McCain Offshore Drilling Battle Reminiscent Of Iraq Surge, Aide Says

An aide to John McCain synthesized the Senator's two favorite topics into one political thesis today: his support for off-shore drilling and his policy proposals on Iraq.

"This is the domestic policy equivalent of the surge," said Nancy Pfotenhauer, "you have Sen. McCain looking at a situation, seeing the Congress not willing to solve a problem and calling for a change of policy... Then you have Sen. Obama who has an ironclad unwillingness because he won't risk alienating his political base."

Clearly, the McCain campaign is going to great efforts to paint the Senator as a "High Noon" type: the principled antagonist in ideological fights. But it's hard not to consider Pfotenhauer -- whose comments came during a conference call with bloggers -- in the context of McCain's history on offshore drilling. Three weeks before he began advocating the benefits of the policy, he told a town hall gathering that it would provide no short-term relief. Moreover, every reasonable economist - including many on McCain's list of endorsers - doesn't believe offshore drilling will have an immediate affect on gas prices.

Nevertheless, it is quite evident that McCain and his aides see energy as a key issue around which the election will be decided. By comparing his call for off-shore drilling to his advocacy of the surge his aides are deliberately attempting to raise the stakes of the debate.

Later in the conference call, Pfotenhauer was asked whether, in McCain's devotion to achieving energy independence, he would move to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

"I have heard nothing that would make me believe that he is," she replied. "Sen. McCain has, throughout his life and public career, been a well-known conservationist. He happens to believe there is a reason the word refuge is in ANWR's name. And he doesn't believe at this time that drilling in ANWR is necessary. There are 20 billion barrels off the gulf, 15 billion off Alaska... there is a lot we can access which would send an immediate and direct signal to the international community that we can handle our supply problems and we can get control over our supply problems rather than be at the mercy of OPEC countries."

Comments

[urojen]

It is the most foolish policy statement one has ever made.The American public is smarter than what McCain takes them to be.It does not require an economist to realize the off shore drilling is not going to make any dent in the current gas price.First of all it is years away even if we start drilling today.We have no refinery capacity to deal with any additional oil production.And finally if we do are successful in producing oil,as the world demand surges,and countries like China and India willing to offer a better price,who do you think is going to get our oil in a global market?! Does any one think the oil companies would sell to Americans for a lower price as a mark of their patriotism!I agree McCain is right to call it surge.In his vehement support of surge he refuses to acknowledge the complexities of the situation in Iraq (may be he does not understand) and still wants us to believe that the surge was the only reason for the fragile peace in Iraq.His policy of advocating and simple and naive approach to a serious problems is not just dangerous and calls into question his understanding of either the economy or international conflicts.

[neocon666]

And McCain also says he "knows how to win wars" -apparently know one told him that you have to capture the enemy, not the other way around.

[neocon666]

It's the Enron loophole, courtesy Dick Cheney, that's responisible for the speculation resulting in $4 a gallon gas, and it's been stated in committee that closing it would result in an IMMEDIATE 25% drop in the price of oil, which would then continue to fall by as much as 50%.

I'd love to hear any spin you republicans out there have.

[gvc]

McC on Wolf Blitzer today: "A *timetable* of 16 months is reasonable because the surge worked."

[Birdman]

McCain cannot claim the surge worked, simply because there was not a paralell situation where no surge was used. About the best he can claim is that things are a little beter now this could be due to the surge or it could be due to the hot weather. Now if McCain has gone out and interviewed the insurgents and they specifically told him they have reduced thier fiighting due to the surge then fine. Alao if his statements were corrct they would be fighthing more where the troops are not and they are not so he cannot claim that it worked or didn't work he has no objective proof. It is more likely that they are tired, have less resources, and or it is just plain hot.

[Totto]

If about thirty percent of the price of oil is speculation, and it takes about a decade to bring an oil well to production, wouldn't reducing speculation more immediately affect the price of oil? What happens when we've used up all the easily available petroleum and we still need lubricants? Rudolph Diesel designed the "diesel" engine to run on peanut oil. Sen. Quick Fix only cares about the White House.

[Viper]

You dont fix the long term when people are out of work. When cold and hiungry, they will kiss the environment good by...

77% favor offshore drilling. 5-10 years is near term.

As oil went up in price the use of Coal has exploeded... and CO2 levels are going up not down accordingly. Yes MASSIVE wind and solar programs.

Not enough Peanuts! A Gallon of peanut oil is like 12 bucks. 85/15 diesel is wondeful however. Rubs smoother and cleaner.. no smoke... and todays diesels run it just fine... now try to find some!

Regards

[keepemhonest]

Viper, You're so right. Big Oil companies should drill on the 68 Million US Acres this government has already given them.

Drill with the 68 million US acres you have Bush/Cheney et al.

[LiberTLover]

And the idiot s on parade just keep coming.

[AFPISCES]

Hey guys. Maybe the reason he keeps harping on the surge is because it's his last clear memory! Though he obviously only remembers the incident and not exactly when it happened! Of course he seems to have forgotten that not too long ago, he was against drilling period!

[nonconformist2]

Do you think he's "accidentally" referring to the "surge" from World W.ar One? When he was a youngster.

[MaryanneAZ]

Of course, just a few short months ago, and all during his long tenure in the Senate, McCain himself was against offshore drilling. This plan is synonymous with the gas tax holiday gimmick. Low information voters latch on to the idea of sticking a big straw in the nearest ocean floor and pulling out all the oil we will need to go back to the good old days of inexpensive gasoline. Of course, they do not remember that big oil companies are not going to lower prices or even necessarily sell that oil to the U.S. The gimmick does sound good and sadly many people are buying it. Hopefully, the Obama campaign will be able to educate the public about the truth of this pathetic roust of the gullible American public. Obama '08

[scorpioleidy]

I just found this little nugget on Firstread (authored by "So Ken") ... it's brilliant!

A bank is being robbed, and the thieves are not succeeding as they would like. One of the robbers realizes that more guns would increase the chances for success of the robbery. More hired guns arrive and things go more smoothly. Has the robbery been transformed into a good idea, or is it still a crime?

[keepemhonest]

scor --- SCORE!!!! Your post is priceless.

[research]

More Iraiqi died during the surge

and more are dying now then before the surge.

check May's numbers.

[generaldelivery]

Every time McCain opens his mouth, every sentence has a noun, a verb and "the surge".

[masha2008]

noun, verb, the surge.

[masha2008]

the surge: apply directly to your forehead. the surge: apply directly to your forehead. the surge: apply directly to your forehead.

[AllenD]

Great, now Ghouliani has a soulmate. Ghouliani has a noun, a verb and "9-11" in every sentence. Now Gramps McCain will have a noun, a verb and "surge" in every sentence. Speaking of which, I feel a surge in my bowels. I hope they have the George W. Bush sewage treatement plant ready for it.

[nellie]

"Then you have Sen. O bama who has an ironclad unwillingness because he won't risk alienating his political base.""

Excuse me? FISA? If O bama has shown us anything since he won the nomination, it's that his personal convictions and goals do not keep him from alienating his base.