John McCain gives occasional lip service to clean and alternative energy, but when it comes to the specifics oil is his true love. McCain talks a good game about opposing earmarks and special interest money, but when push comes to shove, he delivers for the industry that writes him the big checks.
From TPM:
McCain recently opposed the big $300 billion farm bill, which itself is extremely popular throughout the upper midwest, describing the bill as "a $300 billion, bloated, pork-barrel-laden bill" because of subsidies for industries like ethanol.
But in a little-noticed development, the bill also contained a measure extending a tax break for developing wind power, which McCain specifically opposed. Obama backed it. According to Senator Tom Harkin, an Obama ally, the wind energy industry is employing close to 2,000 people, some concentrated in those key swing states. It's little local issues like these that can move votes in states where the voting is expected to be extremely close.
Making matters more difficult for McCain, Congressional Dems, such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, are edging towards supporting that recent bipartisan compromise energy bill that would open up some areas for drilling but repeal Big Oil's tax breaks.
McCain is counting on ExxonMobil and other oil giants' money. He won't let them down because in the end his friends are those that keep his campaign well-financed and the environment/good clean energy jobs be damned. Here we have yet another clear difference between who McCain is beholden to and who Obama is not.
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