McCain Calls For Renegotiation Of Colorado River Compact, Then Denies He "Advocated" It - Envirowonk

[hatrack]

John McCain, long known for a propensity to speaking his mind that some call straight talk and others call diplomatic gaffes, recently threw a rock at one of the most volatile wasp's nests in the American West - the Colorado River Compact.

McCain was unequivocal in his comments to The Pueblo Chieftain, a newspaper in Pueblo, Colorado: "I don’t think there’s any doubt the major, major issue is water and can be as important as oil. So the compact that is in effect, obviously, needs to be renegotiated over time amongst the interested parties. I think that there’s a movement amongst the governors to try, if not, quote, renegotiate, certainly adjust to the new realities of high growth, of greater demands on a scarcer resource."

EDIT

"Over my cold, dead, political carcass," Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer fumed. "The compact is the only protection Colorado has from several more politically powerful downstream states. Opening it for renegotiation would be the equivalent of a lamb discussing with a pack of wolves what should be on the dinner menu." "I’m really kind of surprised that someone running for president, that needs to carry the state of Colorado would make a statement like that," said John Redifer, a member of the Colorado Water Conservation Board. Rep. John Salazar (D-Colo) said he is "totally disappointed in McCain." Janet Napoletano, the governor of McCain's home state of Arizona, even ripped into the candidate, dismissing McCain as poorly informed.

McCain folded less than a week later, pleading for political mercy in an e-mail to supporters around the West - "Let me be clear that I do not advocate renegotiation of the compact," he said, even though his earlier words came perilously close to advocating just that.

EDIT

http://envirowonk.com/content/view/347/1/

[Bob Dobbs]

1. Age related dementia.

Also know and ignorant, old coot syndrome.

[Wilber_Stool]

2. I bet he has his eye

on the Great Lakes. I'd be worried having some one from Arizona in the White House.

[hunter]

3. Why does McCain hate Arizona?

Or maybe, as President McCain, he is simply going to decree Arizona gets all the water?

Did he forget which houses he owned and where?

Like Ronald Reagan, and big and little boy Bush, McCain is a guy who doesn't always engage his brain before he opens his mouth.

The Republican Party continues on as a march of evil clowns.

[stillcool]

4. McCain will lay down for anyone..

what a whore he is.

[Kolesar]

5. Obama needs a story like this to win the very winnable Colorado

And then we could forget about the "battleground state" of Ohio.

[phantom power]

6. The CRC is headed for trouble.

It's just a question of who's stuck being in charge when the music stops.

[hunter]

7. They could play it like a game of roulette in Las Vegas.

But I don't think we could trust a Las Vegas wheel to be honest. Las Vegas wants that Colorado River Water real bad.

[phantom power]

8. Like all important fights, this one will be fought dirty.