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Obama and Romney take up gas prices and energy policy during second debate | Obama and Romney take up gas prices and energy policy during second debate |
(6 months later) | |
Barack Obama and Mitt Romney broke the campaign's long silence on energy policy on Tuesday night in a combative exchange with each claiming to be the stronger supporter of American oil and coal. | Barack Obama and Mitt Romney broke the campaign's long silence on energy policy on Tuesday night in a combative exchange with each claiming to be the stronger supporter of American oil and coal. |
Environmental campaigners have been pressing debate moderators to include questions on energy and climate change – hoping to put Obama on the spot to defend his clean energy agenda. | Environmental campaigners have been pressing debate moderators to include questions on energy and climate change – hoping to put Obama on the spot to defend his clean energy agenda. |
Even the oil man T Boone Pickens tweeted a few minutes before the debate that he was anxious for Obama and Romney to have a substantive clash on energy, after the topic was passed over in their first encounter and in the vice-presidential debate. | Even the oil man T Boone Pickens tweeted a few minutes before the debate that he was anxious for Obama and Romney to have a substantive clash on energy, after the topic was passed over in their first encounter and in the vice-presidential debate. |
But Obama, while re-affirming clean energy was central to his economic recovery plans, gave his most spirited answer on oil and coal, repeatedly interrupting Romney to tout his support for fossil fuels. | But Obama, while re-affirming clean energy was central to his economic recovery plans, gave his most spirited answer on oil and coal, repeatedly interrupting Romney to tout his support for fossil fuels. |
Obama pushed back hard at Romney's suggestion that his administration had cut back on offshore oil exploration and oil and gas drilling on public lands – and repeatedly interrupted the Republican contender when he tried to protest. | Obama pushed back hard at Romney's suggestion that his administration had cut back on offshore oil exploration and oil and gas drilling on public lands – and repeatedly interrupted the Republican contender when he tried to protest. |
Obama also took Romney on for accusing the administration of crushing the coal industry. "Not true, governor Romney," the president said repeatedly. | Obama also took Romney on for accusing the administration of crushing the coal industry. "Not true, governor Romney," the president said repeatedly. |
"We've opened up public lands, we're actually drilling more on public lands than the previous president and he was an oil man," Obama said. "When I hear Governor Romney says he's a big coal guy, and governor, keep in mind when you were governor of Massachusetts you stood in front of a coal plant and said: 'This plant kills,' and took pride in shutting it down – and suddenly you're a champion of coal. So what I've tried to do is be consistent." | "We've opened up public lands, we're actually drilling more on public lands than the previous president and he was an oil man," Obama said. "When I hear Governor Romney says he's a big coal guy, and governor, keep in mind when you were governor of Massachusetts you stood in front of a coal plant and said: 'This plant kills,' and took pride in shutting it down – and suddenly you're a champion of coal. So what I've tried to do is be consistent." |
Romney would not let it go, arguing Obama's policies had driven up gas prices. "The proof of whether a strategy's working or not is what you're paying at the pump. ... but you're paying more [under Obama]," he said. | Romney would not let it go, arguing Obama's policies had driven up gas prices. "The proof of whether a strategy's working or not is what you're paying at the pump. ... but you're paying more [under Obama]," he said. |
The Obama camp was on the defensive entering the debate, following news earlier in the day of the bankruptcy filing by A123 a car battery manufacturer that had received $250m in energy department funding. | The Obama camp was on the defensive entering the debate, following news earlier in the day of the bankruptcy filing by A123 a car battery manufacturer that had received $250m in energy department funding. |
The Romney camp said the bankruptcy was another example of the failure of Obama's energy policy, after the collapse of the solar panel maker Solyndra. | The Romney camp said the bankruptcy was another example of the failure of Obama's energy policy, after the collapse of the solar panel maker Solyndra. |
Energy is one of the sharpest dividing lines between the two candidates. Obama while professing an "all-of-the-above" energy strategy, including expansion of natural gas and offshore oil, has put renewable energy at the heart of his recovery plan. | Energy is one of the sharpest dividing lines between the two candidates. Obama while professing an "all-of-the-above" energy strategy, including expansion of natural gas and offshore oil, has put renewable energy at the heart of his recovery plan. |
About $90m of the economic stimulus was devoted to green initiatives, including insulation for low-income home owners, public transport and high-speed rail as well as clean energy grants. | About $90m of the economic stimulus was devoted to green initiatives, including insulation for low-income home owners, public transport and high-speed rail as well as clean energy grants. |
Obama has disappointed environmental groups by expanding offshore drilling – including exploration in the pristine Arctic – and for diluting and delaying regulations to limit the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change. He has not vetoed a pipeline carrying tar sands from Alberta, as campaigners demanded. | Obama has disappointed environmental groups by expanding offshore drilling – including exploration in the pristine Arctic – and for diluting and delaying regulations to limit the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change. He has not vetoed a pipeline carrying tar sands from Alberta, as campaigners demanded. |
But Obama has continued to talk of renewable energy as part of America's future, including at Tuesday night's debate. | But Obama has continued to talk of renewable energy as part of America's future, including at Tuesday night's debate. |
Obama has also repeatedly called on Congress to extend tax credits for the wind industry, arguing the support will help save jobs. | Obama has also repeatedly called on Congress to extend tax credits for the wind industry, arguing the support will help save jobs. |
Romney, in contrast, has set himself up as a support of American energy, promising to approve the controversial Keystone XL pipeline on his first day in the White House. | Romney, in contrast, has set himself up as a support of American energy, promising to approve the controversial Keystone XL pipeline on his first day in the White House. |
He accuses the Environmental Protection Agency of crushing the coal industry by setting higher standards for new coal-fired power plants. | He accuses the Environmental Protection Agency of crushing the coal industry by setting higher standards for new coal-fired power plants. |
Romney also opposes extending the tax credit for the wind industry. | Romney also opposes extending the tax credit for the wind industry. |
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