Oil Industry Likes Obama -- But They Love McCain

Open Secrets:

Much has been made of Barack Obama's TV ad this week that accuses John McCain of being "in the pocket" of the oil industry, and yesterday the Democratic Party launched a website pairing McCain and Exxon Mobil as running-mates. While McCain has raised considerably more money from this unpopular industry, CRP was surprised to notice that it's actually Obama who has received more from the pockets of employees at several of Big Oil's biggest and most recognizable companies. Tallying contributions by employees in the industry and their families, we found that Exxon, Chevron and BP have all contributed more money to Obama than to McCain.

Through June, Exxon employees have given Obama $42,100 to McCain's $35,166. Chevron favors Obama $35,157 to $28,500, and Obama edges out McCain with BP $16,046 vs. $11,500. McCain leads the money race with nearly every other top giver in the oil and gas industry, though -- Koch Industries, Valero, Marathon Oil, Occidental Petroleum, ConocoPhillips, the list goes on. (You can see detail on all these companies in the spreadsheet linked below.) McCain also has a big edge with Hess Corp. -- $91,000 to Obama's $8,000 -- which has gotten some attention. And, overall, McCain's campaign has gotten three times more money from the industry than Obama's has -- $1.3 million compared to about $394,000.

Read the whole story: Open Secrets

Comments

[notthistime]

actually this post is false. Please see facts presented below.

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/08/08/goldfarb-big-oil-lie/

[ranchosx]

this is so dishonest. I work for a huge bank and have given money to Obama. Using this logic the finance industry is giving to Obama. Let's stick to lobbyists

[steamboat]

Can I hear everybodies take on Obama saying he wants to take money out of Exxon-Mobil and a couple of other oil companies and give every American a $1000?

My take: Its a gimmick because its illegal. Hey, tax the companies more, but you just can't go in and strong-arm. Plus, its as if you had the best lawn-mower service around , where as the rest of us didn't, therefore you have to give us some of your money.

Finally, everybody look at your 401K's? See how much stock is involved? Do you really want that jeopardized? .....Do you know how your 'pension fund' where you work is invested. My sister (a teacher) found out about her state's teachers fund..Lots and lots of the investment in stocks, including the energy giants.

[rollingdivision]

I'm waiting the him to define his criteria for "windfall" profits. If it's the 8 percent margin on sales the oil industry is earning there are lots more companies which he should be windfall profit taxing. This is the stupidest energy policy anyone could come up with. His policy will decrease domestic energy production and increase imports helping the enemies of the US like Iran and Venezuela. Not to mention our not so good friends in other oil rich countries. Oh it will sound good to the rubes, windfall profit tax redistributed to the taxpayers since the rubes can't figure out all the taxes will be paid by them.

[naschkatze]

I am really disappointed in HuffPo for this misleading headline. You make Obama out to be more vile than McCain and it is false. The headline should be that Obama gets more money from individuals who work for the oil industry but McCain gets it from the top brass.

[steamboat]

Do you really know that for sure? Show the stats (evidence)?

[bygollymissmolly]

HP, it's time you change your totally misleading headline on this article. It should say "Exxon Mobil EMPLOYEES donated more money to O'bama than to Mc'Cain. There's a big difference between individual people donating to a campaign and PACS and Lobbyists donating to a campaign. I sincerely doubt that Exxon Mobil's actions are influenced by it's employees.

The fact is that O'bama gets most of his money from individuals and Mc'Cain gets most of his money from PACS, Lobbyists and bundlers.

[AnotherToerag]

Ding Ding Ding!
We have a winner!
This isn't the first time I've heard about such and such huge oil company donated more to Obama, and never is it pointed out that it's donations from individuals that work and the given company, not the company itself.

[sandiaview]

Open Secret should be the big lie on the Open Secret headline! McCain is their man by a mile!

[Killjoy]

So that means that since we all use or buy oil and we donate to Obama and McHuH campeign..­we are all guilty?

[ATruthBeKnown]

The Opensecrets site misrepresent the data plain and simple. To be fair I collected Republican support and Democratic support regardless of where it came from. This seems to be the MOST fair approach and eliminates the game playing. The real numbers from BIG OIL by party from the Opensecrets data are:

Republicans: $6,601,197

Democrats: $2,241,686

Bottom line: The oil industry (all methods of donations) favor the Republicans 3:1 to the Democrats. The gap is 4:1 if you open up the time period beyond the Opensecrets data. This writer only picked one of 45 lines to compare and then implied the whole industry went that way.

[Noratruth]

everyone is an employee somewhere, just because someone makes an individual contribution doesn't mean they represent the entire corporation. I work for a health insurance company, so if I donate money to the Obama campaign does it mean my company is contributing money to him or supporting him? I don't think so...

[rollingdivision]

From the Federal Election Commission on July 29, 2008, reports CRP: "Through June, Exxon employees have given Obama $42,100 to McCain's $35,166. Chevron favors Obama $35,157 to $28,500, and Obama edges out McCain with BP $16,046 vs. $11,500."

If Obama is so bent on reducing our dependence on oil and thinks large oil companies are so evil, why is he accepting any money from them to begin with? Just a thought.

[bygollymissmolly]

Because Exxon's employees are individual people who are free to donate to whomever they wish. So you think if you were working for Exxon as a secretary, you think that O'bama should not accept your contribution. I seriously doubt that Exxon is at all influenced by what it's employees want. And O'bama is not influenced by what his individual contributors want. That was evidenced by how he voted on the FISA bill.

The only thing these statistics show is that O'bama gets more individual contributions from people than Mc'Cain does.

[rollingdivision]

Doesn't this work both ways? So, why the issue of the fact that more individuals who happen to work in the oil industry gave to McCain.

[dadw5boys]

Lets see if I got this strainght !!!!!!

The More Oil Companys give to Mc Cain , check!!!!!!

The Majority of 3 Oil Company 's Employees give to Obama, check !!!!

Now that is what the story said but they made it confusing to read!!!!!!

[rollingdivision]

No you don't have this straight, oil companies do not and did not make donations to political candidates.

[bygollymissmolly]

No, their PACs (political action committees) and Lobbyists and Bundlers give money to political candidates.

Where do you think that most of the 1.3 million dollars Mc'Cain has received from the oil industry has come from. It sure isn't coming from individual employees.

[savertime]

You're so wrong.

[JBoy]

Interesting that the same database shows Obama being supported by trial lawyers. That's a lot scarier than big oil.

[bygollymissmolly]

I would rather have a trial lawyer at my back than an oil company with their hand in my pocket.

[bwither]

The real story is that John McCain's money roll-in from Big Oil is 3-times that of Obama's, and has surged since he flipped on offshore drilling.

3 times more from big oil than Obama, in a campaign that has raised about 40% what Obama has raised. The level of influence is clear.

[alamacTHC]

I just read this on Think Progress:

McCain leads the money race with nearly every other top giver in the oil and gas industry, though — Koch Industries, Valero, Marathon Oil, Occidental Petroleum, ConocoPhillips, the list goes on. (You can see detail on all these companies in the spreadsheet linked below.) McCain also has a big edge with Hess Corp. — $91,000 to Obama’s $8,000 — which has gotten some attention. And, overall, McCain’s campaign has gotten three times more money from the industry than Obama’s has — $1.3 million compared to about $394,000.

Makes more sense to me...

[Phil123]

Of course "Big Oil" is pulling for Obama.

Obama's ridiculous plans will keep oil prices sky high. Oil companies won't actually have to do any new hard work (drilling, exploration, etc.) to reap huge profits. The huge profits will follow directly from the huge revenues that are a direct consequence of huge gasoline prices.

Go Obama!

[bygollymissmolly]

What ridiculous plans of O'bamas will keep the price of oil sky high? Working towards renewable and clean energy? How about subsidizing you and me for the price gouging that has been going on.

Your Republican fear and envy are showing. You need to get a handle on them before November 3 or you are going to be in a lot of trouble.