I hope Senator McCain isn't taking very long to get his act together or that of his campaign. It appears that the McCain campaign was thinking along the same lines as I was over the weekend about getting on site and changing the discussion to energy, I've got to say that whoever is running McCain's campaign is sloppy, sloppy, sloppy. These folks are so discombobulated, I'm surprised McCain is still in the polls.
Of course, he's getting help from Obama whose ego is really starting to grate.
But, what about his visit to that little oil drill in California? I am pretty sure that is not what I had in mind and it barely put a blip on the map. What got reported from that statement? A terrible picture of McCain in sandy enclosure with a lone horse head oil pump in the background. If anything said "the ugly business of oil" that had to be it. Plus his statements were wimpy to say the least. Certainly did not impress the importance of oil, its impact on the pocket of the average American nor its impact on the economy.
His energy points that he should be able to riff off in five bullet points or less ought to include how much the price of a gallon of gasoline has risen in the last year, the accompanying rate of inflation and/or a little blurb about the rising percent of gasoline cost to the average house hold budget. That ought to be followed by two or three bullet points on how much oil can be drilled and the expected impact. Then he could riff off about other energy sources.
By the same token, he should be making the rounds to several energy plants with talking points about each and their impact (small or large). He doesn't have to know everything, just something simple like the percentage of energy supplied, the potential increase and what it does or does not mean for the future of energy in the US. Somewhere in there he ought to talk about the immediate worry of citizens for cooling and heating their homes or getting back and forth to work.
Then he should be looping that back to "drill here, now" policies. People would get that if they thought it related to their issues.
See, if McCain et al hasn't been paying attention during their trek through campaign land, gasoline prices have gone down slightly (nearly $.25/gallon here in the Kansas City). It's still too high, but people are breathing a sigh of relief as oil prices edge back down and the dollar goes up.
But, that doesn't mean that it goes off the radar for citizens who are still struggling and will continue to do so. McCain needs to keep it personal, but also make it look like he knows what it means and what he is going to do about it. When I suggested making a trip to an oil platform or some other energy plant, it wasn't a dirty pump in the desert. He should have hit some major energy productions on a small tour of three or so energy resources. Something that actually looked like he had an idea what he was looking at or talking about.
I get it that he wanted to make a point about "all" energy, but this was just lame. Was that a throw away between his doctor visit and searching for his VP?
And, hey, what is this "seeking a VP" already? Is McCain so desperate to steal a march on Obama that he'd throw away a bounce a pick up in thirty or 45 days? He needs someone to get his message out better than he does. Kind of like Bush needing Cheney. But all the suspected piks have major malfunctions or aren't known enough to give any bounce. Then again, if any of them can run a campaign or speak on points more succinctly and knowledgeably it would be a plus.
What we know about McCain today is that he had a mole removed.
Hopefully, McCain's campaign has something really surprising up their sleeves in the next 90 days because the Straight Talk Express is running out of steam.
Of course, he's getting help from Obama whose ego is really starting to grate.
But, what about his visit to that little oil drill in California? I am pretty sure that is not what I had in mind and it barely put a blip on the map. What got reported from that statement? A terrible picture of McCain in sandy enclosure with a lone horse head oil pump in the background. If anything said "the ugly business of oil" that had to be it. Plus his statements were wimpy to say the least. Certainly did not impress the importance of oil, its impact on the pocket of the average American nor its impact on the economy.
Monday that drilling for oil off the U.S. coast is an essential part of any plan to lower gas prices and reduce dependence on foreign sources, and he criticized Democrat Barack Obama for opposing it.Seriously, doesn't this guy have people whose sole job is to keep track of this issue? Or another who keeps track of economic issues? And a central person to pull together the daily points? Whoever it is right now, they are letting McCain's talking points become incredibly stale and sometimes behind the actual news cycle of events.
His energy points that he should be able to riff off in five bullet points or less ought to include how much the price of a gallon of gasoline has risen in the last year, the accompanying rate of inflation and/or a little blurb about the rising percent of gasoline cost to the average house hold budget. That ought to be followed by two or three bullet points on how much oil can be drilled and the expected impact. Then he could riff off about other energy sources.
By the same token, he should be making the rounds to several energy plants with talking points about each and their impact (small or large). He doesn't have to know everything, just something simple like the percentage of energy supplied, the potential increase and what it does or does not mean for the future of energy in the US. Somewhere in there he ought to talk about the immediate worry of citizens for cooling and heating their homes or getting back and forth to work.
Then he should be looping that back to "drill here, now" policies. People would get that if they thought it related to their issues.
See, if McCain et al hasn't been paying attention during their trek through campaign land, gasoline prices have gone down slightly (nearly $.25/gallon here in the Kansas City). It's still too high, but people are breathing a sigh of relief as oil prices edge back down and the dollar goes up.
But, that doesn't mean that it goes off the radar for citizens who are still struggling and will continue to do so. McCain needs to keep it personal, but also make it look like he knows what it means and what he is going to do about it. When I suggested making a trip to an oil platform or some other energy plant, it wasn't a dirty pump in the desert. He should have hit some major energy productions on a small tour of three or so energy resources. Something that actually looked like he had an idea what he was looking at or talking about.
"We all know that a comprehensive solution is wind, tide, solar, all the other things all of us believe in," McCain told reporters after touring an oil company in the California desert that yields 1,100 barrels a day. "In the meantime, as we develop all of these alternate sources of energy, it will be vital that we continue oil production at a high level, including
I get it that he wanted to make a point about "all" energy, but this was just lame. Was that a throw away between his doctor visit and searching for his VP?
And, hey, what is this "seeking a VP" already? Is McCain so desperate to steal a march on Obama that he'd throw away a bounce a pick up in thirty or 45 days? He needs someone to get his message out better than he does. Kind of like Bush needing Cheney. But all the suspected piks have major malfunctions or aren't known enough to give any bounce. Then again, if any of them can run a campaign or speak on points more succinctly and knowledgeably it would be a plus.
What we know about McCain today is that he had a mole removed.
Hopefully, McCain's campaign has something really surprising up their sleeves in the next 90 days because the Straight Talk Express is running out of steam.
That ought to be followed by two or three bullet points on how much oil can be drilled and the expected impact.
Except that that would open him up to major pounding on it. Drilling isn't going to have much more than a psychological impact for at least three years(the processing plants in LB and Martinez aren't capable of more in CA). It won't affect supply proximally. Doing as you say would open him up to a nave to chops riposte, if he did so honestly, and worse than nave to chops if he smoke and mirrored it..
It takes time to set up the infrastructure to search-drill-process, do the actual drilling, and then moving it to be processed. That's measured in years.
Going for cheap populist points in this manner opens McCain up to debunking in a big way. He's right in the long term, but you seem to be talking about short term. Bad move, given that just about every democrat from Donna Brazille to Robert Reich will come jumping onto TV with experts to say how wrong McCain is on that and ruin his credibility with the voting public.
I think the over all point is valid. He needs to keep it relevant to the voters and it is going to be more difficult if gas prices go down a little bit more. Not that it will be significantly as low as last year, but, after $4, people think $3.50 is a gimme.