Wisconsin Governor Ppen to Studying Nuclear Power

forbes.com ^ | 08.08.08 | SCOTT BAUER

[kellynla]

MADISON, Wis. - Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle said Friday that his support for exploring nuclear power is in line with the position of fellow Democrat and presidential candidate Barack Obama and not a reversal from his previous stance.

But state Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, said Doyle told him in 2003 he would veto any bill that lifted a moratorium on building new power plants. Huebsch said Doyle's position had "thawed" by 2007, when the governor said he'd be open to studying nuclear power as an option.

The change in Doyle's position comes as he's been actively campaigning for Obama. Both presidential candidates spent this week talking about energy, which is shaping up to be one of the biggest issues of the race.

Doyle said Friday his position on nuclear power in Wisconsin has been consistent and corresponds with where Obama is on the issue. But, he hasn't backed bills to study nuclear power or lift the plan on plant construction. And, when he created the Office of Energy Independence in 2006, he did not list nuclear energy as an option to be explored.

Obama believes nuclear power should be an option, but only if key issues such as security and disposal of waste can be adequately addressed.

The Democratic senator is not as gung-ho on nuclear power as his opponent, Republican Sen. John McCain. McCain wants to build 45 new nuclear plants by 2030.

Doyle said Friday in a conference call organized by the Obama campaign that he and Obama agree nuclear power should be considered, but he doesn't think Wisconsin would be the site for the first new plant in the nation.

[mouse1]

Gov Doyle is an idiot
He is only in office due to wide spread voter fraud in the great state of Wisconsin

[Tex Pete]

How gracious of the governor to study something that has been well reasoned out by people far smarter than he.

All these libs use wiggle words. He is “open to studying,” kind of like Obama is “open to the possibility of compromising on offshore drilling.” They are committing to nothing.

Remember to thank Bill Clinton for his poularization of wiggle words. He really brought them en vogue. I now parse everything that anyone on the Left says— and I am usually right about it.

[kellynla]

the title should read “Open”

thanks

[AuH2ORepublican]

Yeah, I was going to say, “Governor Ppen” made it sound like Wisconsing had elected a Cambodian governor (not that that wouldn’t be preferable to their current socialist governor).

[decimon]

Yeah, I was going to say, “Governor Ppen” made it sound like Wisconsing had elected a Cambodian governor...

And if Pbama becomes president...

[grey_whiskers]

Who is Governor Ppen (from the title)?

I live next door in Minnesota and I've never heard of the guy...

Cheers!

[lowbridge]

And if Pbama becomes president...

That would be a Ptastrophe.

[decimon]

That would be a Ptastrophe.

Pgreed.

[sefarkas]

This guy has to be related to John Kerry; I was for it before I was against it. Wisconsin gets roughly 20% of its electricity from nuclear power. This chart tells it all. He is so adamantly opposed to nuclear that he allows the state to generate 20% of its power via three nuclear plants. Three is a lot. Many states have zero. It is like voting for Obama because he will take troops out of Iraq.

[kellynla]

Thanks!