Arnold puts down Crist and McCain over offshore drilling

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger made a guest appearance today at the Florida Climate Change Summit in Miami hosted by Governor Charlie Crist.

Arnold had lots of praise for Crist's leadership in Florida on tackling climate change.

But he appeared to issue a firm rebuke to politicians (including Senator John McCain and Crist) who have suggested ending a ban on offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. "Anyone who tells you this will lower our gas prices anytime soon is blowing smoke," he said.

Schwarzenegger's press spokesman Aaron McLear called me a short while ago to stress that this comment was NOT directed at Crist or McCain, and instead was targeted specifically at the impact of offshore drilling on gas prices. "He was not referring to either one of them. Neither Crist nor McCain has said offshore drilling is going to immediately reduce gas prices," McLear said.

However, the California Governor remained firmly opposed to offshore drilling, McLear added. "He doesn't believe in offshore drilling. Her certainly doesn't agree with McCain and Crist on that."

My own view: it seems pretty clear to me that when McCain and Crist raised the offshore drilling issue last week, they both had gas prices in mind. Our paper's reporting certainly reflected that.

For the record, here's are Schwarzenegger's exact words today:

"Politicians have been throwing around all kinds of ideas in response to the skyrocketing energy prices, from the rethinking of nuclear power to pushing biofuels and more renewables and ending the ban on offshore drilling, it goes on and on the list. But, anyone who tells you this will lower our gas prices anytime soon is blowing smoke."

(more speech highlights below)

- David Adams

To be fair to Schwarzenegger and Crist, they have much more in common than their difference over offshore oil drilling might suggest.

As an indication of that here are some more highlights from Schwarzenegger's Miami speech (all direct quotes):

* "California and Florida are natural partners on the environment because we have so much in common.
We are bi-coastal leaders in fighting global warming  which is why I am back at this important summit.
We each have millions of residents who want to preserve our natural  splendor and resources."

* "Governor Crist has also shown terrific leadership on climate change. He made both news and history
at last year’s summit by issuing a call to action for Florida. He signed Executive Orders to cut greenhouse gas emissions and promote renewable energy. He has created partnerships with other states and nations. And just this week he announced Florida’s deal to buy out U.S. Sugar which will restore wetlands and protect the Everglades. And perhaps most importantly, he brought our nation’s fourth-biggest state into the fight against global warming full force.
His timing could not be better. Our states, nation, and world face unprecedented challenges from global warming, high energy prices, and threats to our energy security. To overcome these challenges and end our addiction to oil we need a consistent, long term, energy policy that gives consumers  more choices.
And we have to stick with it, not just for a few years until something else comes along. But for decades."

* "I know how frustrated people are over paying nearly $5 for a gallon of gas, and I have heard a lot of good ideas about what we should do. I love Senator McCain’s proposal for a $5,000 tax credit if you buy a zero emissions vehicle, for instance. And his $300 million prize for the next generation of electric car batteries will help us increase the efficiency of alternative fuel vehicles that much faster.
But Governor Crist, Senator McCain and I also know that America did not become addicted to oil overnight. We won’t break free overnight either."

* "If everyone in the country took the simple step of making sure they had correct air pressure in their tires, their gasoline costs would go down 4 percent. America’s oil consumption would drop by 800,000 barrels a day. That is twice the amount some experts have said we would get if we pumped all of our known offshore reserves."

 

* "In the United States, our domestic energy policies are all over the place. We had a big solar push under President Carter, but it was not sustained. Congress passed tax credits for solar, wind, and geothermal energy in the 1990s, but they expire at the end of the year. They should be extended for at least another decade."

* "Washington has also been unwilling to hold automakers’ feet to the fire when it comes to fuel efficiency. So today the average passenger vehicle gets less than 25 miles a gallon. The Model T did better than that."

* "Today we have visions of Congress patting itself on the back after mandating  35 miles a gallon by 2020 and thinking it has finished the job. That’s the same fuel efficiency Italy gets now. America can, and must, do better. For both our long-term economic security, and our national security."

* "As you research, create, support, and invest in renewable energy technologies think about the payoff. Not just the next year, but also the next decade. Your idea might not look reasonable or affordable now, but energy prices are not going back to the good old days. So consider long-term profitability, long-term return, and long-term benefit."

Comments

Nuclear Power is an amazing idea. It will lessen our need for oil for creating electricity at least. Other superpowers get it and are fast trackng nuclear plants. China plans to build 50 in the next decade.

[KC]

China probably isn't the best example to follow...

[Annette]

I was disappointed with Senator McCain's decision in offshore drilling; it simply does NOT solve the bigger problem. Hey, Senator, don't follow Charlie's lead...he's proven to be a very poor leader!

[Arnie]

Where was Charlie? I'm sure he hated to miss a photo opp w/Cali's Gov. What a "girlie man"! Go drill yourself for oil Charlie!

[Ric]

Nuclear energy is really great, but the one problem that no one seems to pay attention to or speak much of is, when the fuel is spent, what are we going to do with all the radioactive waste.

[Tim]

If we started drilling more today, it would most certainly cause speculators to curtail their dire predictions and force oil prices down.

Our country's short-sightedness is a major cuase for today's oil situaion. Just because solution X doesn't offer immediate benefits, that doesn't mean it's not worth pursuing. If we had acted prudently 10, 15, 20 years ago, we'd be better off now.

[Sam]

Just send the spent nuclear waste on rockets toward the sun. Problem solved. OR solar panels on every roof?

[Deborah Doucas]

Tell Arnold to think of the people who voted him in under a republican format. Drill we need to! Arnold should run as a good democrat liberal.

[MM]

We can send a man to the moon,we can come up with all the latest technology for war but we can't come up with another source of fuel?? Come on it's all greed too many people on the top are getting rich off the oil prices.

It's a game that is being played.See how much the people will take then they may lower the gas prices a bit to make it seem as if were getting this great deal at 3.50 a gallon.

[Marc]

Who cares, I average 28.2 MPG in my Cross-over Pontiac Vibe, and I could care less if gas cost $10.00 per gallon. BRING IT ON! Instead of ruining our beaches, why don't you drilling proponents sell your Hummers and stop you whining!

[RR]

DRILL, DRILL, DRILL!!! Grab the crystalized methane that is sitting on the bottom if the middle grounds.

[Barbara]

Does anyone know that you cannot fly over the white house or even Disney Land/World. But you can fly over neclear plants anywhere. What if we have another group of crazies out there? They could do a lot more damage than than they did on 9-11. No we should NOT drill for oil in the gulf. Is the whole worlk going nuts?

NEVER TRUST A REPUBLICIAN!

[k]

Nice choice of picture, Mr. Adams.

The technology for massive oil consumption reduction exisits and has all along (wind, solar, diesel-electric, etc.). The problem is nobody makes enough money on it, and demand hasn't necessitated change - until now. Don't drill, don't gripe, just change and become independent. Ahhhnold is spot-on with this one and has the moxie to stand up to a misguided policy decision on McCain's part. (this is from a McCain supporter!) Partisan fallacies have no play in logical policy-making here. It's simply the best path.

[voxy]

dear god please don't tell me that obama plans to pick mr. green for his running mate.

if so I am moving to mongolia

[Gorgon]

Personally, I hope gas goes up to $25 a gallon, and effectively forces us to use that signature American Ingenuity into reasonable alternative fuels. By "reasonable" I DO NOT mean ethanol, which is another disaster waiting to happen.

Let's finally stop "burning things" for energy...

[Your Neighbor]

Uh, dontcha think the title for this blog is downright partisan? I don't interperet Arnolds' statement as a slam on McCain and/or Crist. Nobody said drilling is an instant cure. Nobody. Besides... States won't let it happen anyway. No Harm in promoting drilling, but Nuclear is the answer.

[steve oneal]

It is refreshing to see a politician speak the truth, even if it goes against his own party. More people should think as individuals and not just tow the party line like sheep.

good for arnie! ditch the suv, don't buy a house 50 miles from work, and walk some of the fat off your butt. gas prices will not be lower in the way that they have been. that period is over. the sooner some of you face that reality and act accordingly, the better for all of us.

[Tony]

How will Nuclear plants reduce gas prices? Most electricity in the US comes form coal which we has a 500 year supply of.

There's no need for drilling in our Gulf. The oil companies have thousands of acres in Alaska and the Gulf already that have oil under them. Big Oil is just too cheap to do the deep water drilling needed. They want to use all the cheap stuff up first and destroy our coastlines.

There is an oil reserve in Alaska with 8 billion barrels yet Big Oil wants to use the ANWR reserve. The oil companies haven't even touched it! Give me a break! We haven't even taken 8 billion barrels of oil out of Alaska since we started drilling there. Use what's permitted first then maybe we can discuss ANWR and the Gulf.

mm
we never went to the moon

[Doc]

Where in the article does Arnold "Slam McCain and Christ?" I read the article twice and the Times led us to believe that Arnold "slammed" the gov and presidential hopeful. Nice heading Times reporter; way to false advertise.

And people wonder why the SP Times readership is low. They don't report anything equally. They missed the entire 2nd Amendment decision by the Supreme Court. SPT didn't agree with it.

They also missed the next most important story today, the one where their candidate Obama CHANGED his mind on supporting the 2nd Amendment now.

Instead they put up a page 10 (at best) story on California's governor!

REPORT THE NEWS ST PETE TIMES, DON'T TRY TO MAKE IT!!!

OBAMA has CHANGED his mind AGAIN! REPORT IT!!!

Nuclear power will not lower the price of energy and they know it!

Drilling for more oil isn't going to make one bit of a difference in gas prices...we only have so many plants that can process the oil. therefore the direct effect will not be seen anytime soon!!