Obama said that we “have to have an energy policy to deal with not just Russia” but with other not-so-friendly regimes. He also said the United States should increase “domestic production, and yes, offshore drilling … but we only have 3 percent of the world’s oil .. we can’t drill our way out of the problem.”
Obama said that our plan should include “wind, solar, yes, nuclear, clean-coal” and hit on McCain for voting against renewables numerous times over his 26 years in office. He also noted that these energy sources “deal with the issue of climate change which is so important.”
McCain argued that Obama can’t say he’s for nuclear, because he’s “against reprocessing and storing” waste. Obama says that’s not true: “I have never said that I object to nuclear waste. What I’ve said is I have concerns about safe storage.”
McCain also argued that one of the solutions to energy concerns should be more drilling: “Offshore drilling is also something that’s very important, but it’s a bridge … it will help temporarily help relieve our energy problems.” But economists, the Energy Information Administration, and the American Petroleum Institute all say that any effects are at least 10 years out. That’s one long bridge.
