Team McCain conference call: Eric Cantor on energy
posted at 10:25 am on August 4, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Team McCain had a new surrogate talking energy policy today: Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA).
Cantor said that Obama would unveil an energy plan without any new energy supply. Anyone proposing such a plan is either inexperienced or dishonest. One cannot plan for the nation’s energy future without ensuring supply. As an example, Cantor said that his waffling on drilling demonstrates this lack of openness. If he really meant what he said, he should be pressing Nancy Pelosi for an open debate and a floor vote on drilling in the OCS.
Doug Holtz-Eakin points out that John McCain has an energy policy that looks for a broad range of new, massive supply. Domestic oil, clean coal, nuclear power are all proven technologies, and McCain supports development of alternatives as well.
Questions:
- AP: Congrats on being on the VP shortlist. Care to comment on conversations for that role? No, I’m focusing on energy.
- USA Today: Democrats talk about the 68 million acres of leases and Use it Or Lose It: McCain supports that — because it’s already the law! The leases already return to the government if not developed. It’s a distraction, not a new policy.
- Obama’s emergency economic plan includes a $1000 rebate paid for by oil companies and windfall-profits tax, along with a new venture capital fund from other taxes. Does this signal greater government control over energy production? Cantor reminds us that windfall-profits taxes were an utter failure, and drove prices up. Finding culprits instead of solutions is what Obama has been doing. Two-thirds of Americans support increasing domestic production. It’s a “populist attempt” to alleviate anxiety, and it doesn’t make any sense at all.
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Aren’t we in this situation because after 9/11 the Bush administration missed an opportunity to relieve us of our dependence on Middle East oil? There are lots of failures in this issue over the last several years. The important thing is to do something about it now. We need to summon that collaborative spirit to increase American supply, which is exactly what McCain’s Lexington Plan does. Obama offers nothing but reductions and shortages. If he was serious, Obama would demand that Pelosi call a special session to approve more drilling in the US.
- Chicago Sun-Times: Do you think that oil prices are a bigger problem than pricing on other commodities? How much of a national policy should we have on cheap oil? Cantor rejects the idea that this is some sort of entitlement. Oil prices impact consumers across the board. Cantor says that economic security depends on ensuring a steady supply of energy, and preferably under our control.
Cantor was pretty impressive in this appearance. I didn’t get the chance to ask a question today, but I would like to have known his thoughts on the Gang of 10 compromise that appeared on Friday and then got quiet over the weekend. Otherwise, Cantor sounded ready for battle on energy, well-versed and willing to talk tough about Democratic obstructionism on the issue.
Will he be McCain’s running mate? I still think he’s a long shot — but he certainly sounded up to the task today.
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Cantor’s a fighter. I’m glad he’s on our side. He’s eloquent and passionate about energy and against taxes. I like him a lot.
Thanks for the synopsis, Ed!
aero on August 4, 2008 at 10:32 AM
Still looking for the McCain campaign to characterize the (various) Obama oil policies as “The Hugo Chavez Energy Policy”.
Jaibones on August 4, 2008 at 10:33 AM
interesting tid bit in Kristol’s column today, on picking youth(Cantor, Palin, Jindal) over experience(Romney, Pawlenty, etc.)
So McCain is on the Palin bandwagon(or Cantor or a CEO?), holding out hope.
that said, how would a former CEO play like Whittman when the Dem narrative has always been the Repubs. are in the back pocket of “Big Business”?
jp on August 4, 2008 at 10:34 AM
I like him, but i like him better in Congress.
JeffreyLloyd on August 4, 2008 at 10:37 AM
If McCain picks Lieberman, could he possibly fracture/ruin both major parties at the same time or just the conservatives within GOP? Socialist are much more Tribal by nature/philosophy, so I’m betting just the GOP would suffer.
jp on August 4, 2008 at 10:37 AM
I vote for whomever is opposing the Democrat, because that’s ALWAYS the best candidate.
NoDonkey on August 4, 2008 at 10:41 AM
Methane is plentiful in Washington, but it’s expensive.
saved on August 4, 2008 at 10:41 AM
Whitman was a terrible CEO for E-Bay who created massive messes for her successors to clean up (just like Fiorina at HP). On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d rate them both as hideous.
ErikTheRed on August 4, 2008 at 10:58 AM
Obama could make some major points if he swam upstream a bit and called for Pelosi to allow a vote on drilling. It would take a good bit of wind out of McCain’s sails and go over well with independents. Does he have the balls to offend the enviormental whackos and pander to the average voter?
a capella on August 4, 2008 at 11:14 AM
I’d like to see McLame choose either Palin or Michael Steele, but not until the last second available at the convention, on prime-time TV, building media suspense to an excruciating, 24/7 apex of speculation. Make them worry and squirm (at least as much as I will be)
This would turn democrap identity-politiks on it’s head with as little time possible for the enemy to respond to a new Republican ‘celebrity’ candidate in the mix. (Obama fatigue is already a real factor) Either choice splits a key democrap constituency to the core, and capitalizes on the sad state of the glib, uninformed “American Idol” electorate who vote on emotion rather than understanding.
Fishoutofwater on August 4, 2008 at 11:21 AM
Ed, GET HIM ON THE SHOW! We’d love to hear what he has to say.
Good responses.
originalpechanga on August 4, 2008 at 11:28 AM
so not exciting…
Kaptain Amerika on August 4, 2008 at 11:43 AM
Huh? During the time that Whitman ran eBay, it went from being the place for Pez collectors to being a household word, from being an interesting venture to being a multinational corporation. Compare how it weathered the collapse of the Internet bubble to 99% of the dotcoms. Ebay’s problems are that it was still priced as a high growth stock long after its major growth phase passed. It also made some poor acquisitions and other business decisions subsequent to Whitman’s tenure that did little for it but waste money.
As for the first point, about being in the pocket of big business, that kind of class warfare stuff has rarely played well in America since the Depression, and eBay isn’t your normal “big business.” It’s one of the great American success stories, in fact - a major business serving the public and employing tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands if you include people who work full- or part-time as eBay sellers, that didn’t even exist a few short years ago.
All that said, I don’t think Whitman’s a very likely choice. I’d thought of her as a tossaround possibility months ago, but I haven’t seen her “auditioned” anywhere. From what I remember of her public appearances and interviews ca. Y2K, she gave kind of a steel fist in velvet glove impression that might work very well politically, but she has little or no political experience. Who knows if she can give a speech or stand up to questioning or debate on public policy?
CK MacLeod on August 4, 2008 at 11:46 AM
I was on the Whitman bandwagon for a while, but now I think she would be too risky. McCain is even in the polls and he doesn’t really need a “Hail Mary” pick now, and he does need to avoid major mistakes or gaffes, which are far more likely to come from a neophyte in her first campaign. McCain simply can’t afford to take that chance. He can still take advantage of Whitman and Carly Fiorina by featuring them at the RNC convention and as surrogates in the fall. I would not even mind Whitman as keynote speaker at the convention.
BTW, I heard from a source close to the Obama campaign to expect an endorsement by Colin Powell right before the RNC convention.
rockmom on August 4, 2008 at 11:58 AM
passionate about energy and against taxes.
You can be against taxes and FOR McCains cap and trade.
You can increase supply all you want, but you will continue to hamstring the economy, the private sector, etc. with cap and trade.
“Cap” is a government restriction on energy use, it’s production (or most likely both.) “Trade” is effectively energy taxation.
McCain has some decent ideas on energy; his stance is definately better than Obambi’s. But ANY republican plan (ANY plan) which advocates for cap and trade is a disaster waiting to happen.
catmman on August 4, 2008 at 12:25 PM
Hey, this guy’s cute!
You men got to say that about Sarah Palin, so I’m less embarrassed by that response than I probably should be :-)
funky chicken on August 4, 2008 at 1:28 PM
Meg Whitman sounds like a great administration person. If Romney doesn’t want Sec Treas job Whitman sounds great.
funky chicken on August 4, 2008 at 1:36 PM
funky, +1, unabashedly :) In combination with a good brain, killer.
Entelechy on August 4, 2008 at 1:36 PM
Entelechy he’s hawt LOL
funky chicken on August 4, 2008 at 2:18 PM