McCain Exploits Coal Industry Smear Tactics To Help Sell His Energy Plan
McCain Exploits Coal Industry Smear Tactics To Help Sell His Energy Plan
Earlier this week, Kansans for Affordable Energy, a coal-industry-funded advocacy group, blanketed Kansas with misleading advertisements that smeared Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) as supporting Vladimir Putin, Hugo Chavez, and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad because her administration had denied air permits for two coal-powered generators in the state due to environmental concerns.
The founder of the group, Bob Kreutzer, eventually admitted that the sensational ad campaign was “a little bit extreme.” Apparently the Ahmadinejad-referencing tactic wasn’t too “extreme” for Sen. John McCain (R-AZ). His campaign used images of the three heads of state as the backdrop for a speech on energy independence in Iowa on Monday after a member of his staff reportedly saw the ad:
Roy Dixon, a Garden City resident and treasurer of Kansans for Affordable Energy, said Tuesday a McCain staffer recently saw one of his groups’ ads featuring Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Russian President Vladimir Putin and used the tactic during a campaign stop on Monday. [...]
“We’re darn proud McCain liked our ad enough to use it,” Dixon said.
A local ABC affiliate in Arizona has footage of McCain using the posters:
On Tuesday, as more and more newspapers picked up on the controversial aspects of the Kansas ad, McCain’s campaign distanced itself from the ad, with spokesman Brian Rogers telling the Topeka Capital-Journal that “the campaign had used the oversized photos at least once before at a town-hall meeting in New Hampshire.”
Despite Rogers’ denial of the timeline, however, Dixon maintained that he “understood that someone on McCain’s staff saw the advertisement and liked it.”
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All aboard the “Zero Dignity Express”!
November 7th, 2007 at 3:11 pmGot toady?
November 7th, 2007 at 3:13 pmAnd Brownback turns into the laughfing stock of them all. He endorced McCain. Just another republican fool, as Hugo would say.
November 7th, 2007 at 3:16 pmPoor McCain is always a day late and a thought behind.
November 7th, 2007 at 3:17 pmMethinks McCain be a tad bit desperate…
Yup.
November 7th, 2007 at 3:18 pmNext week’s McCain ads.
Barack, Osama, Kim-Il-Jung photo justaposition
Hillary/Eva Braun/Mrs O’Leary photo op
November 7th, 2007 at 3:20 pm…
Okay…here is one I think we can all agree on.
Most of the world’s petro-resources are controlled by countries who do not have our best interests at heart, to put it mildly. I think any politician who makes that point is doing the country a service.
Did anyone read Time magazines latest issue on innovation? There were some great and really creative alternatives to gasoline powered cars in there, stuff I would have never imagined.
A smart pol would seize this issue. From 1973 to today we have not been serious as a nation on getting off oil – all talk, no action.
November 7th, 2007 at 3:25 pmGood points Kelty!
I still wonder when anyone is going to look at Hydrogen power seriously>? My congressguy is up to his neck in energy policy and never even effing mentions it.
November 7th, 2007 at 3:27 pmThe only diference between our political wannabees and Vladimir, Mahmoud, or Hugo is that Vladimir and company know something about what they speak when they talk energy.
November 7th, 2007 at 3:29 pmEven cheney had to depend on a group of someones behind closed doors to do his bidding.
Keltoi – as long as the administration running America is either in the pay of or in the pockets of the oil industry, alternative energy gets bubkes.
And we get the shaft.
November 7th, 2007 at 3:34 pmIsn’t it interesting how all of a sudden Putin has been added to the list of “evil doers”. I thought Bush looked into his soul and saw a good guy there.
November 7th, 2007 at 3:34 pmbilbo ~ Putin was actually giving Bush the finger and the chymp thought it meant “your’re number one!”
November 7th, 2007 at 3:39 pmMost of the world’s petro-resources are controlled by countries who do not have our best interests at heart, to put it mildly. I think any politician who makes that point is doing the country a service.
Comment by Keltoi — November 7, 2007 @ 3:25 pm
There are no countries, Mr. Beale.
Most of the world’s petro-resources are controlled by companies, not countries. They drill it in Ecuador and Indonesia and Nigeria and pay the governments a few bribes to look the other way while they destroy the local environment, and then they sell it at $97/barrel back to the oil ministry of the country where they drilled it.
I do agree with your main point, that we haven’t looked seriously at alternative energy sources, but I do believe that this is mainly because of the oil lobby and now the farming lobby pushing corn ethanol.
November 7th, 2007 at 3:39 pmThat proves that McCain campaign is running out of gas,that he approves such empty methods of reaching the public.
November 7th, 2007 at 3:42 pmKeltoi – as long as the administration running America is either in the pay of or in the pockets of the oil industry, alternative energy gets bubkes.
And we get the shaft.
Comment by Leftside Annie — November 7, 2007 @ 3:34 pm
I agree. And while the Rs do get 75% of campaign contributions from oil, the 25% given to D’s still amounts to a huge pile of cash and influence.
Since the ‘73 Oil embargo, both parties have controlled the WH and the Congress, both at once in some periods. And the result is the same; bupkes, as you put it.
I am hopeful that the confluence of $100 oil, environmental concerns, national security concerns and the availability of new technology will force even the institutional stupidity in DC on this issue to give way. I haven’t heard either candidate from either party say anything super impressive. Actually, that isn’t entirely fair, I guess I just don’t believe what I do hear.
November 7th, 2007 at 3:45 pmToasterhead, I’m clapping…
November 7th, 2007 at 3:51 pm#16 – Comment by Keltoi — November 7, 2007 @ 3:45 pm
Many may not support Pres. Chavez, but he has almost completely eliminated Venezuela’s dependance on foreign oil. Sometimes, it takes radical action to addres radical problems.
Pres. Bush has proven the only radical action he’s willing to consider is to prosecute war on nations with oil based on lies.
One hopes (and prays!) that the Democratic President in 2009 will do something helpful and reverse the egregious decisions of the Bush Administration.
November 7th, 2007 at 3:51 pmMany may not support Pres. Chavez, but he has almost completely eliminated Venezuela’s dependance on foreign oil. Sometimes, it takes radical action to addres radical problems.
Comment by Democrat Soldier — November 7, 2007 @ 3:51 pm
You may be confusing Venezuela with the government of Brazil, who weaned themselves off foreign oil using sugar ethanol.
It shouldn’t be hard for a country sitting on one of the largest crude deposits in the world to wean itself off of foreign oil.
November 7th, 2007 at 3:54 pmIf McCain grabbed an ad full of lies and spouted it as if it was gospel, I’d really worry about what he’d do in the Oval Office. However, it appears that a McCain staffer did this, not McCain himself.
Still, as a Navy man, McCain should know better. The captain of the ship is responsible for everything that happens on the ship. This is why good captains make sure they have good lieutenants. McCain — you need better lieutenants.
November 7th, 2007 at 3:55 pmPoor McCain! He’s trying so desperately to become relevant to the political landscape. Someone needs to tap him on the shoulder and tell him “It’s over, John”.
November 7th, 2007 at 3:57 pm#21 Which is precisely why the american people need to unite against these “obstructionists” in congress and sue their pants off for NOT representing authentic government. Their chicanery and game playing at the expense of the american people is becoming totally disgusting.
Each time I watch their childish name calling and outright games in Congress, I have to pinch myself and ask myself “Is this how I want my tax dollars spent?”.
Another Boston Tea Party should be on the horizon, folks. If it’s not then we have no one to blame but ourselves.
November 7th, 2007 at 3:59 pmClass Action lawsuit either for “specific performance of their oath of office” (which means the end to obstructionist tactics for the sake of stalling legitimate government) and/or removal from office immediately – before their terms expire.
After all, let’s put our money where our mouths are – if this truly is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, then it’s up to the people to do something about it – to do something to right this rapidly sinking ship – to attempt to save this democracy from destruction by our own “enemies within”.
November 7th, 2007 at 4:01 pmall those concerned about energy independence hopefully realize that mccain is not your man. at this point, he would take money from a “puppies should be used for fuel” lobbying group is such a thing existed.
November 7th, 2007 at 4:02 pmsorry, should be ‘if such a thing existed.’
November 7th, 2007 at 4:04 pmAnother Boston Tea Party should be on the horizon, folks. If it’s not then we have no one to blame but ourselves.
Comment by Veritas — November 7, 2007 @ 3:59 pm
I don’t think Boston Harbor needs any more pollution, dogg.
November 7th, 2007 at 4:15 pmWell, we now who makes up the NEW “Axis of Evil”. How long till Bush picks up on this?
November 7th, 2007 at 4:19 pmUm, there should be a “know” in my previous post (right between “now” and “who”).
November 7th, 2007 at 4:20 pmMay be Ahmadinejad,Chavez and Putin really smiling,big time…
When Bush started his presidency,Barrel of oil $22.00 ,now it is $94.00,may be $100.00 soon…and that’s because of uncertainity in the oil markets,resulted from war in Iraq.
We got ourselves in debt because of this war, they are making money,big money.
Of course Neocons and war planners told us before the war that “the war in Iraq will help our oil consumers,because oil prices will go down as a result”.
November 7th, 2007 at 4:22 pmMcCain lost his moral compass in ‘nam.
November 7th, 2007 at 4:28 pmHydrogen! Problem solved.
November 7th, 2007 at 5:00 pmMcCain sold his soul a long time ago. The straight talk express is on track to perdition.
November 7th, 2007 at 5:12 pmClass Action lawsuit either for “specific performance of their oath of office†(which means the end to obstructionist tactics for the sake of stalling legitimate government) and/or removal from office immediately – before their terms expire.
Comment by Veritas
I love this idea! The American public sues the American Congress for non-performance of their sworn duties. Spectacular. Can we do the same with the President?! Oh, I guess that’s called impeachment. Wait, that’s one of the non-performance issues! Let’s roll on this law suit idea!
November 7th, 2007 at 5:18 pmHydrogen! Problem solved.
Comment by AntiFed1791 — November 7, 2007 @ 5:00 pm
Except upon the Hindenburg!
November 7th, 2007 at 6:56 pmKeltoi: “From 1973 to today we have not been serious as a nation on getting off oil – all talk, no action.”
We were warned from the highest office. If you remember, this was Jimmy Carter’s biggest thing. His public goal was to never again import more than the amount of oil we did in 1978. He called for higher fuel economy standards and for the development of alternate renewable energy sources. He even had solar panels installed on the roof of the Whitehouse. Ronald Reagan’s first official act upon moving into the Whitehouse was to have the solar panels taken down.
Let’s give Jimmy Carter a little credit for being visionary and ahead of his time. And, we could acknowlege that the modern conservative movement, started by Ronald Reagan, scuttled all of that and brought us where we are today.
November 7th, 2007 at 7:41 pmantifed: “Hydrogen! Problem solved.”
How does a libertarian get an entrenched oil production oligopoly to do what’s right for society and provide hydrogen pumps at gas stations? How exactly does that work?
November 7th, 2007 at 7:43 pmOkay…here is one I think we can all agree on.
Most of the world’s petro-resources are controlled by countries who do not have our best interests at heart, to put it mildly. I think any politician who makes that point is doing the country a service.
Comment by Keltoi — November 7, 2007 @ 3:25 pm
——————
When was the last time the US gave away its natural resources?
Those countries that own “most of the world’s petro-resources” have recently started to have their own best interest at heart after having been ripped off for decades by the oil companies. By the way, those companies are making excess billions off the American consumer. Why wasn’t that in the ad?
Now those petro-resources countries are being demonized and, when they don’t bow down, they’re invaded under false pretenses.
Can we agree on that?
November 7th, 2007 at 11:10 pm