McCain Campaign Conference Call On Barack Obama And Energy Policy

"And contrasted with Senator McCain's balanced approach to more production and less use, you have 'Dr. No,' or as we in the Senate here are referring to it as the mantra of "No We Can't' as a play on Senator Obama's phrase 'Yes, We Can.' No we can't drill offshore. No we can't go to the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Of course, he said he's not a proponent of nuclear, so no we can't do that. And he's even said, no we shouldn't do the reward for the technology improvement for a battery that would allow people to use those kinds of vehicles..." -- Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ)

Today, Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ), former CIA Director James Woolsey, and senior policy adviser Doug Holtz-Eakin held a conference call on Barack Obama's energy policy:

Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ):

Senator Jon Kyl: "I just want to briefly note that Senator McCain's energy policy is a balanced policy. It recognizes that there is a great deal of hurt throughout the American economy, not just when Americans fill their gas tanks but when they buy other products that are required to be transported or fuel is used in their production. So he recognizes that we need more production and that more production can bring prices down. He also believes that that has to be done with appropriate environmental checks and balances."

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"He believes that not only should we have more production but we should have less use. That way we also help to reduce our dependency on foreign suppliers of oil. Thus, he has promoted strongly the plug-in vehicle, the vehicle that you can when you pull into your garage at night you plug it in, recharge the battery. Ah! But we don't have batteries right now that are sufficient to really get this on the market where Americans would use it. So John McCain proposes the traditional American solution to that problem -- offer a prize for the company or the folks that come up with the best battery that first meets the objective of $300 per kilowatts hour."

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"And contrasted with Senator McCain's balanced approach to more production and less use, you have 'Dr. No,' or as we in the Senate here are referring to it as the mantra of "No We Can't' as a play on Senator Obama's phrase 'Yes, We Can.' No we can't drill offshore. No we can't go to the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Of course he said he's not a proponent of nuclear so no we can't do that. And he's even said, no we shouldn't do the reward for the technology improvement for a battery that would allow people to use those kinds of vehicles. So, it's a very negative approach which basically says there are no answers to the hurt that Americans are suffering right now and it's up to leaders to come up with answers and that's what John McCain has done."

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"Senator McCain's policy is kind of a win-win-win. You both have environmental and the practical and economic considerations, you have short-term, medium-term, and long-term -- it is a balanced approach that is the most sensible way to address this crisis."

Former CIA Director James Woolsey:

James Woolsey: "Senator McCain's leadership on pursuing electricity via the battery prize, and by breaking the monopoly oil has by using various types of alcohol fuels and having flexible fuel vehicles is a way of moving forward whether the prices are as high as they are now, or even if they come down a bit. There's no way oil prices come down enough to compete with off-peak overnight electricity, and it just shows the short-sightedness of Senator Obama's statements and understanding of these energy issues if he claims that you really need these high prices in order to encourage alternatives."

McCain Senior Policy Advisor Doug Holtz-Eakin:

Doug Holtz-Eakin: "I'd like to echo two things that I think stand out from the Senator's efforts in his past four presentations and again today when he talks in Nevada. The first is the balance. The balance across sectors of the economy, whether it be transportation, homes, the government purchasing decisions, or the electricity sector. The balance between immediate responses, whether it be a gas tax, improved production of natural gas, which has dramatic impacts on cost structures and manufacturing and our ability to hold on and grow those jobs. And long-run issues of clean coal. The ability to have a low-carbon environment and one that we can leave for our children in a way that we're proud of. It's a balanced approach and that reflects a style, where the plan is not calibrated to make interest groups happy. Where you don't just say no because powerful constituents find themselves uncomfortable with your approach.

"The Senator, as has been his tradition in the U.S. Senate, will solve America's problems. He will address the pressing needs that Americans see for a Washington that actually works for them, is no longer broken and placing party objectives or interest group service above the genuine national cause of eliminating our national security threat, eliminating our economic insecurity, and leaving behind a cleaner environment. And I think that's what we've seen in the Senator's presentations. It's what he'll once again say today. And the sort of labels of gimmicks and saying no all the time really reflect the broken style of Washington politics that we need to leave behind us."

McCain Spokesman Brian Rogers:

Brian Rogers: "One other point I'd like to make on the $300 million prize. Nothing really points out Senator Obama's 'Dr. No' attitude toward energy security than his comments yesterday calling this a gimmick. The fact is that on Obama's own campaign website he talks about cash prizes for developing the next generation of bio-fuels. And, so when you take his statements yesterday and match it against what he said on his own campaign website, it really shows he's someone who's more driven by partisan politics in Washington than about putting the country first and trying to put forward proposals that are really going to move us forward. And, that's what people are looking for. They're looking for solutions not this 'Dr. No' sort-of-partisan-Washington attitude that seems to define so much of what Senator Obama -- his whole reaction to this entire issue."

Listen To The Full Conference Call.