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Rep. Boucher says Obama is a friend of coal

Published November 3rd, 2008 | 4 Comments

BRISTOL, Va. — U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher went on the offensive Monday defending Sen. Barack Obama’s voting record and stand on coal issues following comments made by Sen. John McCain.

“It’s an 11th-hour desperate tactic, but Southwest Virginians are not going to be misled,” said Boucher, D-Va., of comments made by the McCain camp Monday and late last week about a quote given by Obama to the San Francisco Chronicle in January about energy proposals that could “bankrupt” coal-fired power plants.

“So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; it’s just that it will bankrupt them because they are going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that’s being emitted,” Obama told an editorial board gathering for the Chronicle.

Boucher referenced another quote from Obama that stated the country must figure out how to use coal without emitting greenhouse gases.

“In no way did that quote suggest that Senator Obama is anti-coal. The quote is taken completely out of context,” said Boucher.”

San Francisco Chronicle political writer Carla Marinucci reported Monday that statements made by McCain vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin of the Obama coal comments “just coming to light” were not true due to the entire editorial board interview being posted as a matter of public record on the newspaper’s Web site since January.

The candidate voted into the White House on Tuesday will play a role in legislation Boucher says will be considered during the next administration for cap and trade program laws for carbon dioxide controls.

Existing laws dealing with carbon dioxide call for the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate emissions, and both McCain and Obama support adopting regulatory controls rather than putting that authority in the hands of the EPA, Boucher said.

Boucher, meeting with reporters in Bristol just a few hours after McCain addressed supporters at Tri-Cities Regional Airport, said Obama’s recorded stands on funding packages and legislation introduced on the U.S. Senate floor speak for themselves.

“He was the lead sponsor in the Senate of $200 million in funding to develop the critical clean coal technologies of carbon capture and sequestration which new coal-fired power plants will need to use in order to meet the CO2 reduction requirements of the cap and trade law,” said Boucher.

Boucher also noted Obama’s Senate sponsorship of a bill this year that would launch an industry that takes coal and converts it into a usable liquid that could be used to supplant gasoline as a fuel source for U.S. motorists.

Following his prepared remarks, Boucher told reporters the “last ditch” effort to sway Southwest Virginia voters with rumors of an anti-coal candidate would fall on deaf ears.

“I think people have already made up their minds on who they will vote for, and hopefully residents in Southwest Virginia know that Senator Obama is committed to the region. He has been to our region three times, and I think a stop in Tennessee (by McCain) pales in comparison to what Senator Obama has already showed,” said Boucher.

State Sen. Phillip Puckett, D-Lebanon, said he questions the validity of a McCain statement saying Obama is not a friend of coal when the Illinois senator picked up the endorsement of the largest coal-mining group in the United States months ago.

“Can you explain to me that the United Mine Workers — and these are the men who go into the mines and dig — are nearly 100 percent behind Senator Obama? Some things had to be explained today,” Puckett said.

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Under a cap and trade law, coal fired power plants will most likely pass the expense of this tax down to the consumer. Therefore, look for more electricity rate increases! Less coal usage also equals less coal miners needed.

Ann Smith | 11/7/2008 - 11:58 AM - ( Comment

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SF Gate is just sad the audio was preserved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hdi4onAQBWQ

Here is the transcript:

"Let me sort of describe my overall policy.

"What I've said is that we would put a cap and trade system in place that is as aggressive, if not more aggressive, than anybody else's out there.

"I was the first to call for a 100% auction on the cap and trade system, which means that every unit of carbon or greenhouse gases emitted would be charged to the polluter. That will create a market in which whatever technologies are out there that are being presented, whatever power plants that are being built, that they would have to meet the rigors of that market and the ratcheted down caps that are being placed, imposed every year.

"So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; it's just that it will bankrupt them because they're going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that's being emitted."

Jane Swanleigh | 11/4/2008 - 11:12 AM - ( Comment

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Hi Kim,

Can you kindly provide a link to the video and audio you reference? Because according to SFGate.com (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=14&entry_id=32228) this claim (perpetuated by Sarah Palin) about the story being buried is bogus. You can also have a look at Washington Wire (http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/11/03/palin-san-francisco-is-obamas-truth-serum/) which notes: "Obama?s proposal, like John McCain?s, would cap greenhouse gases to incentivize the development of technologies to reduce pollution and to use cleaner sources of power."

So it's about technological development and progress while protecting the environment, not about shutting out coal completely. And if you want to talk about someone's "Middle Eastern friends", I suggest you look into George Bush's dealings with the Saudis and with big oil.

Leila Brooks | 11/4/2008 - 6:33 AM - ( Comment

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The United Mine Workers endorsed Obama because they believed his double-speak on his support of coal just like the good people of Western Pennslyvannia believed they had a friend in Obama until he labeled them as "bitter Americans who cling to their guns and religion". Obama is all about double-speak and smoke and mirror tactics. Not only will he ruin our economy but his anti-coal remarks will make us more dependent on his muslim, Middle Eastern friends. Boucher and other Obama surrogates would have you believe the quote is taken out of context which is more smoke and mirrors. You can get a full transcript and video by googling it online. It is his voice, it is Obama in the flesh finally being truthful about something.

Kim Ratliff | 11/4/2008 - 12:41 AM - ( Comment

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