Senator Dole In Perpetual Offshore Drilling Flip-Flop

Sometimes flip-flops happen so fast that the candidate can't even keep with his or her changing positions.

Senator Elizabeth Dole, who is facing reelection this fall, is a recent convert to the GOP issue du-jour: offshore drilling. For a while, the North Carolina Republican was a fierce opponent of the concept, expressing concern that it could damage her state's coastline and thus damage the tourism industry. But now, it seems, she's all for drilling off the North Carolina coast, labeling it an important step to achieving energy independence.

The one problem: Dole's position change came so fast her staff simply couldn't keep up. Right now, the Senator has two completely incongruous statements listed on her official Senate website.

Under the "Issues & Legislation" energy section, Dole is quoted offering a broad critic of offshore drilling (screenshot below):

"...I'll be fighting to ensure that no steps are taken toward drilling off of North Carolina's coast. Offshore drilling not only would be harmful to our environment, it would be detrimental to an industry that is extremely important to North Carolina's coastal economy - tourism."

Contrast that with the press release issued by Dole's office on July 14, 2008, in which the Senator praised the President's decision to lift the federal moratorium on offshore drilling.

"The solution to our energy crisis is finding more and using less. Families struggling with record high gas prices can't afford for Congress to keep energy exploration options off the table." ... On June 26, Senator Dole co-sponsored the Gas Price Reduction Act of 2008, which would satisfy the need for Congressional action in lifting the OCS exploration ban by giving individual states the option of utilizing their deep ocean resources."

The Senator's staff did not immediately return request for comment.

Nico Pitney will be discussing energy and off-shore drilling during tomorrow's episode of Meet the Bloggers. You can watch the show live at 1PM ET/10AM PT at MeetTheBloggers.org or on the Huffington Post.

Comments

[LA2000]

When did Elizabeth Dole and Bay Buchanan trade faces?

[GBartrem]

DOLE URGES PRESIDENT TO PROTECT CORAL WILDERNESS OFF NORTH CAROLINA COAST

July 2nd, 2008 - Washington, D.C. - Today U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole wrote to President George W. Bush, urging him to designate the extensive deep sea coral wilderness off the southeast United States coast as a marine national monument under the Antiquities Act.

“While environmentally sound exploration for new resources is vital for our country’s economic vitality, so is protecting the countless other natural resources in our oceans,” wrote Dole. “The scientific knowledge imbedded in the corals—providing us with information about our climate and oceans, containing new biomedical breakthroughs, and much more—cannot be replaced once disturbed and damaged.”

The vast network of corals, laying more than 1,000 feet below the ocean’s surface and stretching from North Carolina to Florida, is over 2,500 years old in some areas. The coral reefs ecosystems in this area represent a world-class marine ecosystem containing many previously unknown species, and they may also contain important new scientific breakthroughs.

While the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council has taken action to protect this area by designating it a “habitat area of particular concern,” designation as a marine national monument would expand protection and commit the necessary resources to understanding this sensitive ecosystem. Other coral ecosystems in the United States that are also currently protected as national monuments include the Papah?naumoku?kea Marine National Monument off the coast of Hawaii and the Virgin Islands Coral Reef Monument off the island of St. John.

[Budokan]

Wow, imagine that. A Republicon doing an aerial backflip a la Flipper. What's the world coming to? I mean, since when did repugs start flip-flopping and lying?

Oh, right. Never mind.

[UnbiasView]

When the polls say 60-70% of the people support drilling, it seems like a good move. All of these politicians do whatever they can to win because they don't want to have to get a real job.

[VOTER]

North Carolina voters will have more than ONE reason to vote in a new senator but Liddy

has given them a doozy of a reason this time around. : - )

[jkhaff]

Looking forward to seeing you on Meet the Bloggers in a couple of minutes Nico!

Meet the Bloggers: http://meetthebloggers.org

[Graywolf48]

Why is Dole still ahead in the polls by double digits? It would seem that the people of NC are more than happy with her positions and performance. I do hope Kay Hagan achieves victory in November, I think Liddy/Libby needs to spend a lot more time working on Bob's erectile dysfunction problem. But right now with Dole enjoying a comfortable 12% margin, it doesn't seem likely. Perhaps you anti-Dole, NC bloggers need to push away from the keyboard and go outside and help your candidate? A lot.

[AmericanSinceFeb08]

Low Information Voters. The country is full of them !!!!

[nclayla]

Well thanks, graywolf. We wouldn't have ever thought of doing anything without your prodding - we thought we could just vote her out by typing here.

By the ay, as much as I dislike Dole and support Hagan, I think your comments about B0ob Dole's ED are more than kinda shallow.

[HallStyle]

I Mrs Dole has been a "PISS POOR SENATOR" he has done nothing for the citizens of North Carolina. GET HER OUT OF HERE! Kay Hagan for Senate!

[JiminNC]

Anything Liddy can do now to ensure her departure after the election is okay by me. Her time has passed. Kay Hagen for Senate.

[rzan1]

Time to retire, Liddy.

[mrqcguy]

Senator Dole can't even spell stupid. Kay Hagan is gonna kick her rear in November.

[dwillisno1]

When you flip flop on your web page the proper computer jargon term is Flippy Floppy.

[CocteausTwin]

I want this woman to stop "representing" my state, because she seems to do everything but.

[nclayla]

Me too!

[cariintexas]

Well there goes Cape Fear, and what about all the high dollar beach front homes. they gonna be maaaad at you Elizabeth. No more tea and crumpets.

[JiminNC]

We fishing peoples don't care much for it either.

[demfriend]

Funny thing when the wind blows and you are told what to say by someone.... I doubt her state is full of people who want to lose the tourists with the drilling of oil wells off it's coast and how she expects to gain votes by now switching to the GOP mainframe and doing it's speak I think she has made a boo boo. The people of her state no doubt see tourists as a good thing for the economy and if they ruin the coast just to redce gas prices in ten years it seems the sacrifice is beyond belief. But like the wind blows I am sure she is hoping the real drilling will not happen and the price will still come back down. It would seem to get more votes she should like us all, look for the alternate energies for the answer not more drilling. But the paner for votes could sink her this time and she already isn't too secure in having the votes to stay in office.

[TxAggie]

Just exactly how will offshore drilling ruin the tourist industry in North Carolina? The same way it has ruined it in Miss, Ala, La and Texas? Seems to me that tourism is alive and well in thoses states. What will ruin tourisim is a wrecked ecomony where folks can't afford to be tourists.

[TxAggie]

Once more, How will offshore drilling destroy the tourism business in NC?

[johnnygoodwud]

she and her husband both look like cuppie dolls now. pulled the old skin a bit to tight