Obama vs. Biden

 

Obama has clearly stated his position and is on record, in many places as being for clean coal technology.  Biden has a long standing record as well for being against it. So why are these two out on the campaign trail promising both?

 

Obama:

 

From Barack Obama’s own website, on his new Energy page, under “Create Millions Of New Green Jobs,” see:  Develop and Deploy Clean Coal Technology.

 

Obama:

 

The Science Debate 2008 — an effort spearheaded by half a dozen voters concerned about the state of American science — posed 14 questions to the major parties’ presidential candidates, Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain. The reply from Obama when  asked “What is your position on the following measures that have been proposed to address global climate change — a cap-and-trade system, a carbon tax, increased fuel-economy standards, or research?

 

“Specifically, I will implement a market-based cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions by the amount scientists say is necessary: 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. I will start reducing emissions immediately by establishing strong annual reduction targets with an intermediate goal of reducing emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.. . . I will also create a Technology Transfer Program dedicated to exporting climate-friendly technologies, including green buildings, clean coal and advanced automobiles, to developing countries to help them combat climate change.”

  

Obama:

 

On May 13, 2008, ABC News reported that both Clinton and Obama were wooing voters in West Virginia and Kentucky and both spoke about clean coal.

 

Not to be outdone, Senator Obama’s campaign has distributed flyers in Kentucky stating that “Barack Obama believes in clean Kentucky coal.” The flyers show a picture of giant barges carrying coal down the Ohio River.

 

Biden:

 

Joe Biden, in the following video responds to an anti-pollution supporter about clean coal saying “We’re not supporting clean coal.”  And further included statements about China polluting our air with their coal plants, he states, “No coal plants here in America,” he then goes on to say “Build them, if they’re going to build them, over there. Make them clean,” and “We’re not supporting clean coal.”

 

Biden:

 

Joe Biden, has been against the use of clean coal in the United States, as the video below shows.  He is also on record in an interview w as well as an interview where he was asked “What role does “clean coal” play in your vision for energy independence and climate security?

 

“I don’t think there’s much of a role for clean coal in energy independence, but I do think there’s a significant role for clean coal in the bigger picture of climate change. Clean-coal technology is not the route to go in the United States, because we have other, cleaner alternatives. But I would invest a considerable amount of money in research and development of clean-coal and carbon-sequestration technologies for export. China is building one new coal-fired plant per week. That’s not going to change unless there’s a fundamental change in technology, because they have about 300 years of dirty coal, and they’re going to use it” Grist 29 Aug 2007

Clean coal is a technology that would either turn coal to gas before burning, or else bury the carbon emissions deep underground after burning.

 

There are 7,400 people in Pennsylvania who work in coal mining (not including all of the people in industries that depend upon coal). About a quarter of the miners work in Greene County, Pennsylvania. Greene County is in the very southwest corner of the state. Its loyalty to the Democratic Party stretches back to the 19th century. It has voted Republican just twice since 1932: first in 1972, then in 2004 when George W. Bush eked out a 50-49 win.

 

Biden’s opposition to clean coal is not new and there is no rule in politics stating a vice presidential candidate must agree with the presidential candidate for their party on every issue that faces them, however the statement “We’re not supporting clean coal,” implies he is speaking for the campaign in direct contradiction of Barack Obama’s position on the trail, on the web and in interviews. What’s the deal Joe? Somebody get Ed Rendell some aspirin.

Is Biden getting ready to get himself thrown under the bus?