Vilsack: McCain Puts Oil First, Not Country

The Obama campaign and Democratic operatives have been pushing for weeks to paint McCain as a stooge of Big Oil. On Tuesday they tried a new tactic: using the Arizona Republican's own words against him.

Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, on a conference call with reporters, leveled some of the hardest energy policy attacks to have emanated from the Obama team this campaign.

"[McCain] continues to reject bipartisan compromise because it would roll back massive tax breaks for the oil companies," he said. "That is not putting the country first, it is putting the interest of oil companies first."

The former governor looped his comments, which played off of McCain's new motto "Country First," into the current legislative debate. Pointing to the Gang of Ten compromise -- a deal that would open up limited land for off-shore drilling while leveling a windfall profits tax on oil companies, which Obama supports and McCain opposes -- Vilsack spoke of the presumptive Republican nominee as unwilling to back even the most rudimentary tolls on Big Oil.

"We have been talking about our energy problems for 30 years," he concluded. "And John McCain has been in Washington for 26 years. It is now time for someone, Sen. Obama, to put the interest of the country ahead of oil."

Comments

[lboucher]

"“I don’t think John Edwards knows what the heck he is talking about," [when he calls for immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq.] John, if you are completely withdrawn? Are you withdrawn from the region, John? Are you withdrawn from Iraq, John? In what period? So all this stuff is like so much Fluffernutter out there." - Joe Biden

[olderdem]

Its been pretty clear for the last 7-1/2 years that Bushcheney have put big oil ahead of country. McSame sees that approach as a way to the money to get elected -- not much to do with oil, just his ambitions.

[jsinclair]

Good. Thank you, Governor.

(Would someone now please educate that pseudo-Democrat and now- corporate Republican tool, Bill Clinton?)

[CashMurda407]

OBAMA NEEDS TO BE SAYING THIS REGARDLESS OF HOW UNCOMFORTABLE HE IS WITH STATING THE COLD HARD TRUTHS ABOUT THE REAL JOHN McCAIN! STOP SUGAR-COATING YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT A MAN WHO WEEK IN AND WEEK OUT CALLS YOU A TRAITOR TO YOUR COUNTRY!

[CharlesJ]

Obama also needs to realize that attacking with facts is not jumping into the gutter and mud slinging of past elections. Attacking based upon false, misleading, incomplete or inaccurate informantion that can not be proven is truly gutter politics. When you learn and know the difference attack and be forceful. It is always better to be on the offensive end than the defensive end.

[luckyinnc]

What bipartisan compomise is he referring to? Maybe he should ask Pelosi about that.

[PJay1]

All right! That's what we're talkin about!

Say it loud, say it often.

Thank you, Governor Vilsack!

[Paul Peete - Huffpost Blogger]

Big Oil has been subsidized by the McCains of the right for all time. It is time to look at alternatives to it before they wreck this country completely. 700 Billion a year out the door. Is this any way to run an airline? Yes, if its running it into the ground!

[CindyM2008]

We need more Vilsaks in the Dem party speaking out like this.

[roshni]

Brilliant - tell it like it is, unlike Bill friggin' Clinton.

[barackobama4prez]

Oh, and Thanks Vil sack.

[mindact]

this is the most effective attack coming from the democrats in months.... I read it and it struck a cord in me. now everybody needs to be on message over the next week and hammer him on this....

[barackobama4prez]

I'm still depressed. I know i need to get over it. But my candidate is working hard to win and he keeps getting trashed. Good lord i can't wait until Nov.

[addisonsteele]

As Thomas Jefferson said: "Merchants have no country. The mere spot they stand on does not constitute so strong an attachment as that from which they draw their gains."

[ReelBusy]

Drill Now!
Do It Live!
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!

[GetReal08]

Now that is funny !

[Makesense]

Why is Obama not saying this? He is allowing McCain to define him and it makes my blood boIL. Where is the Obama we voted for in the primaries? I cannot recorgnize the new Obama who is not effective in punches or counterpunches anymore. Hope Obama presses the restart button on his campaign because I am not happy with the way he is allowing McCain to have an argument when he should actually be on the defensive on his Bush-like policies and politics.

[kristycu]

um Obama has said this at least 2 to three times and he has an add out- his adds don't play in every state and when Obama did say thing they did not play it over and over and over. like they do when Mccain says something about obama- as A matter of fact Vilsack got that line from Obama- How do you, Were do you think he got if from- and hello His surrogates are supposed to be sticking up for their candidate that is there purpose becaus he can't be every where- as a matter of fact this was in one of Obama's speeches before he went to visit his family- like i said earlier- he started that line I think- he said it in a speech to one of those union the day after mccain spoke their