GOP tries dinging Obama on drilling but...

[babylonsister]

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/08/obama_shifts_on_offshore_drill.html

GOP tries dinging Obama on drilling but...
Posted August 2, 2008 1:25 PM
The Swamp

by Frank James


The Republican National Committee wants to portray Sen. Barack Obama as a flip flopper because he has shifted his position on off-shore oil drilling from being against it absolutely to now being willing to permit drilling so long as certain conditions are met, for instance, it comes as part of a comprehensive drilling plan.

There only seems to be one problem with the RNC tack. Sen. John McCain also changed his mind about off-shore drilling going from anti to pro.

That seeming difficulty didn't appear to slow down the RNC however. "Obama Vs. Obama On Offshore Drilling" was the headline on an opposition research piece they e-mailed out and put up in their website.

Other choice phrases from the RNC's piece:

Obama Admits He Could Support Offshore Drilling, Despite Calling It A Scheme... In An Interview With The Palm Beach Post, Obama Said He Would Support Offshore Drilling... But Obama Has Vehemently Opposed And Derided Offshore Drilling...Just A Few Days Ago, Obama Called Offshore Drilling A "Scheme."

This would probably be an effective line of attack under different circumstances. But when your own candidate has had a similar change of heart, it seems like that would really weaken your argument since all Obama and his team need to do is show that McCain had a similar shift, thus neutralizing the attack.

[TwilightGardener]

1. That's what I said--the risk of being labeled a flip-flopper was pretty small, but

his shift on the position steals McShithead's thunder on the ONE issue the GOP seemed to have going for them in terms of public approval. Good strategy--and no, there's no new drilling imminent, for all those purists who are screeching about how we just lost our beaches, or whatever. If Obama is President, and we have more Dems in Congress, there's plenty of time and more power to "refine" the offshore position.

[babylonsister]

2. Yes, Obama hasn't promised to do anything concrete, but taking

the wind out of McGrumpy's sails was a brilliant move. Kind of squashes the conversation. Bet the rethugs are 'bitter' now.

[glowing]

3. What I think is different than McCain completely flip-flopping and then

seeing his contributions from oil companies increase by 1.1 million.. than Obama saying, look I want to do something and we have a bi-partisan committee working together to come up with a sollution that would ahllow us to start helping people see immediate relief now.. and that includes getting rid of speculation, opening the oil reserves, and offering a "enegy" stimulus into the economy.. meanwhile looking to the future and moving automakers to "greener" cars and increasing our usage of solar and wind alternatives. His statement sounds very eloquent, thought out, and inherently interested in the people that a bill would help immediately. Right now there is a hold out on the hill. The dems and the repigs aren't budging and they are now on break for 5 weeks. McCain completely flip-flopped and used it as an attack.. he did not specify looking to breaking our oil dependence... just the same old line, drill, drill, drill. AND we do realize that we cannot drill ourselves out of this mess and its about time we move off of oil anyways because the world is passing us in technology and innovation.. we must compete for the sake of our nation.. Oil is not the thing the world wants to run on any longer.

[donco6]

5. Wasn't this one of the issues that earned McCain the . . .

"Maverick" label? Is he going to have an official retirement party for that?

[Barack_America]

4. Another difference, Obama hasn't changed what he thinks about offshore drilling...

He still recognizes that it's not the solution. It's not what he wants, but he's not going to allow his opposition to hold up legislation either.

McCain, once against it, now touts it as the best thing since sliced bread.

Once "flip flop" will resonate well with American voters, one will not. I'll let you decide which is which.