Top McCain Surrogates Back Obama Energy Idea That GOP Mocked

Republicans have seized on Barack Obama's call for drivers to inflate their tires as a laughable response to the energy crisis. But at least three prominent John McCain supporters have recently agreed with the Democrat on tire efficiency.

While Joe Lieberman may be a recent convert (along with McCain) to the necessity of offshore drilling, the independent senator has long advocated a smarter approach to the nation's tire fleet. Lieberman's own website still features several press releases that treat tire efficiency as a smart idea -- even a critical national security issue.

Nestled within the "Vehicle and Fuel Choices for American Security Act of 2005," which Lieberman introduced in the Senate, section 201 requires the creation of a "national tire fuel efficiency program for tires designed for the use on passenger cars and light trucks."

It doesn't stop there, either. Lieberman is on record going as far back as 2001 touting the significant role tire efficiency can play in any plan to reduce the nation's dependency on foreign oil. In a 2001 press release arguing against exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the Senator said: "Increasing the fuel efficiency of replacement tires for our cars to the same level as those sold on new automobiles will save drivers $90 in fuel costs over the lifetime of the tires and will save the U.S. more than 70 times the amount of oil we might find in the Refuge."

In 2005, another press release referenced the benefits of creating "a tire efficiency program for tires used on light duty vehicles."

Lieberman is not the only McCain supporter who feels that tires are a useful point of leverage in the battle for energy security. As the LA Times reported in June, both California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Florida Governor Charlie Crist have encouraged drivers to keep tires inflated -- even as they disagreed about the value of offshore drilling. Indeed, tire maintenance would appear to be the one energy cause that almost everyone can get behind -- save for McCain's campaign.

So while the Republican National Committee thinks they've found an effective way to lampoon Barack Obama's judgment, it's not clear that the quote they decided to focus on is quite so ridiculous. Still, the Obama camp is wasting no time responding to the notion that the candidate does not have a comprehensive energy plan. On Monday, Obama is set to unveil his "New Energy for America" plan in a speech in Lansing, Michigan. The plan includes a pitch to create five million new "green jobs" and eliminate America's dependence on Middle Eastern oil in 10 years.

Meanwhile, his campaign has released a contrast ad meant to sting McCain for his $2 million in campaign donations from Big Oil.

While the candidate sketches the big picture on energy, Obama spokesperson Linda Douglass told the Huffington Post that his campaign isn't especially concerned about the GOP's tire taunts, noting that Obama's original comment came in response to a town hall questioner. "It's fascinating that every time a consumer asks a question about what he can do while waiting for Washington to act -- which it never does -- Republicans mock the idea," Douglass said.

Comments

[Actionmac]

This seems like bait and slam... mcsad comes up with something that MSM grabs hold to and pushes as mcsads backing O.bama into a corner. After a few days of trying to ridicule O.bama for his position, it's revealed a mcsads camp or party member has/does agrees with O.bama's position. Going back to the crossing the Afghanistan boarder into Pakistan to get bin-Laden to getting out of Iraq in 16 months, and now on energy.

[OilWarsDotCom]

Think about it - There is no "crisis" when it comes to the price of gas - Gas stations are still be built, roads are still being built and no one has noticed any shortage of gasoline. People have decided to invest in oil just like gold and silver and that is what is driving the price. Off shore oil drilling is nonsense - it is the most expensive way to obtain crude and we have just secured Iraq with 115 billion bbls of crude and 112 trillion cu ft of natural gas. There is only 21 billion bbls of crude on and off shore in the USA. There are, however, 2.3 to 3 trillion bbls of oil in the world’s shale and sand. Now that the price of oil is up - it will be profitable to obtain this oil. PS - The US imports nears 25% of its nearly 5 billion bbls of oil each year from CANADA - not the Mid east, not Venezuela - So people need to get a grip - both obama and mccain are full of hot air - Now you know.

[djelimon]

"There is no "crisis" when it comes to the price of gas"

Tell that to the commuters

[pie8ter]

Do you mean the one driving a supersized SUV?

[Actionmac]

I guess you want us to believe that the other LARGER number of 75% is drilled here in the US...

So we really know tell us where does that large bulk of oil, 75%, come from... then we will know the 100% of the story and not just 25% of the story.

OilWars please help us you our only hope...

[jaglon]

The root word of conservative is conserve something the people who call themselves conservatives seem to have forgotten. Mitt Romney says that conservation is a liberal value. The republicans have lost all sense of this. They have wasted our tax dollars, gotten us into horrible debt, and now want to tear apart our country to tap what little oil that may be there. This is conservative? The oil shale they want to extract will use more water then the area that the oil shale is in can supply. Where do you suppose the oil shale producers are going get all that water? Is oil more important then water?

Yes, keeping your tires inflated will help a great deal in saving gas at the pump. The republicans love to make a mokery of things but Obama never proposed this as the soul item in his energy plan he just said that the amount we gain from domestic drilling will probably be the same as if we just inflated our tires to the correct amount. What blow hards.

[JonW]

Liebercain is a joke and everyone knows it. His backing of anything dooms the idea at the outset.
Poor old Joe--from a VP candidate 7 years ago to a faint echo chamber and a--kisser in such a short time!

[nellie]

Good push back. It's all about the facts. And it's true.

[Politicalthinking]

The Republicans mocking inflated tires and giving out tire pumps is a prime example of the difference between the two parties. When I heard Obama mention inflating tires, I thought, "Oh, I forgot about that." and I stopped by the gas station that evening. Because every penny counts and it ALWAYS has, I have been using the "inflation" trick since I was in Grad School, 40 years ago. Those of us on budgets (like Obama has been his entire life) know all those tricks. I'm sure John McCain with his $500-plus Italian $hoes and weathly wife as well as all those other mocking Republican$ don't have to worry about budgets, counting pennies, using coupons, and making their money last through the month. I did and always have. That's why I inflated my tires last week. And, if I were Obama's campaign crew, I would take that issue right back to them. Maybe Obama doesn't mind being mocked but I DO.

[rosal]

I wish I was O's spoke person. I have miles of material to "have fun" with McExxonMobile. The fact on his lack of mental agility, and constant state of confusion, should give everybody pause. Is he really ready to be commander in chief?

[MadMaxQue]

try sending an email to David Ploufe and some of his campaign co-chairs...

[wdw101]

great blow your tires up......drive less......tune your car......buy a new fuel efficient car..use solar power.....use wind power......use sea power....build more refineries......but drill...dr­ill....dri­ll.....

do it all but now

[ndngrrl71]

What would a man who wears $520 shoes know about proper vehicle maintenance. Properly inflated tires on my own vehicle give me a much needed extra 2 miles to the gallon. In simple math terms that even McCain might understand, instead of using 1.25 gallons of gas a day to get to work I use .75. Over the course of a year in which I work 260 days I save 130 gallons of gas, with today's gas prices where I live in California that amounts to $583.70
For people on a budget, who get their tires & oil checked religiously because it makes the difference in what they can afford, this is by no means a laughing matter.
The way McCain just ridiculed it was extremely offensive, because guess what someone of us who can't afford $520 shoes actually live life this way. I'm glad my lifestyle is humorous to Mr. McCain.

[heal57]

McCain would never understand your rationalizing but everyone else does. Just consider the source. He is uncaring and arrogant.

[MargaretO]

Good post. McCain wants to give you about $50 in sales tax relief for the whole summer.

I'll take Barack's plan any day over McCain's.

[RENREVARD]

Do the Republicans think that cutting imported oil by 815,000 barrels is anything to mock?

[wdw101]

yes right first of all.....how do you make everyone inflate their tires.......next I do not believe it would save that many barrels.....

[SirReal1]

Wow! You sure sold me wdw!

I mean, the clarity of your argument, the insight you provide, the overwhelming amount of proof you cite is absolutely persuasive. How could anyone argue with you?

Did you have to think really hard to come up with THAT?

[EricHayes]

On the advice of my mechanic, I increased the pressure in my 1985 Camry's tires from 34 to 40 psi. Previously, I was getting combined city/highway mileage of around 27 mpg (I rarely exceed 55 on the highway). Now I get 31 mpg. Don't tell me it doesn't work.

[Missmn]

From the government's own website on fuel economy:

"You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.4 percent for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires. Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer."

If you figure an average of 15,000 miles per year per person (again, govt. figures) and an average of 25 miles per gallon (arbitrary) then an increase of 3.3 percent would most likely be more than the 815,000 barrels suggested above.

[NYC07]

I guess your also one of those people who think that man never landed on the moon and if you sail to far you'll fall off the Earth.

[SADEE]

Exactly! First, this is old advice that most of us have practiced since we were old enough to drive a car; second, Obama I guess is assuming we didn't know this OR that the majority of drivers are going around with half-inflated tires! He really should give us way more credit than that! Surely, he should at least ASSUME that we as consumers have tried every trick in the book to make our gas go further. The thing we CAN"T do is produce more or control to any degree the price at the pump. Give us something we can really sink our teeth into Obama!!

[ibsteve2u]

Ask yourself:

Would McCain or any other Republican be slandering Obama's common sense suggestion that we should watch our tire pressures if Big Oil had a monopoly on the air that it would take to comply?

(On a side note, what an absolutely horrid thought...Big Oil with a monopoly on air...gad - it would be just like that Schwarzenegger movie "Total Recall" - if we didn't vote the Republican Party line, they'd cut off our air...)

[mergina]

Saw Lieberman on meet the press. What a pitiful specimen. Somehow I believe he only supports mccain for the limelight he is in for now. What a sad sad yeeeccch!

[barackobama4prez]

they think O's energy plan is a joke? JMac can hardly go one day without offering up a gimic or contest.

[macbabe]

O is "serious" about leading this country, this is just a "mud slinging contest" for JM!
... he is getting madder by the day because O doesn't want to throw mud back *tick-tock-- tick-tock --tick tock , he's going to explode sooner or later

[thromulese]

it was a good idea before it was a bad idea.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Fund alternative energy research. Stop givin Exxon tax breaks for r a p i n g the population.