My interest is in making sure we've got the kind of comprehensive energy policy that can bring down gas prices," Obama, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, said in an interview with the Palm Beach Post. "If, in order to get that passed, we have to compromise in terms of a careful, well-thought-out drilling strategy that was carefully circumscribed to avoid significant environmental damage -- I don't want to be so rigid that we can't get something done.
Yesterday 5 Democrat and 5 Republican Senators joined together and issued a proposal that compromised on off-shore drilling in order to get an energy policy through its recent stalemate in Congress. Obama issued a written statement endorsing the proposal. The proposal would lift the ban on off-shore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico with a 50 mile buffer zone off of the coast. The proposal would also repeal tax breaks for big oil, make significant gains in renewable energy and offer incentives to American automakers and consumers for embracing plug in hybrids.
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is called a compromise. This is what Barack Obama is about and has always been about. This is why his Republican colleagues in the State Senate of Illinois have good things to say about him and why Independents and some Republicans will vote for him in November. He gets things done.
Obama is not changing or “shifting” his position. This is what he said;
Like all compromises, it also includes steps that I haven't always supported," Obama conceded. "I remain skeptical that new offshore drilling will bring down gas prices in the short-term or significantly reduce our oil dependence in the long-term, though I do welcome the establishment of a process that will allow us to make future drilling decisions based on science and fact.
This is a compromise. Don’t call it a shift or a change or a flip flop. The Republicans and the MSM will do enough of that. We need to be offensive with this. We want a leader who gets things done. Barack Obama is focused on getting things done. On the Economy, on the War, and on Energy. John McCain is focused on Britney Spears and Paris Hilton.
Cross-posted on my site