “politics of old”. I guess, Obama’s “new politics” are worse. John McCain looks more like the president that will earn my vote.

We just keep going on about big oil. The truth is not about big oil, but about what the GOP and special interest groups like big oil have done to this country. A vote for McCain is a vote for a third Bush term, and we see what a “great job” that he and the GOP have done. Right! :/ Tell ya what, I will ask you a really good one. Are you better off since Bush/McCain took Office? If you are honest, the answer is NO. By the way, Big Oil just posted the bigest profit for any US company ever in history. I don’t think they need anyone’s help, and what ever you do don’t vote for Senator Obama, He just may really help this Country. We would not want that would we.

I can see obama’s idea, let gas go to $12 gal and this will curb oil imports. The only problem, this country will be in a depression. The liberal left is doing their best to ruin our country.

Obama voted for the Bush energy Bill, that gave 27 billion to Big oil. Clinton and McCain opposed the bill. The 1.33 million looks very small compared to Obama’s 27 billion dollar gift to big oil. Look like Big Oil has Obama in their “pocket”.

It took Obama 20 years to figure out Rev. Wright, how long will it be until he figures out Big oil?

It is no surprise that Obama is now wiggling around supporting drilling for oil off American shores. He usually tries to have it both ways, after other people have taken the initial bold stand. My question is what kind of a leader does that make him? How will he act in an emergency?
How will he act in an emergency? Obama will act with prudence because he listens to suggestions. He leaves his mind open to better ideas, unlike McCain who thinks he is so smart, he doesn’t need ideas other than his. That makes McCain very much like George W. Bush … the same both in mind and in principles!

It is no surprise that Obama is now wiggling around supporting drilling for oil off American shores. He usually tries to have it both ways, after other people have taken the initial bold stand. My question is what kind of a leader does that make him? How will he act in an emergency?
How will he act in an emergency? Obama will act with prudence because he listens to suggestions. He leaves his mind open to better ideas, unlike McCain who thinks he is so smart, he doesn’t need ideas other than his. That makes McCain very much like George W. Bush … the same both in mind and in principles!

>>>>Part of Obama’s campaign, no more “politics of old”. I guess, Obama’s “new politics” are worse. John McCain looks more like the president that will earn my vote.
Exactly!!
Obama is flip flopping all over the place. Better to monitor a stable target than a moving target like Obama.

>>>>It is no surprise that Obama is now wiggling around supporting drilling for oil off American shores. He usually tries to have it both ways, after other people have taken the initial bold stand.
Obama did this all during the primary! copying Hillary’s proposals and solutions.
And when Hillary suspended her campaign, Obama lost his way on the issues.
PUMA

Well, damn with faint praise, lol. It was only specific to 1.3 million but could be as much as 2 million… but since we dont have specifics the extra money is ??? still in McCain’s campaign chest. McCain has abandoned his ethics to try and win.
He has flip flopped on the off shore drilling because big oil wanted him to and now he is parroting their party line. Yes, everything is GREAT and fine – nothing going on here, keep on going by, don’t mind those billions in profit…yep, we got it all right

And Brian a vote for Obama is a vote for Carter’s second term. The guy who brought us the COMPLETE FAILURE that was the first windfall profit tax on ‘Big Oil’ (which incidentally isn’t a company. It is an industry. The company you refer to is Exxon/Mobil.) Does it concern you that the Marxist Obama wants to see even more tax money from Big Oil? Do you realize that over the last 25 years or so Big Oil has given over 3 times its profits during those exact same years to the government in the way of taxes? That’s right, the government has made more money off of you at the pump for the last 1/4 century than the big, bad oil monster. Do some research, educate yourself and then vote.

And where were you news mavens when, instead of a possible 600,000 discrepancy John McCain proved that he didn’t even know the basic geography of Iraq and Afghanistan?

KEY WORDS IN THIS ARTICAL:
“…although it’s all intended to support his candidacy,”
Hey boys and girls! That is game, set and match. ALL of the 2 MILLION DOLLARS from the gas and oil companies is “intended to support his candidacy!”
===================
McCain said Obama “couldn’t find the time” to visit wounded troops. Yet the FACT is that Obama visited wounded troops in Iraq.
Does McCain lie every day? Or does it just seem that way?

I would really love some investigative reporting into the alleged FEC violations by the Obama campaign accepting donations from foreigners (such as the two men in Palestine). I think the public would be very interested in knowing where exactly Obama’s high-fund raising numbers come from, instead of just trusting his press releases stating they are from ‘small donations from first time contributors’. I wonder how Americans would feel if it is true that Obama is accepting much of his money from terrorists or American-hating foreigners?

Obama = Great COPIER = Better than a Xerox machine.
Obama = No Presidential material

He was just rounding up. Same result. McCain is in bed with big oil.

someone kissing oil co. butt —that is a new stretch.

Here’s another issue which shows the weakness and lack of attention to detail that is Obama’s research Dept:
The Ctr. for Responsive Politics, also known as OpenSecrets, is a wondewrful and highly useful, but not authoritative resource. Campaign finance figures from that org come from the FEC, but they are not always correct.
In order to properly substantiate their ad, the Obama campaign should have gone straight to the Federal Elections Commission had every single oil/gas contribution printed out from McCain’s actual FEC reports, placed into a binder for all to see, to avoid exactly the kind of embarassing rookie mistake they have now made.
This move shows that the Obama campaign, from the Research Dept. to the Media Production team right up to Mssrs Plouffe and Axelrod are a) appallingly lazy, b)arrogant to think no one would check the ACTUAL FEC #’s and c) quite obviously unconcerned with whether their ads are true and verifiable.
This is a totally avoidable rookie mistake by a rookie campaign led by a rookie candidate. ANY campaign worth its salt would already know how to properly document their paid advertising. The fact that the Obamans went to Open Secrets to short-cut their homework shows a glaring and laughable lack of professionalism. Yes, Open Secrets is an outstanding resource and a credit to truth in politics. No doubt.
But now, the Obama campaign have to answer questions about their basic competency, and that impact of the ad goes away.
If I was McCain I’d start sending letters to TV stations demanding that the ad be taken down…a commonly-used practice when one’s opponent puts up false advertising.
If the Obama campaign cannot even be counted on to do their homework in the process of substantiating their own ads, how can they be trusted to run the country?
A joke of a maneuver by amateur Hour in South Chicago. Whoever is in charge of vetting Obama’s ads shold be fired immediately.

Oh, Oh, Oh…that’s right. McCain hasn’t made a mistake yet!!!

Obama shifts, drifts, swings hard to center…or to the right on anything he thinks will get him votes. He is a liberal trying to act like a conservative to get into office. He thinks Americans can’t see through his smokescreens. I hope and pray he is wrong. I hope and pray that Americans can see that what he offers…and it isn’t hope….but lots of change….not change for the good either.

When did the truth ever matter to McCain ?
Maybe Obama is having a little fun…. What’s a million more or less between friends. McCain and oil go together, they are both slimy.

So Ron as I have asked repeatedly, what does Big Oil get for the $400,000 it gave to Obama? Is the cutoff for corruption somewhere between $400,000 and $1.3 million? Where exactly is the corruption threshold?

Obama wasn’t just stating that you could get better service from your car if you inflated your tires properly and got a tune up. This guy actually believes we can save as much oil by doing these things as we could pump from Anwr, the continental shelf, oil shale etc. That is just absurd. Plus most cars now days don’t require tune ups. He should stick to the basketball court, since he is so fond of being photographed sinking three pointers. He is an intellectual lightweight. Oh, yeah and I guess the basketball comment is racist.

Rodney you have made the claim again rather than offering the supporting evidence. Three times more? According to whom?

There goes Obama making up “facts” again. Oh, and how much did Obama get from oil employees? Here’s a hint. It isn’t zero.

McCain is a real JOKER….. AH AH AH

dan–IT SIMPLY SHOWS THAT OBAMA WAS 100% RIGHT ON HIS STATEMENT ON TIRE PRESSURE

Hey Dan and the rest of you McSame supporters I have one question and maybe it has been asked already but if its 2 million or 1.3 million McSame is still Big Oil’s Bought and paid for BITCH right I mean 1.3 gets you as much as 2.0 when it comes down to it like I said hes a kept man as far as big oil goes You want another W you got him in McSame what did he vote 94% with the President I would say he’s W’s B too !!!!!!!

dmac, your post was nonsensical and once you start to use profanity you show your lack of intelligence as well as your limited grasp of the English language. I have no time for people who spew filth.

Nancy Pfotenhauer, McCain’s senior policy adviser, speaks for him on energy. She is the former top lobbyist for Koch Industries, an oil, chemical and mining mega-corporation which is the largest privately-held company in the U.S.
Until joining McCain’s campaign in 2007, she was president of Americans for Prosperity, founded by Koch, which is currently doing a “Hot Air Tour” to expose the costs of global warming hysteria.
Former U.S. Energy Secretary Federico Pena is Obama’s surrogate on energy.
I think I’m going with Obama.

As if it were related to the discussion at hand Rodney, I’m not buying any tire gauges. I don’t make donations to politicians. (Although I was tempted this time for the collectible value)

Oh yeah, and it will take 20 years to get any commercial oil from new digging. That’s NOT an answer to the energy problem or the horrible economy from the GOP rule. Second, there are 66million acres of land already permitted for drilling. Why does the GOP want to ruin the environment? Why do they want to drill in wildlife refuges when there is 66 MILLION acres availiable already?????

Rodney again you can insult me all you want but you STILL HAVE NOT given ANY supporting evidence that Obama was right. So I urge you AGAIN, please show evidence of this idea that properly inflated tires is ’3 times’ more effective than offshore drilling.

Hillary,why would you support OBAMA?I pray your people will stick to their word if you are not on the ticket,,and how could you accept if he asked you? We love you and Bill and we are angry the way they have treated you..Bill was 1 of the best presdent we ever had.and they have treated him so bad it not funny..We are angry,now he wan,t to seat the del. in flo. and mic.what a joke he is,,he don,t kno anything but to flipflop how can we let someone like him into the white house?never..He has lost my vote and all my family and friends

I have never understood why so many people think the oil industry is evil. Oil powers our cars, heats our homes, provides energy to our homes and places of work and allows us to travel and keep in touch with our family and friends. Oil is the engine that keeps our economy running and growing. The fact is, despite what Obama says, there is no viable alternative to oil in our life time, maybe never. That is why all of the rest of the world is doing all they can to get all the oil they can get their hands on. That is why I am for McCain who appears to have a little common sense about the fact the oil is the life blood of our economy and makes our standard of living possible. If you want higher gas prices, higher food prices, a failing economy and a lower standard of living, I guess Obama is your guy.

McFeeble, McFlopper, McBush…..

Just in case anyone is interested. The oil companies are not obliged to provide us with one drop of oil that they drill for offshore. They can sell it to the highest bidder. Why is no one telling us that ?

Is there anybody out here who still remembers the Exxon Valdez oil spill? 10.8 million U.S. gallons of crude oil were spilled in Prince William Sound, Alaska, on March 24, 1989
A so-called “double hull vessel” would have prevented a lot of that oil to spill into the ocean.
Congress wanted to act on it. But when an amendment was introduced to allow only double hull vessels to Alaska, McCain voted against it. To this day, Exxon is the *only* company that still uses single-hulled tankers to carry oil in and out of Alaska.
McCain was in the tank for Exxon in 1989, McCain will remain in the tank for Exxon his entire life.
It’s an accident waiting to happen.

Dennis check the Center for Responsive Politics for further confirmation. (and note that is exactly where the figure above came from)

“The oil companies are not obliged to provide us with one drop of oil that they drill for offshore. They can sell it to the highest bidder.” That’s because they hate America, Ron.

Wow there are a lot of comments here calling people who don’t agree with them evil. I mean stupid, liar etc. I can understand, but evil. Can’t both parties want what is best for the country but have honest disagreements about how to achieve the goal? Neither of these candidates is free from special interest money and neither will destroy the country intentionally. Why do they have to be evil? Oh, yeah and Dennis I mean evil with a small e not the religious capitol e. Wouldn’t want you to jump to another conclusion

If Obama puts a windmill on top of a car with a 125 foot propeller. How can you get a 125 foot propeller under a 13 foot bridge.
Obama says he will make the bridges taller to fit those Darn windmills under the bridge.
Then Obama flip flopped and decided to let the air out of the tires when he gets to a bridge.

“I have never understood why so many people think the oil industry is evil.”
Let me explain it to you with an analogy: oil companies have acted in the last 30 years as ‘crack dealers’. They have made sure to get you addicted to their stuff, and their stuff only; they’ve made sure that you would buy as much as possible from their stuff.
They have made sure through massive lobbying that no incentives were given to invest in alternative fuels (R&D) in the last 30 years ánd they have made sure that cars would not be made more efficient.
Oil-dependancy isn’t something new, it was already recognized as a huge problem in the 70′s. Yet nothing was done because oil companies didn’t like it.

57 state Obama is the stupid one or just plain lying. The fact is that there is little or no oil available on the current land leases or the oil available on these leases are very difficult to get to. That is why it is so critical to go after known untapped oil reserves off shore and in Anwar. Not to mention the 400 years of oil available from oil shale in the deposits beneath federal land in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming according to the Rand corporation which is three times that of all the oil in Saudi Arabia. My question is why not go after all the oil, coal and natural gas that is available to us? Why are the Democrats and Obama standing in the way of letting the energy and oil companies do what they do best, provide energy to the people? With greater supply on the horizon, the speculators would stop buying future energy contracts at high prices and prices would start to come down immediately. I just wonder if Saudi Arabia is one of Obama’s and the Democrats contributers? That is the only reason I can think of at least as to why Obama and the Democrats are blocking the oil companies from getting the oil the people need to keep their jobs and make their lives better.

The ad doesn’t mention Obama has accepted campaign donations of some $400,000 from oil company executives.

After reading all these posts, including my own, it is no wonder nothing ever gets done. Everybody here is so busy insulting each other there is no possible way to ever find out if we have any common ground to build on for the future. Nobody on either side can admit when their candidate is wrong or when the other guy has a good point. If the community here is any indication of what the politicians are like in action we are doomed.

Thanks Buford because I didn’t see it either but thats what they do make crap up and hope someone doesn’t check !!! just like FNC and the GOP

Rodney supply and demand is never over. Yes OPEC strictly controls much of the supply to the market but just to clue you in…Big Oil ain’t OPEC. Two completely different entities. Do you realize that for the last 25 years or so the oil companies have given our government more than three times the profits they kept in the way of taxes? Yet you are angry at the oil companies and not Big Government? Explain.

Unless McCain is proposing to nationalize the oil companies à la Chavez, the oil produced from offshore drilling will belong to the oil companies to sell on the world market.

The only time McCain says something is if he heard it somewhere else first. He is such a JOKER.

I am thrilled that John McCain recognizes the pain Americans are feeling at the pump and has decided to support offshore drilling. Clearly a reasonable decision for 2008. His past opposition to offshore drilling was in a $1.75 gas market. Huge difference. Not a Flip Flop.

Oh well…time for bed. Good night all!

I read the Factcheck.org article. The question that arises from this article is why oil and gas company surrogates donate to both candidates in the first place. Why not just donate to McCain, or just donate to Obama? An undecided will see that there are some oil company surrogates who want Obama, and some that want McCain, so how can the whole issue of who is more in bed with the oil companies make any difference to an undecided? To me, the matter isn’t which candidate is more in bed with the oil companies. It’s WHICH oil companies the candidates are in bed with. Because the whole issue of the production and control of this valuable commodity is loaded with complicated interrelationships involving public consumption and changing market conditions including the constant threat of market speculation, I think an undecided voter will have a hard time knowing which candidate to choose on this issue. So I think an undecided voter should look at how the Republican administration under George W. Bush may have been influenced by the oil industry in taking the USA into the pre-emptive war in Iraq, which many Americans believe is an immoral war, and which many people believe the oil industry surrogates and military industrial complex wanted for their own monetary benefit at the expense of 100,000 dead Iraqis and over 4,000 dead American soldiers, and then ask themselves: who supported that war? And who supports that war now? An undecided may see that this candidate is John McCain, who continues to support the pre-emptive war in Iraq, and a connection between John McCain and George W. Bush and the oil company surrogates that support them. For this reason I wouldn’t be concerned about the matter of who gets more money from the oil company surrogates. I would be more concerned about what these oil company surrogates hope their candidate would do, once elected.
I believe what our government did in Iraq at the apparent behest of the oil company surrogates, whether pressured directly or indirectly, was wrong. It was a terrible choice made by George W. Bush, and it was supported by the Republican Administration, including Senator John McCain. I think America will have a hard time recovering from this historically immoral attack. Barack Obama, forasmuch as he may be wrong or right about what to do with strategic oil reserves, has indicated that he does not support blood for oil. In that respect I’m with those oil company surrogates that support him, and so I believe Barack Obama is the right choice. The Republicans have had their chance when it comes to the commodity of oil. I think it’s time to let the Democratic Party have a crack at it.
Because of this issue I will vote for Barack Obama in November, and I encourage undecided voters to consider my reasons for supporting him.
Cheers!

Dan,
1. McCain said Obama didn’t “have time” to visit the troops.
2. McCain knew this was FALSE.
3. Therefore, McCain is a liar.
If McCain isn’t comfortable about LYING about Obama, maybe he should just stop.
McCain knows that the Iraq war has increased Iran’s power in the middle east. And yet he refuses to acknowledge that it was a mistake.
McCain knew that the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11 were in Afghanistan. Yet he endorsed the plan to take the military resources out of Afghanistan and into Iran.
McCain knows that Lilly Ledbetter, and all working women deserve justice. Yet he opposed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay act.
McCain knows that having health insurance companies be regulated by the state of their own choosing (by reincorporating in a friendly state) guarantees the end of all consumer protections (do you want every dispute to go to an industry sponsored “arbitration” system?). Yet that is a key part of his health plan.
McCain knows that a “gas tax holiday” is a stupid, pointless idea (When do you end the holiday? What is the point of cutting off $0.30 per tank of gas?) Yet he is willing to highlight that pander.
McCain knows that the U.S. middle class has faced stagnant wages for most of the last 25 years (but not during the Clinton years!) and the wealth of those making over $250 have increased. Yet he favors eliminating all taxes paid by the the wealthy. How is it that he came to support the Bush tax cuts that he once called UNCONSCIENCEABLE?
You don’t need Obama to point out that McCain has received $2 Mil from the gas and oil industries. Just follow his actions!

My brother has designed offshore oil platforms for the past 17 years. If you knew the amount of effort and risk it takes to get that stuff out of the ground, thought just for a minute about how many everyday products are made from petroleum, and considered how many billions of dollars in taxes those companies pay, you might not be so quick to bash “Big Oil.”
Those guys know what they’re doing. The reason why they’re not drilling on the land where they have leases is because it isn’t worth the cost for the amount of oil they could extract. And, like it or not, they’re out to make money. It’s called BUSINESS and CAPITALISM.
As for the amount of time it would take to get the oil from the OCS to the market, it is about TWO YEARS.
Here is just a small sample of the hundreds of products made from petroleum:
Plastics, Ink, Paint, Shoe Polish, Nylons, Roof shingles, Novelty Candy, Cosmetics, Candles, Vaseline, Bug Killer, Ammonia, Tires, Asphalt, Crayons, Paper cups, Wax paper.
Just how is wind power or inflating your tires supposed to create these things?

People wake up, Obama has recieved $400,000 dollars from the same process. The money they both get are not from the oil company owners but the employees. If you worked there who would you support.

Why does Obama want to increase the cost of fuel by putting a new tax on it

You people don’t get it. It don’t matter where the money comes from. What matters is the favors you promise to do for it. Right after McCain got that 1.1 million he jumped right in bed with Bush on drilling. And that money did come from executives. Obama may have gotten 400,000 but you don’t see him pushing to drill all over the United States. This whole thing is so stupid. Pelosi introduced a bill last week that would’ve taken the speculation out of the market and the republicans shot it down. As soon as she mentioned it oil started to sink and went down 20 bucks. McCain says it’s Obama’s fault gas prices are high. But when Obama says go drill on the 68 million acres you have access to, the oil companies say no. They won’t even take oil out of the petroleum reserve. This whole thing is about Bush getting his hands on as much oil as he can before he leaves office. If it was about the American people paying 4 dollars a gallon for gas it would’ve been fixed along time ago.

Since Obama notes that he has a funny name, I can suggest that he take out the legal papers to change it.
Let’s see…he can call himself
P.T. BARNUM
…seems to fit in more ways than one!

These are the same lies Obama used in the runup to the Pennsylvania primary against Hillary Clinton.

Read the article: it says that McCain will end up getting around $2 million after the contributions to the Victory Committee are split between the RNC and McCain.
BTW, McCain changed his position on offshore drilling only in June, while gas prices had already been above $3 for more than six months.
The question is: if gas prices fall back near $3 before the election, will he change his position again?

Hey Obama what about the millions you receive from union bosses so they can stay in charge and live in mansions while the people they represent suffer
What about the millions from groups with ties to Terrorist ie William Ayers
What about the oil company funding the DNC Convention!!
Obama what about the 1 million dollars you received from the tax payers through your wives job!!