Posted on 11/03/2008 6:24:51 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
After we and many other news and opinion websites reported about statements made by Sen. Barack Obama about the coal industry and energy prices in general, several major American media picked the story up.
CBS News reported about the statements Obama made to the San Fransisco Chronicle in January of this year saying he would “bankrupt” any energy plants driven by coal. This while coal provides for about half of America’s energy.
Additionally, the coal industry is big in several key battleground states such as Virginia and Pennsylvania.
Not only did the media report about Obama’s statemetents, Governor Sarah Palin also used them on the campaign trail yesterday. “He said that, sure, if the industry wants to build coal-fired power plants, then they can go ahead and try, he says, but they can do it only in a way that will bankrupt the coal industry, and he’s comfortable letting that happen,” Palin said. “And you got to listen to the tape.”
CNN picked the story up as well, albeit in a highly biased manner. The headline of the article at CNN is “Palin knocks Obama on months old coal comment.” Thereby implying that months make the story old news and unworthy of reporting. Since, however, the comments were never published by any media source until yesterday, the coal comments are significant. Additionally, one wonders since when “months” is considered “old” when it comes to the views and plans of politicians. Before Obama, months was considered a short time.
Not only that, CNN also tries to minimize the story by saying that John McCain too favors clean coal. Sure, but the point of the story is not that Obama favors clean coal or caps: it is that he wants to bankrupt companies that do not play along with him and that he does not want to take time developing cleaner energy but, instead, wants to ruin entire industries in order to pursue a highly ideological agenda. CNN knows this, of course, yet decided to downplay the significance of Obama’s remarks, thereby once again proving it is not a shadow of what it once was.
The West Virginia Record, meanwhile also picked the story up, quoting a Virginian coal industry leader calling Obama’s statements “unbelievable.”
“His comments are unfortunate,” Chris Hamilton, vice president of the West Virginia Coal Association, said Sunday, “and really reflect a very uninformed voice and perspective to coal specifically and energy generally.”
“I think this clearly shows the attitude the Obama-Biden ticket has toward coal,” Ben Beakes said Sunday. “Rhetoric is cheap, but behind closed doors what they tell their supporters - that’s what we have to take as gospel.
“They’re definitely not friends of coal.” “And their cohorts in Congress make similar statements,” Beakes said. “(Senate Majority Leader) Harry Reid (D-Nevada) said this summer that ‘coal makes us sick.’
“This is an attitude and view that, to me, shows their hatred of coal. And therefore, their view would cost West Virginians thousands upon thousands of jobs.”
Although there is only a short amount of time to go until people go vote, this story could very well play a significant role in some of the most important battleground states. West Virginia is a coal state, as are Ohio, Pennsylvania and others. This story is getting coverage at a time when most trustworthy polls show that Obama has been unable to close the deal is major battleground states.
All in all, Obama is still likely to win, but yesterday’s news and today’s coverage of it, may very well cost Obama support and make the race closer than it was.
"2 Petrochemical Companies to Pay Texas $6.5 Million
September 9, 2008: ...The seven plants involved in the state's environmental enforcement action are located in La Porte, Channelview, Chocolate Bayou, Corpus Christi, Bayport, and Beaumont.
Source: Environmental Protection
I see energy costs being passed down to consumers.
I hope they vote their pocketbooks!
With apologies to Poe, this is “The Purloined Interview”.
Closing line: All in all, Obama is still likely to win....”
No bias there.
Tell ya what folks, this is the perfect and I mean perfect cover for those asswipes over at Gallup and other polling companies to point to and say, well, our numbers were correct and we stand by them...and...then...this happened. That’s our story and we’re stickin to it. Ya’ll just watch. This is a gift with a bow for Gallup and those other idiots who are in the tank for the big 0.
Yeah, they will vote for their $500 handout check from Zero. Then they will have to pay $1500 more per year for their utilities.
The welfare cases won’t be able to afford it, so they’ll stop paying their bills. The power companies will threaten to cut off their lights and heat. The problem will be publicized as a nationwide epidemic. Then Obama will enjoin companies from cutting off non-payers but executive order. The companies financial situation will deteriorate because no one pays. Then on the verge of bankruptcy, the government steps in to take ownership as part of a bailout. Now the government owns the power company.
As the economy collapses, government takes more and more control of industry. Then rationing ensues and we find ourselves in the new Soviet Union.
It should resonate beyond just the coal producing states. This would cause big electricity rate increases across the country.
Obama = higher energy prices across the board.
You’ll need that $500 welfare check and then some to pay for gasoline and electricity.
Not possible. CNN is an objective news source with absolutely no desire to see either candidate win this election.
BAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!
Any respose from the UMW on this story?
Damn. Guess I can’t invest in utilities now.
What 0bambi is preparing is nothing short of nationalization of the entire energy-related industry in the US, worth trillions. This would solidify an iron grip on the US economy and government, such that through the kind of graft and corruption to which he's already shown he's inclined (Rezko, CAC, unlimited foreign campaign donations, etc.), he could within a few short years buy himself the status of Castro, Lenin, Hitler, and Chavez.
HF
That’s so true but too many people won’t listen long enough to get that, or even understand it, but they WILL know when they’re getting hit in the pocketbook.
McCain will be on MNF tonight against the Steelers.
CNN knows this, of course, yet decided to downplay the significance of Obama’s remarks, thereby proving once again that they have been promised a government BAILOUT once Obama “wins”.
Exactly correct.
??? Explain please.
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