Obama revises course on oil reserve

"In 2005, for example, Obama suggested that the president should use that authority [to release oil] only in the case of a "cataclysmic event."

2005??? How about a month ago? From June 7, 2008, BHO's remarks in St. Louis:

"I do not believe that we should use the strategic oil reserves at this point. I have said and, in fact, supported a congressional resolution that said that we should suspend putting more oil into the strategic oil reserve, but the strategic oil reserve, I think, has to be reserved for a genuine emergency. You have a situation, let's say, where there was a major oil facility in Saudi Arabia that was destroyed as a consequence of terrorist acts, and you suddenly had huge amounts of oil taken out of the world market, we wouldn't just be seeing $4-a-gallon oil. We could see a situation where entire sectors of the country had no oil to function at all. And that's what the strategic oil reserve has to be for."

It's almost not worth the effort trying to find out what proposals BHO has, because whatever he says today, he'll say the opposite a week later.

"Flip flopping you can believe in."

Finally a plan with some meat on it.

I agree with Obama. AMERICANS need additional oil NOW. Yet the Repugnantcans are offering a plan that will only increase oil production by 7% TEN YEARS into the future. This is MADNESS!!

If it's available, then we as Americans should have it. This is the best SHORT TERM solution. Repugnantcans should tell us a BETTER short term solution and tell the American people WHY they won't allow access to OUR reserves. Americans should DEMAND this answer.

Barack Said;

"The doubling of oil prices in the past year is crisis for millions of Americans," said spokesman Nick Shapiro. "And the transfer of wealth to oil producing countries, many of them hostile to our interests, is a threat to our national security."

As usual, RIGHT ON!!!

OBAMA IN 2008 !!!!

When situations change, solutions much change. We've had 7 years of a man unwilling to change his mind, look what that's gotten us.

Seems like there is a flip flop a day, a position change a day for ole Obama.
Media creation, unqualified to be president, not another kind of politician but the same ole thing.
Really, Obama is giving whole new meaning to the word "change!"

Of course he revised course. He saw his poll numbers! How many is that in the past week? There's drilling, reserves and let's not forget my favorite! Asking to seat FL and Michigan, only AFTER he wins the nomination. What happened to all that bleating about playing by the rules?

Then again, according to the seat on his plan, he's already president... the election is merely a formality. (See CBS news item (with great photo!): http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/08/03/politics/fromtheroad/entry4317827.shtml

It's almost not worth the effort trying to find out what proposals BHO has, because whatever he says today, he'll say the opposite a week later.
Flip flopping you can believe in."

Posted by: Bruce | August 4, 2008 3:56 PM

Obama didn't say all drilling would be fine. He is NOT advocating what the rightwing lunitic fringe (McCain) is advocating, he mentioned it as part of an overall energy plan. AND he mentioned big oil companies drilling on the 68 million acres they already have under contract, not giving big oil companies new contracts like the Republic Party want's to do.
Get your rightwing talking points straight, Bruce.
Oh, that's right, the Wingnuts don't deal in fact, only innuendo.
.

Am I in the Twilight Zone or have all these McCain fans forgotten that he was vehemently against off shore drilling until a month or so ago?

My goodness.

A rapidly failing economy requires that our candidates not be dogmatic about economics-affecting positions. The flip-flop terminology baloney hurts all Americans, because it keeps our candidates from making wise course corrections.

On June 7th Obama said that only a terrorist attack catastrophe would cause him to tap the reserves.

What "catastrophe" has occurred since July 7th for Obama to reverse his position?

We all know the answer. The "catastrophe" is Obama falling behind in the polls.

With Bill Clinton, at least some style went into the lying. BHO's not even a good liar.

Seems like there is a flip flop a day, a position change a day for ole Obama.Media creation, unqualified to be president, not another kind of politician but the same ole thing.Really, Obama is giving whole new meaning to the word "change!"

Posted by: John D | August 4, 2008 4:20 PM

You want to talk about flip-flopping Lil Johnny?

This is just a small sample of what real flip-flopping looks like:

*McCain on tax cuts*...

In 2001, McCain voted against Bush's tax cuts, saying "I cannot in good conscience support a tax cut in which so many of the benefits go to the most fortunate among us, at the expense of middle-class Americans who most need tax relief." He also voted against additional tax cuts in 2003, later saying that "I just thought it was too tilted to the wealthy, and I still do."
TODAY - McCain wants to make those Bush's tax cuts for the rich permanent.

*McCain on immigration*...

In 2005, McCain supported comprehensive immigration reform, which included a pathway to citizenship.
NOW - McCain claims that "if his original proposal came to a vote on the Senate floor, he would not vote for it."

*McCain on abortion and Roe v. Wade*...

In 1999, McCain said that he would not support overturning Roe v. Wade "in the short term, or even the long term," because that would "force X number of women in America" to undergo "illegal and dangerous operations."
TODAY - McCain is campaigning to overturn Roe v. Wade.

*On McCain's revisionist history regarding Donald Rumsfeld*...

In 2004, McCain refused to call for Rumsfeld's resignation, saying that Bush "can have the team around him that he wants around him." In 2006, retired generals called for Rumseld's resignation, but McCain did not.
NOW - while running for president, McCain has claimed that "I’m the only one that said that Rumsfeld had to go."

*McCain on torture*...

McCain has traditionally been against torture, citing his experience as a POW for his decision.
NOW - McCain voted last month "against a bill that would require the Central Intelligence Agency to abide by the restrictions on interrogating prisoners outlined in the Army Field Manual."

Ever since McCain started running for President he has missed more votes in the Senate than any other Senator and when he has shown up to vote he has voted in lockstep with the Bush neocon agenda:
-
*McCain voted with Bush*
2005: 89%
2006: 90%
2007: 95%
2008: 100%

With Bill Clinton, at least some style went into the lying. BHO's not even a good liar.

Posted by: Bruce | August 4, 2008 5:06 PM

You might want to check some of those pesky facts that you never bother to use before you post next time, Brucey:

Polls this early aren't worth the paper they're written on, I didn't believe the ones showing Obama leading and I don't believe the ones showing McCain leading. I'll start paying attention to polls in October.

McCain has accepted over $1 million from the oil and gas industry. Many of McCain's top advisers have lobbied for big oil, which is why he now acts in their best interests, opposing environmental legislation and alternative energy plans.

McCain is desperate to distance himself from Bush. But according to the Center for American Progress Action Fund, McCain has received millions in donations from the same oil, coal, nuclear, chemical, utility, and auto companies that helped the Bush administration create its energy planā€”a plan that has raised gasoline to $4 a gallon.
-
http://bravenewfilms.org/blog/42047-the-real-mccain-big-oil-fuels-the-straight-talk-express
.

On June 7th Obama said that only a terrorist attack catastrophe would cause him to tap the reserves.

What "catastrophe" has occurred since July 7th for Obama to reverse his position?

Posted by: Bruce | August 4, 2008 5:06 PM

Bruce,
Quit being so afraid. Bush, McCain and Rove have made all of you Repuglicans scared of you're own shadows.

For brevity's sake, the Tribune should begin a front page box titled: "Today's Obama Flip Flops." Trouble is, there might not be room for any other news.

Bob, let's see who said that first. I'm sure it is not original to Obam.

Paul, in case you haven't noticed positions have not changed. We have been in this same predictament for the past several years. So you can't say that Obam is revising his plans because the situation regarding oil changed. Where have you been.

Bruce, the catastrophy was that Obam made it back from Europe.

John E, at least McCain lets a few years go between changing his strategies. Obam changes from one day to the next. There is something to be said about Obam changing so often. Like he does not have any idea what he is talking about.

Welcom aboard BO (except the strategic reserve piece) - not that anybody believes BO would follow-thru on drilling.

"Obama believes that the doubling of oil prices in the past year is crisis for millions of Americans," said spokesman Nick Shapiro. "And the transfer of wealth to oil producing countries, many of them hostile to our interests, is a threat to our national security." ~ C.P.

DUDES, STUPID A** DJANGO HAS BEEN SAYING THIS FOR MONTHS!
How is it that I can recognize this Crap, but it takes 3 Epiphanies for the great Obama to come to this conclusion. I'm not that damn smart but THIS guy is '
TOTALLY CLUELESS.

This one time, America HAS GOT TO SMELL SOME COFFEE.

Let me get this straight...our government is buying oil, up till late, and then...puts it back into THE GROUND. For crying out loud LET'S DRILL THE RESERVES.

And I'm sick to death of this 'flip-flop' thing that everyone drops every time one of these candidates turns around. The horse has died, been beaten, and has decomposed beyond being a useful metaphor. So here's my personal list of trite, over-used, hackneyed phrases:

1. flip-flop
2. Kool-Aid
3. Wake up
4. empty suit
5. Hitler
6. SMELL THE COFFEE
7. drive-by

John McCain has received two million dollars from the oil industry, and now he want to give them a four Billion dollars tax break, when they are raking- in record profits on the shoulders of America. So, John McCain said, ā€œOur dangerous dependence on foreign oil has been thirty years in the making, and was caused by the failure of politicians in Washington to think long-term about the future of the country.ā€ What John McCain neglected to mention was that during those thirty years, he was in Washington for twenty-six of them. And in all that time, he did little to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Not to mention, that out of the last twenty eight years, twenty of those years, our nation energy policies were manipulated by an oil man in the Whitehouse representing his party interest (George Sr.12 years. George Jr.8 years) that have all but destroyed our Country.
Here is some straight talk. When John McCain was running in the Republican primary he never mention or addressed anything about this nation energy problems. After the primary, he saw that Barack Obama energy position along with his other ideas was getting footage so he flip-flopped, and quickly turned into Mitt Romney. The Straight Talk express at its best. Although Jack Cafferty is one of my favorite reporters in the media today, they are wrong! So here my question to you: Why do Jack Cafferty and others in the news media find it so amusing to report on Barack Obama supposedly flip-flopping and gaffes, when John McCain have twisted on more issues to have started a tornado with his silly shenanigans, then any Politician in recent history beside Mitt Romney, not to mention his long list of gaffes. Yet, they fail to give equal negative coverage. Can I be sensing media bias? After all, Barack Obama has received 72% negative coverage, when they have reported on him. WHY? America has to stop acting like they don't know the difference between right and wrong. Thus, John McCain campaign is represented by lies instead of real ideas!
Finally, there are those who say that John McCainā€™s new ad depicts Barack Obama as trying to present himself as a messiah, well I beg to differ. I believe that John McCain new ad tries to depict Barack Obama as being as old as Moses, when John McCain himself is old enough to have been Moses childhood buddy!

Get your rightwing talking points straight, Bruce.
Oh, that's right, the Wingnuts don't deal in fact, only innuendo.
.

Posted by: John E | August 4, 2008 4:47 PM

AND

Get your rightwing lunitic fringe talking points straight.
Oh, that's right, you nuts don't deal in fact, only innuendo. You voted for Bush twice, I think that pretty much sums up your "knowledge" of the issues in a nut shell.

Posted by: John E | August 4, 2008 4:06 PM

John E,
This is the EXACT same thing that you plastered me with earlier today. I thought that I was special, but now you are calling Bruce a Wingnut too because he thinks the Obama guy is a Flip-Flopper. Why would Bruce ever think that.

I'm classified as a Wingnut because I fully understand the democrats Wealth Re-organization and Re-distribution Tax code scheme. So, you had to remove my name and inserted Bruce's. This is so Not Right. I thought Django was special. Guess not. It's ' Like That '. Well, o.k., just please be sure to capitalize the W.

Your Wingnut So-and-So, I guess, in the Free Republic of Texas

...
6. SMELL THE COFFEE

Posted by: DD | August 4, 2008 11:42 PM

It's ' SMELL SOME COFFEE '. It could be the Starbucks brand of swill. Really don't care. If the Obama guy doesn't drink coffee, maybe A COLD SHOWER would do him some good. Whatever.

Are democrats capable of long division. This wasteful, evil country REQUIRES 22 Million Barrels per day of oil. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve has 700 - 750 Million Barrels of oil. Whatever.

ENEMIES OF AMERICA would like nothing better than for us to have a bunch of inept politicians, like Obama, Pelosi and Reid, pushing us to squander our strategic oil reserves ... so that if they close the straights of Hormuz, we wouldn't have any emergency oil to use. Are these the kind of leaders you want to protect us, and keep America strong? The liberal's idea of globalization only works when the countries they are pandering to either meet us half way, or abandon their goals to destroy us. In additionl, we donā€™t even know if the ā€˜other thingsā€™ that are supposed to bring us alternative energy will be cost effective, or even work. However, I agree that we must move forward with development of alternative energy ASAP ā€¦ but, in the meantime, this entire country runs on oil. And, Iā€™m not just talking about us consumers at the pump, Iā€™m talking about how everything we use, eat, wear, etc. ā€¦ how it all gets to market, and eventually to us. We have to drill more, if even as a transition until alternate fuels are developed, But, aside from the cost at the pump for consumers, the bigger issue still is our national security. Drilling oil on our own land insures us energy independence, which will stop us from total dependence on countries who donā€™t like us ā€¦ and from countries weā€™ve been sending tens of billions of dollars to every year. We must drill ASAP. The politicians who tell you different are simply placing petty party politics above the prosperity and security of America. Obamaā€™s policies are just one example of what can happen when a bunch of inexperienced, but exuberant followers blindly follow an inexperienced, incompetent charismatic leader, who thinks heā€™s the second coming, off the cliff. Hunger is not enough of a justification to eat the goose that lays the golden eggs ā€¦ or, eventually everyone will starve. If Obama, with his socialistic redistribution of wealth scams wins, America will turn into a third world country, with massive company closures and unemployment, within a few years.
Elect a man who truly loves America, and will protect her ... elect Senator John McCain in November.