A few weeks ago, the DC reporters from the Oklahoman – our state's largest newspaper – interviewed my opponent, Sen. Jim Inhofe, about his campaign and his main issues. Unfortunately, Sen. Inhofe seemed a bit confused about a few things, so I asked to stop by and set the record straight (video is 11 minutes).
Here's the video:
A few things in this discussion I'd like to highlight are below the fold.
Since Sen. Inhofe stopped by the Oklahoman, he began to run a 60-second ad on Oklahoma television discussing his approach to governing: being stubborn. Much of this ad is true – Inhofe is stubborn, hardheaded, and he's on a lonely road in his approach to his job. And it's been to the detriment of our state and this nation.
Inhofe's loneliest fight – or at least the one he's best known for – is against the facts on climate change. He has spent most of his last term arguing that global warming is "the greatest hoax ever perpetrated upon mankind," pushing a point that is pushing him further toward the fringe of his own party and his own state.
Meanwhile, he's costing Oklahoma more each day in terms of jobs from a growing alternative energy sector, gas prices that he's failed to do anything to stop, and opportunities to harness the ingenuity of our home-grown energy experts (both traditional and alternative) who are poised to move us past today's energy crisis.
Sen. Inhofe speaks about having the courage to stand up for his principles; the slogan emblazoned upon his website reads, "Courage: One Man in America." But Sen. Inhofe fails to see that there are different kinds of courage, and a true statesman knows how to be courageous in different ways.
When I'm in the U.S. Senate, I will stand on my principles and stand strong for Democratic values when the need arises. But I also recognize that it takes great courage to admit your mistakes, to forge compromises, and to reach across the aisle when it's in the best interest of our nation.
Sen. Inhofe has revealed his strategy for staying in the Senate this November. He said in his interview that if he can make Americans believe Democrats are to blame for high gas prices, then Republicans will prevail in the November elections. Certainly he can't pin the blame for high gas prices on me, and he has to look no further than the mirror to find a reason we're paying so much at the pump. His stubborn committment that we must stay addicted to foreign oil instead of moving toward natural gas and bio-fuels is what has given Oklahomans and Americans no choices except $4 a gallon gas.
Thanks for any help you can offer – if you can't afford to contribute or don't have time to volunteer, I hope you'll at least forward this message to your friends and sign up to receive my email updates. My name is on the ballot, but this campaign represents all Americans who are fighting for a responsible energy future.
Sincerely,
Andrew Rice
State Senator
http://andrewforoklahoma.com
http://www.actblue.com/...