For all of my enthusiastic, energy policy oriented readers, take a peek at this recent item from the Wall Street Journal. It recognizes, as I have been hammering on repeatedly, that the American public has been experiencing a sea change on domestic energy production. Gary Hart, acting in his capacity as an avid Obama supporter, had some remarkable things to say.
Even the Obama campaign, stung by a new John McCain commercial that contrasts his celebrity cult status in Europe with his refusal to address high gas prices at home, may be in motion. Former Sen. Gary Hart, an Obama surrogate, told the Denver Post that the gas price issue is a top concern of voters. He said it was possible that Senator Obama would back offshore domestic drilling if it were part of a much larger package that focused on clean energy and conservation. But the Obama campaign still insists that the Senator views calls for offshore drilling as a distraction from the real energy debate.
I would love to welcome Senator Obama onboard the energy train, but I frankly don’t see how that works for him. On this issue he may be caught in a trap of his own construction. Too much of his base is opposed to domestic drilling based on long held environmental concerns. This would be seen as another betrayal by those already sulking over his change of heart on FISA and gun control, among other items. His detractors would hit him immediately with the “yet another flip flop” charge. Reading the “part of a much larger package that focused on clean energy and conservation” portion looks like an attempt at some positive spin, but I’m afraid Revlon doesn’t make enough lipstick in an entire year for this pig. The barrier here is that John McCain is already calling for robust efforts in alternative energy, renewable resources and environmental safeguards. For Obama to make this move, he might as well just send out a press release saying, “I’ve decided to adopt my opponent’s energy plan, and support the Lexington Project.” It would be a great move for those of us who urgently desire that whichever man we elect will deliver a serious energy policy, but looks politically poisonous.