Barack Obama

McCain visits an oil rig, repeats call for more offshore drilling

Hurricane Dolly blew away John McCain’s planned visit to an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico last month, but the senator made another go at it today. On a Chevron-operated rig 150 miles off the coast of Louisiana, McCain reiterated his call for more offshore drilling and bashed his opponent for not being enthusiastic […]

In either an Obama or McCain adminstration, climate legislation will be back-burnered

Just months ago there was a palpable sense of optimism that no matter who is elected president this November that the U.S. would soon embark on serious climate change legislation. I think recent events have shown that the chances of that happening are slim to none. Let’s start with if McCain is elected. Today the […]

Virginia governor falsely claims Obama shares his support for new coal

Virginia governor Tim Kaine (D) held a Northern Virginia town hall meeting in Prince William County in the Washington, D.C. exurbs as part of his campaign for Barack Obama. The subtext of the town hall (one of a series) is that Kaine is trying to prove his value to Obama so he can get the […]

Energy in the Democratic platform

Here’s a selection from the Democratic platform (PDF), final draft released Friday. What do you think? — New American Energy In the local platform hearings, Americans talked about the importance of energy to the economy, to national security and to the health of our planet. Speaking loud and clear, they said that America needs a […]

Talking with voters in northern Virginia about the environment and the election

This is part of a series of dispatches from Melinda Henneberger, who’s talking to voters around the U.S. about their views on the environment and the election. Reston Town Center. Reston, Va. — If Virginia were a person, it would look a lot like Rod Markham, a federal contractor, retired from the Army, who’s leaning […]

After the tire gauge fiasco, Obama’s counterpunch should equate McCain with Cheney

This post is by ClimateProgress guest blogger Bill Becker, executive director of the Presidential Climate Action Project. —– An old friend of mine used to say that at a certain stage in political campaigns, dead cats start flying through the air. I’ve never understood what he meant by that, but I think the cat-flinging has […]

Media finally tells public about the real roadblock to good energy policy

Holy hot dog hosannas, I don’t believe it! Finally someone in the mainstream media has seen fit to share with the public one of the basic facts necessary to understand the energy politics of the last two years: Senator McCain did not show up for the crucial vote [to extend the renewable tax credits] on […]

The pro- and anti-coal contenders on Obama’s veep shortlist

A commentary on vice presidential prospects by Eric Schaeffer, director of the Environmental Integrity Project, and Frank O’Donnell, president of Clean Air Watch. —– As presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama prepares to make perhaps his most important campaign decision — his choice of a running mate — two governors are said to be on […]

Obama campaign targets McCain’s support of dumping nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama released a new ad over the weekend in Nevada, targeting Republican rival John McCain’s support for dumping nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain. “Imagine trucks hauling the nation’s nuclear waste on our highways to Yucca Mountain,” the ad says. “John McCain supports opening Yucca. He’s not worried about nuclear waste in […]