Obama meets with T. Boone Pickens

[DCBob]

Obama Meets with Kerry Antagonist
By Shailagh Murray
RENO, Nev. -- Sen. Barack Obama talked energy this morning with T. Boone Pickens, the Texas oil and gas billionaire who helped finance the Swiftboat attacks on Sen. John Kerry in 2004. Pickens requested the meeting, which was held in a conference room at a Reno casino. The two discussed the Pickens Plan, which aims to replace foreign oil supplies with alternative domestic sources, including a wind corridor that would stretch from Texas to the Canadian border.

When the two men posed for pictures, a reporter asked Obama how it felt to be meeting with the man "who tore down" the party's last presidential nominee. Pickens smiled awkwardly.
"Ah, you know, he's got a lot longer track record than that," Obama said. "He's been doing, ah, he's a legendary entrepreneur and you know one of the things that I think we have to unify the country around is having an intelligent energy policy."

The energy cause is a big one, he continued, and Pickens could play a vital role. "Everybody knows that if we keep on going on the same track that we're going, that we are giving our wealth away, we're funding both sides in the war on terror," Obama said. "We're going to be - over the long term - putting enormous pressure on ordinary families here in America who just aren't going to be able to afford skyrocketing gasoline prices and home heating prices, so this is one of those issues that I think should unify the country. That's what we're going to be talking about."

=========

Regardless of Pickens' past performance on Kerry's swiftboating book I still think much of his proposal makes sense. Especially the idea of using natural gas in vehicles. Conversion to CNG could be a good transition while developing real alternatives to gas.

[sandnsea]

1. Conversion costs around $600

Looks like, in a Google search. And you can use either gas or natural gas. I haven't looked way into it, but my sil can't drive his work truck half the time because of the cost of gas. Hard to be in construction when you can't drive your vehicle. This economy is about to really implode. The affect on local people is worse than after 9/11. Foreign media knows it. Sad that ours continues to lie to us.

[DCBob]

4. Legally its quite a bit more than that..

$5,000-$10,000+ depending on the engine. There are large fed rebates that help. The biggest downside is that most vehicles are not eligible for conversion. No foreign car has been cleared. There is some sort of complicated expensive regulatory requirement that manufacturers have to complete for each engine type. Hopefully those regs can be loosened or there can be some assistance to help complete the requirement for each engine type that is not cleared now. Also, there aren't many places to gas up now but that will change once more folks begin driving CNG cars.

[sandnsea]

16. I guess I was looking at E85 conversion, oops

:hi:

[KittyWampus]

2. That "Wind Corridor" should also be ceded to the Native Americans. Let them run buffalo there

and manage the turbines.

This would help settle the real, financial debt the US LEGALLY owes them and constantly ignores.

[az chela]

5. Obama would do well to stay away from pickins

People need to know what that wind corridor is all about
WATER that he plans to steal the rights to and then pipe it into big cities at the land owners expense cause he is planning on getting the land thru EMINENT DOMAIN

[KittyWampus]

10. Thanks, then the American Indians also get water rights. Mineral rights perhaps not.

[DCBob]

6. Good idea. American Indians love the wind!

[sandnsea]

14. Many reservations are already "wind corridors"

Many of them are looking into wind energy. The wind in Browning MT could be the thing that finally lifts that reservation out of poverty.

[globalvillage]

31. Check out Native Energy

That's where I buy carbon offsets.

http://www.nativeenergy.com/pages/our_projects/14.php

[KittyWampus]

43. great link.

[sandnsea]

73. Those projects are terrific

I see Rosebud has a few projects, that's excellent. The irony, I think Native Americans are taking their country back.

[1Hippiechick]

3. Here is an interesting article about the land Pickens has "donated" and the billions he will profit

First 3 parapgraphs of this article:

Small investors seeking potential multi-bagger returns seek out companies operating in industries poised to receive hefty influxes of capital and public interest. Technology has always been a good place to look; but when the technology provides hope to a nation desperately looking for solutions to an ongoing crisis - a crisis profound enough to threaten its very survival as a global superpower - investors may want to claim a piece of the next big thing wherever it’s found.

One such company getting a piece is Wind Energy America. Wind Energy America is an alternative energy investment company with interests in wind energy production in Minnesota. The company attempts to provide returns to shareholders by building up equity interests in operating or developing wind energy producers. The company’s partially and fully-owned wind farms sell their electricity to local utilities under long-term power purchase agreements.

Wind Energy America is positioning itself in an industry and location that T. Boone Pickens has determined is the next best thing since discovering oil fields, Pickens has gone out on a limb by investing in 2,500 acres of property and turbines located in the Midwest to prepare his enterprise for what he believes will make him more billions.


://www.beaconequity.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1307&Itemid=62

[DCBob]

7. No doubt Pickens will position himself to make money on this but ...

that does not mean he is not right.

[MBS]

8. I was disappointed in Obama's answer

Dems are fools to accept Pickens' proposals at face value.

[DCBob]

9. What makes you think Dems are accepting Picken's plan at face value?

I am sure they are not; considering his reputation. Pickens has good ideas and knows how to get things done. This is a crisis and we need all the best minds working on this together.

[karynnj]

15. Pickens is not a "best"mind

There are plenty of people with better credentials working on this.

[DCBob]

20. Picken's stature in the oil biz can get many to cooperate and participate that otherwise might not.

Furthermore his comment that we cannot "drill out way out of this mess" fits well into the Dem position. Obama is smart. He will use Pickens. If Pickens won't cooperate then Obama will drop him.

[blm]

27. Bullshit - Pickens is selling this with catchphrases no differently than GOPs sold

the estate tax as a 'death tax' to get working class to support it blindly to benefit the rich people. Now Pickens uses transfer of wealth and foreign dependence because he knows that LEGITIMATE fighters for working class and legitimate enviros have used those phrases, but he uses them as the advertising lures of a ROBBER BARON. People are being Compassionate-Conservatived again and don't even know it.

[DCBob]

29. You don't seem to have much confidence in Obama.

Why is that?

[blm]

32. I think he made a mistake on THIS. twist yourself into buying this as a good thing.

this is NOT a smart move for Obama, it is a MISTAKE. And I hope he is smart enough to rectify it quickly.

[DCBob]

35. No twisting here. Clearly you do not understand the seriousness of this issue.

This goes way beyond politics. Oil dependence could destroy this country. Do a google search on "Peak Oil".

[blm]

36. The gullible have always fucked it up for the rest of us. Pickens is about WATER, pal.

you are siding with HIS agenda on owning WATER which will be a helluva bigger war in the future than oil ever was. Sure he'll make billions off alternative energy but, he'll have more power than most anyone else in the world when he controls more water than anyone else. Fucking RevMoon has been doing exactly the same thing, mostly in South America.

[DCBob]

39. We may not make it to the "water war"...

if we don't solve the oil crisis.

[blm]

40. Pickens worked to STOP alternative energy funding in 2000 and 2004. Now you trust him.

.

[DCBob]

41. I don't trust him but that does not mean he can't be helpful.

Sometimes you have to work with people you don't entirely trust. You just have to keep your eyes open and never turn your back. I do trust Obama and I am sure he knows what he is doing. Give him a chance before you make your judgements.

[blm]

45. Fuck that - Obama has no business ACCEPTING Pickens on his ground without getting Pickens

to bend for his role in giving Corsi a forum and helping fund the spreading of those lies. Obama has already been played, and that fucks over the rest of us.

[DCBob]

46. Chill out. You don't know what Obama's terms are with Pickens.

Give him a chance. Are you real Obama supporter or not?

[blm]

55. I don't support the STUPIDEST MOVE he has made to date. I support his election.

You are truly only in this to push the FASCIST MOVE to privatize all that water and wind and pay through the nose on it. Fuck that. I will put up that fight. YOU trust Pickens, then you trust fascists.

[DCBob]

59. What's with the anger and insults dude. We are on the same team...

I think.

[karynnj]

61. I know where BLM stands

as does everyone on this board. I've met BLM in real life. I am less sure where you stand - as you seem to have signed up completely onto Pickens' bandwagon. Is there anything in 2004 or this year you thing he shouldn't have done.

Did you follow things so poorly in 2004 and over the last few year that you really thought that Pickens was the first to argue "that we can not drill drill our way out"?

[DCBob]

62. I am not on Pickens' bandwagon, I am on Obama's bandwagon.

If Obama thinks Pickens can help, I trust him on that. Lets see where Obama goes with this. He may dump Pickens entirely but use some of his ideas. I really like the idea of CNG conversion. It makes complete sense to me. It is unfortunate that Pickens is the one who has embraced it since people like you and others will reject it out of hand just because it came from him. The impending oil crisis is going to bite us all regardless of political persuasion. We need to work together to solve it.

BTW, I am sure BLM and you are great DUers and big time Obama supporters but so am I.

[karynnj]

71. Why does CNG make sense to you?

1)What about all the homes that are using natural gas now. How quickly can they be converted to electric and what would the conversion cost be? Consider that most people with gas furnaces also have gas stoves, ovens and dryers. After they are converted, how much more would it cost to heat homes, hot water heaters, and dryers with electricity?

What would be an alternative? Continue letting people use natural gas. Build all new construction to use electricity - because that will likely be what is needed in the future. Phase out gas apppliances, so people replace their gas with electic. This can not be done if natural gas is diverted to cars.

2) How much would it cost to convert cars to natural gas and to convert the gas stations to provide it? Now consider that this is not a LONG TERM change for cars, but an interim step. With cars, the shift does not help with global warming.

What is the solution there? Just what it was in the 1970s with better technology. With high gas prices, SUV and gas hogs are becoming less attractive. Senator Kerry spoke of a MA company that designed an after market battery that gets 150 miles a gallon in a hybrid and which can go 40 miles on no gas at all. As gas prices rise, a car equipted like that becomes worth the extra money to buy it.

3) Conservation

4) Research - There are many top universities and companies with scientists working on new technology. That, not a sleasy oilman, is where the long term solutions will come from.

You still did not respond to why Obama brushed off the SBVT question as he did. I like Obama - and did before Senator Kerry endorsed him - but this was a weak moment.

[DCBob]

75. I think the focus should be on converting cars to CNG ..

and converting power stations using NG to Wind freeing up more NG. Converting cars will be somewhat expensive - I have seen figures of 5-10 thousand but there are also large fed incentives that will help and those should be increased. There are not many CNG filling stations now but that can be ramped up fairly quickly and easily. There is no new technology here, it is all ready to go. Many buses in cities have already been converted to CNG. Also CNG does help with reducing global warming gases -- NG burns much much cleaner than regular gas. I don't know the exact stats but it is a huge difference. I agree there should also be focus on conservation and R&D for alternative fuels but CNG buys us some time to get that done.

As far as Obama brushing off the SBVT question - sure he could/should have said something more but it would have been awkward. But why dwell on it? He's our guy. Let's get him elected first then we can trash him all we want.

[karynnj]

52. drill out way out of this mess was KERRY's line

repeated in EVERY stump speech in 2004 and often since then - he's said it been saying it at least since 2002 - when he said it in the Senate.

The fact is that Obama, blew this question. He has not yet had a group spend $100 million dollars lying about his background - he has just had whisper and email campaigns and the Corsi book. A book incidently that is LESS deadly because he was a co-author of teh DISCREDITED 2004 book and because the Kerry people in 2004 found his Free Republic quotes.

Rather than saying "his record is longer than that" and then speaking of his stature in th eoil industry, he could have said he thought that funding was despicable, but he should be one of the people at the table when they looked at the energy crisis.

The fact is that Obama needs outside experts to look at Perkins plan and assess how good it is. Gore had major problems with it and I think Kerry might too.

No one has done more to defend Obama than John Kerry - that Obama did not use a single word that went beyond neutral is pathetic. Not to mention it hurts Obama - because if there was nothing particularly despicable about the SBVT, then using the fact that Corsi was an author or their book means nothing.

[DCBob]

66. I don't think Corsi's book is going to have much impact...

Most see the author as a nutcase and the book as outrageous biased trash. Kerry biggest problem is that he did not fight back as hard and as fast as he should have. Also, the statement that "we can't drill our way of this mess" has more impact coming from a lifetime oil tycoon than from a liberal Senator from Massachusetts.

[karynnj]

79. Kerry did fight back - the media ignored it

If you've noticed, other Democrats, including Kerry have been out there defending Obama when he is attacked.

In 2004, other Democrats should have tried to help Kerry get the truth out - especially if they thought he was not doing enough. What he had done was already provided more than enough ammunition to use for people to defend him - and it was in Democrats vested interest to do so. The Navy awarded those medals - he didn't steal them or make them up.

The MSM did not do his its job. In reality the media condoned character assassination of Senator Kerry. Then there was a second swiftboating after the narrow election loss by people with vested interests, either because they did not live up to their journalistic standards or they supported someone else in 2008. The problem was that Kerry could not get his response out through the mass media - his message was heavily filtered.

The campaign's immediate reaction to the August attack was to put out 36 pages listing lies and discrepancies in the book. That was done within ONE DAY of the book's emergence in August. - this is the SAME timing that Obama had in getting his response out. One advantage Obama has is that Kerry already discreited Corsi - it was his team that gave the media Corsi's Free Republic postings, that made even the right wing distance themselves from him in 2004.

That 36 page document should have been sufficient to spike their attack. How many lies are people usually allowed when they are disputing the official record, offering nothing - not one Telex, photo, or record sent upward discussing Kerry as the problem portrayed in the book - as proof. They also later proved the links to Bush - in funding, lawyers, and in one case the B/C people were caught passing it out. In addition, Kerry surrogates including some of his crew, Rassman and Cleland countered it.

That was far more proof countering the liars than the Clinton machine ever put out on anything. The problem was that it went to the media and they refused to play the role of evaluating who was telling the truth - the Washington Post's editor even saying they wouldn't. The broadcast media was worse. Would Obama have done as well if the networks and cable TV failed to give coverage to his speech on race in the furor over Reverand Wright? We need to be prepared to help Obama, if the media turn back to 2004 mode now that we are in the general election.

It wasn't that we had no ammunition to use. There was an abundance of proof - far more than would be typically available as they hit against a well documented official record. Even before the August re-emergence, the Kerry campaign had already provided the media with more than enough backup for them to reject the August attack out of hand.

It should also be mentioned that it was not Kerry's accounts they disputed, it was the NAVY's official record. Backing the NAVY account over the SBVT, Kerry had the following:

he had 120 pages of naval records - spanning the entire interval with glowing fitness reports - all given to the media and on his web site from April on. That alone should have been enough.

He had every man on his boat for every medal earned 100% behind him. That alone should have been enough.

He had the Nixon administration on tape (that they thought would never be public) saying he was both a genuine war hero and clean, but for political reasons should be destroyed. (SBVT O'Neil was one of those tasked to destroy Kerry in 1971.) That alone should have been enough.

He also was given a plum assignment in Brooklyn as an aide to a rear admiral. From the naval records, this required a higher security clearance - clearly his "employers" of the last 3 years (many SBVT) had to attest to his good character. That's just standard. That alone should have been enough.

The then secretary of the Navy (Republican John Warner) said he personally had reviewed the Silver Star Award. That alone should have been enough.

In any previous election, calmly and professionally countering lies by disproving them would have been the obvious preferred first step. It is only when there is no open and shut case (as there is here) that the candidate would try anything different.When this didn't work, Kerry did speak to the issue - and he did so before the Firefighters as soon as it was appear that the attack was beginning to hurt him. Many here - all political junkies didn't here this. Why? The media that gave a huge amount of free time to people they had to know were lying didn't think that it was important to give the Democratic nominees response air time. Now, it was - I think less than 5 minutes long - so there is no excuse.
http://www.kerryvision.net/2007/08/jk_the_fire_fighters.html
click on little photo of the Senator.)

In 2004, there were no You tubes - if there were, getting this out could have been done. I hope the media will play fairer - but if they don't, we need to help Obama.

[DCBob]

81. Ok. Kerry was royally screwed...

I agree and I am off to bed. Ciao.

[karynnj]

83. Ciao to you as well

and Good Night

[unfaithful_servant]

86. You can't be serious

DU has dropped to new depths of depravity if their mods agree to such tripe.

[blm]

18. THAT'S your idea of a best mind? So you agree with Bush that these robber barons are the nation's

best minds - they ARE his constituency.

[DCBob]

21. Unfortunately we have to work with people like this to get this problem solved.

Pickens has some good ideas and he knows how to make things happen. Remember one of Obama's goals to work across party lines and work with those who disagree with you and compromise where necessary. That is the only way this country will progress.

[depakid]

30. Pickens wants to accellerate the use of coal

Only the suicidal advocate (or enable) more filthy coal fired plants.

[DCBob]

33. I guess you didn't realize Obama is somewhat pro-coal too,

He has be been a long-time advocate of coal liquifaction for fuel.

[depakid]

38. I never intimated that Obama's put forth a rational energy policy

No one who does can be elected in the states.

On the other hand, there's a big difference between utter insanity (Republican "policy") and Democratic pandering.

[DCBob]

42. Obama is not pandering. Coal is a huge home grown resource that we should not ignore.

It could help us reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Of course we must consider the environmental impact, especially on global warming, but we do have the technology now to use coal without emitting excessive greenhouse gases.

[depakid]

74. "use coal without emitting excessive greenhouse gases." LOL. -actually, it's not funny

Magical thinking- the hallmark of 21st Century America.

Phasing out coal ASAP is THE single most America and the world can do- though I don't expect that to happen until its too late to make much if any difference.

There will always be apolosists and panderers and the sucicial ho are willing to profit from- shall we say, cutting down the last trees on Easter Island.

[DCBob]

78. There are ways to burn coal "cleanly" and it can be improved with further R&D.

On possbilbity is gasification. Here is something from wkipedia:

Gasification is also a possibility for future energy use, as the produced syngas can be cleaned-up relatively easily leading to cleaner burning than burning coal directly (the conventional way). The cleanliness of the cleaned-up syngas is comparable to natural gas enabling to burn it in a more efficient gas turbine rather than in a boiler used to drive a steam turbine. Syngas produced by gasification can be CO-shifted meaning that the combustible CO in the syngas is transferred into carbon dioxide (CO2) using water as a reactant. The CO-shift reaction also produces an amount of combustible hydrogen (H2) equal to the amount of CO converted into CO2. The CO2 concentrations (or rather CO2 partial pressures) obtained by using coal gasification followed by a CO-shift reaction are much higher than in case of direct combustion of coal in air (which is mostly nitrogen). These higher concentrations of carbon dioxide make carbon capture and storage much more economical than it otherwise would be.

We shouldn't ignore coal -- we have huge deposits here. If we can find an efficient, clean way of using it it could greatly reduce our dependence on foreign oil... even without cutting down the "last trees on Easter Island".

[depakid]

84. There is no technology to cleanly or efficiently use coal

that's ever been demonstrated on any reasonable scale. It's a bondoggle, plain and simple- particularly for single minded avaricious sorts like Pickens, who probably don't believe in or care about climate change or mercury contamination in the 1st pplace.

[blm]

19. Kerry turned over research on Corsi, swiftliars, and their funders so Obama camp could prepare

ahead of time for their smears. Obama did not act courageously or even mindfully here. And THAT is sad.... and more importantly, it was stupid on his part. He claimed he wanted to END the politics of swiftboating and here he is praising one of their biggest funders. There would be no Corsi on the talkshows, Barack, if there wasn't a TB Pickens lining his bank accounts.

[MBS]

26. what you said n/t

[DefenseLawyer]

11. He was great in Dr. Strangelove.

Wait. Nevermind.

[globalvillage]

12. That's disappointing.

Pickens is a swiftboat enabler and a bet-welshing scumbag. I just hope Obama doesn't trust a word that comes out of his mouth.

[wisteria]

13. Obama demonstrates he is not quick on his feet and disappoints with his answer.

If Senator Obama felt it was somehow necessary to meet with T Boone's, then so be it, but to not say something in support of Senator Kerry, who has been and ardent defender and supporter of Obama is just wrong. All he had to say was it was wrong of him to discredit a good public servant like Senator Kerry. Instead, Senator Obama seemed to be more interested in making us aware of T Boone's long financial biography.

[blm]

17. Pickens funded CORSI. Obama was remiss to nod towards that SOB without getting an apology

beforehand.

[DCBob]

23. How do you know what was said between Obama and Pickens?

It was a private meeting. If Pickens helps solve this crisis then I don't care if he makes money from it. The future of this country and the world are at stake.

[blm]

25. Don't even TRY to snow me.

.

[DCBob]

28. No snow here pal.

What's your problem?

[blm]

34. INTEGRITY may look like a problem to you, but, not to me..

.

[DCBob]

37. I admire your integrity but in this case we may need some compromise to solve a crisis.

Give Obama a chance. You have not even heard specifically what he plans to do with Pickens.

[karynnj]

53. BLM has consistently defended Obama long before you started here

The fact is that Pickens continues to insist that the SBVT were honest, while stealing Kerry's line on "we can';t dril our way out of this problem". Kerry's energy proposal was a centerpiece of his 2004 campaign.

Like BLM, I agree that Obama's tepid response was not in his own best interests. One of the strongest arguments against all the lies in the Corsi book is that Corsi produced a similar book of lies in 2004. While I agree that he could agree that Pickens might be one of MANY people with an input, there was no reason he couldn't say something like, "though it is despicable that he funded people who lied about the service of a decorated veteran", - and then spoke of his business role. That it would embarrass Pickens, who was standing there - so what, he deserves to hear it. (Compared to the anguish the SBVT caused Kerry and his family - it is nothing and it is true.)

[DCBob]

58. Just because I am new here you shouldn't assume I am new to Obama..

One problem I have with DU is that many of you are quick to attack each other and Obama before you even know the facts. Supposedly we are all on the same team and we should give each other and our candidate the benefit of the doubt. He has been right on so far, I suspect he knows what he is doing.

[KAZ]

64. Don't let em get to you DCBob.

All kinds here. I happen to agree with your posts.

[DCBob]

68. Thanks!

It's ok. I enjoy the debate!

[karynnj]

65. Pretty patronizing there

Just as not every statement by Gore in 2000 or Kerry in 2004 was not sacrosnct - neither is every comment by Obama. I agree that he has run a good campaign. I think environment and alternative energy was one of his weakest issues - and every candidate will have some weakest issue. The odd thing is that in both 2000 and 2004, we had two nominees with the best credentials in this area.

The fact is that Gore, with excellent credentials on this issue was far less positive on Pickens' plan. I have only read one short Kerry comment relayed by a DUer who attended a Kerry fund raiser - he was clearly sceptical. (I've met that Duer in real life and trust the account completely.)

The other issue is that given that Obama is using the fact that Corsi lied about Kerry as a major argument to condemn the current book, he should have said something far stronger, before switching to Pickens and energy. He was stronger in the SFRC when they considered Sam Fox as nominee - he said the SBVT were a national fraud. He should have said that here. That Pickens was there was no excuse - he said it directly to Fox, who was less complict than Pickens. In addition, Fox told Kerry in the hearing when negative campaigning was first mentioned - "that you are a genuine war hero and nothing can take that away". Pickens has continued the lie claiming he would give a million dollars to anyone who could prove a lie - though bith Kerry and a group of his guys contacted him - Perkins keeps lying. Obama needed to say more.

[DCBob]

67. Not patronizing. I just think Obama is a very smart guy..

and his campaign knows exactly what they are doing. I usually give them the benefit of the doubt. BTW, I saw Gore on MTP a few weeks ago and he was semi-complimentary of Picken's plan. If I remember correctly he agreed with his wind power ideas but was skeptical of the CNG focus. I tend to think the CNG conversion of vehicles is a great short term solution while develop real alternatives.

[blm]

90. No one is attacking Obama, we want him to rectify a stupid mistake he made by accepting

Pickens at face value when Pickens is NOT on our side or the side of democracy in this country. He's a pure FASCIST who has some DC types snowed.

[Undercurrent]

22. Pick's statements about his meetings

with both McBoosh and Obama for comparison:


T. Boone Pickens Statement on Meeting with U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) in Aspen, Colorado

Last update: 2:16 p.m. EDT Aug. 15, 2008
DALLAS, Aug 15, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Below is a statement issued by T. Boone Pickens following his meeting this morning with U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) in Aspen, Colorado:
"It was a pleasure to sit down with Senator McCain and discuss firsthand an issue that is America's top priority: ending our dependence on foreign oil, which today is approaching 70 percent. We plan on having a similar meeting with Senator Obama in the very near future. I have repeatedly stressed the nonpartisan aspects of my initiative. This is a threat to our economic and national security and something that requires bipartisan support.

During the meeting I reiterated the urgency of the situation. I told him that any credible domestic energy policy must reduce our foreign dependence on foreign oil by at least 30% in the next 10 years (on top of conservation that is beginning to happen), must utilize proven and available technologies and be 100 percent comprised of American resources.

We discussed my plan in some detail. I also outlined our progress in building more than one million supporters who are actively pushing this issue with the goal of getting legislation passed in the first 100 days of the next administration that will get us on the path to radically reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

While I can not speak for the Senator, my sense is that he was interested and encouraged by the work we are doing and recognizes that citizen education and citizen involvement is key to changing course and actually developing a real energy policy with teeth that will help this country from our current disastrous path."
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/t-boone-pickens-statement-meeting/story.aspx?guid={82935781-53EC-4B70-A3D6-255451873697}&dist=hppr


T. Boone Pickens Statement on Meeting With U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) in Reno, Nevada

Last update: 1:56 p.m. EDT Aug. 17, 2008
DALLAS, Aug 17, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Below is a statement issued by T. Boone Pickens following his meeting this morning with U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL):
"I enjoyed the opportunity to meet Senator Obama and discuss an issue that is America's top priority, which is ending our dependence on foreign oil that today is approaching 70 percent of our imports and is costing us $700 billion a year.

"I assured Senator Obama that this is a non-partisan campaign and that I will do everything in my power to work together with leaders who are willing to solve our immense energy problems which are ruining our economy and threatening our national security.

"As I did with Senator McCain on Friday, I stressed the urgency of the situation and the need to end the largest transfer of wealth in human history. I told him that any credible domestic energy policy must reduce our dependence on foreign oil by at least 30% in the next 10 years, in addition to conservation measures and that must utilize proven and available technologies and be 100 percent comprised of American resources.

"We discussed my plan and the opportunities to create jobs, grow our economy and revitalize America's heartland by using private capital to invest in renewable energy including wind and solar power that are among our most abundant and untapped natural resources. I shared my feeling of encouragement at the Senator's willingness to speak out on energy issues recently in the campaign, but told him that there is still much more that needs to be done.

"We also discussed the Pickens Plan's success and our efforts to get more than one million supporters. These are people who share an immense concern about our dependence on foreign oil and are actively pushing our solution to this issue with the goal of getting legislation passed in the first 100 days of the next administration.

"It would be inappropriate for me to speak for Senator Obama. I have a real sense, however, that he was very engaged. He understands the issues and is interested and excited by the work we are doing to educate and involve the people of this great nation. As with any leader, he knows that developing real energy policy that will transform America for the better requires change and that change happens not just from the top down, but from the bottom up and that's what we are doing with the Pickens Plan."
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/t-boone-pickens-statement-meeting/story.aspx?guid={2C6BB112-E585-4560-9497-AA55FF0E3965}&dist=hppr

[DCBob]

24. Subtle differences but..

he sounded more "enthusiastic" about Obama -- even used the word "change". Obama does not need or want Pickens' approval but it does appear T. Boone realizes who is going to win this thing. Obama needs to use this guy and be careful not be used in return. It's a bit like crocodile hunting but I trust Obama's judgment.

[karynnj]

54. I hope any progressive here who was blind enough to sign on to

Picken's plan knows they have been used.

[Mass]

44. For those who think that Pickens is good, read this editiorial.

If you still care that is, and can be bothered understanding the issue.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-rubenstein29-2008jul29,0,2980323.story

So basically, our nominee sells one of his allies down the stream, does not understand the energy issue and its ramifications, and cannot listen to Gore who said that gas was a bad solution.

That may explain why there is nothing about global warming at the Convention, among other things.

Other problem: in the middle of an attack by Corsi, Obama meets with the financier of the attacks on the previous nominee? He is basically justifying what the RW is doing to him by meeting silently Pickens. VERY BAD MOVE.

[MBS]

47. this remains one of the nicest summaries of the consequences

of Pickens' initiatives, in California and elsewhere. CA voters, be warned: this issue affects YOU!

[DCBob]

48. The article has some inaccuracies.

"natural gas is a nonrenewable fossil fuel that we import from foreign sources"
======
We import a very small percent of our natural gas needs now -- less than 20%. Plus we have untapped huge deposits here in the US and also in friendly neighbor Canada.


"is no better (and in some cases worse) when it comes to emissions and fuel efficiency compared with the best hybrid cars or the new ultra-clean diesel engines."
=====
It is apples and oranges. The comparison is not to future new tech engines. We are talking about converting existing gas guzzling/polluting engines to CNG which, once converted will be tremendously cleaner.


CNG is a great "transition" fuel to help reduce oil dependency while we develop real alternatives like electric and hydrogen. We don't need Pickens to do this but if his efforts help make it happen faster then why not?

[Mass]

49. CNG is NOT a great transition . And we do not need to associate ourselves with scumbags like him.

As for the rest, it is not apple and oranges. Hybrid cars do exist. and using gas this way will only slow down the evolution that need to be made.

[DCBob]

51. I wish it were that simple to just switch to hybrids but..

that won't happen for a long long time. In the meantime we have huge gas guzzlers/SUVs clogging the highways at 10-15 mpg. These vehicles could be converted in a few months to CNG and reduce emissions and oil dependecy almost instantly. This is major crisis that threatens our future. Do a search on "peak oil". Also there are several great documentaries out now:

-- Crude Awakening
-- Crude Impact
-- Peak Oil

Some of these are on Youtube or Google video. It's a real problem

[karynnj]

60. You seem to be a bigger Pickens fan than you are a fan of any Democrat

What amazes me is that you have the chutzpah to criticise John Kerry as "a loser" because he very narrowly lost after $100 million dollars was spent to lie about him (not considering all the free time given to the liars), then you seemingly forgive the man who gave millions to that effort. (Your comment: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=6645149#6645761 )

Had Kerry won, we would already have made headway on energy independence and minimizing global warming.

[DCBob]

70. I don't think Kerry is a loser but he is seen as a loser by many in the electorate.

If you read the whole post, I also said "I loved the guy". I voted for him and I was devastated when he lost. My wife and I were seriously looking into immigrating to Canada. We have to win the WH back from the GOP. That's why we need to stick together and support our candidate and stop criticizing him for every little incident we disagree with.

BTW, I am not a Pickens fan -- I just think some of his ideas are correct.

[karynnj]

76. Do you think that Democrats need to demand he end

his disgraceful claim that the SBVT told the truth? This is not trivial. Senator Kerry risked his life for his country and the reward for it was that his spotless service record, that even the Nixon creeps found clean when looking for dirt, was completely distorted to hurt his election chances. Then to add insult to injury, Kerry was blamed for not being able to stop the attacks. This in spite of the media having far more proof that they were lying than any other politician has ever given them. The cost of running for President as a Democrat - the only thing Kery was guilty of - should not be to have a long solid career of public service ignored and his reputation damaged.

You do realize that if Obama buys into Pickens' ideas - Pickens will be there - no matter what Obama said concerning his 2004 actions.

[DCBob]

80. Sure, Obama and the Dems can try to get Pickens to fess up but I doubt he will..

I am sure he has an ego the size of TX and OK combined. Politics is dirty -- even dirtier on the Republican side. There are plenty of folks to blame for Kerry's loss but I realy would rather focus on winning in November 2008.

[karynnj]

56. Very nice summary as always, Mass

Everyone here should read that linked op-ed. THere are many people working on various alternative energy proposals. Many that will have a far better global warming impact.

What needs to be done is to fund the research into alternatives - because only out of it will we get the real solutions. Earlier this summer, Kerry put out a statement that contained a link to work at MIT that spoke of a breakthrough they found that enables cheaper storage of energy from solar panels. http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/oxygen-0731.html (I think one drawback of solar was that it was more expensive than some other alternatives.) This type of research is not what Pickens is speaking of.

He is advocating using a reasource he has in abundance - to fuel cars -natural gas. Now, there are already after market batteries that can get 150 miles per gallon on hybrid cars - and can do a 40 mile round trip with no gas used. These are far cleaner than Pickens alternative. They also don't require all the changes in infastructure that Picken's plan has - and likely wants the government to subsidize.

[Independent_Voice]

50. Keep your friends close...

I don't think it's a matter of Obama actually TRUSTING Pickens, so much as it is venturing into the belly of the beast.

Obama's team is surely anticipating a SwiftBoat from Pickens's camp...and ironically, if another one arises then Obama could actually use this photo-op AGAINST Pickens directly.

[Raine]

57. Obama needs to watch his back

what Pickens says *sounds* good but Obama needs to becareful, after what happened at Saddleback (with warren so called a man of God) obviously you can't trust anyone.

[karynnj]

72. You can't watch your own back

In fact many people, Senator Kerry more than almost anyone else has had Obams's back.

[Raine]

77. That's great, just as long as

someone is! :thumbsup: :-)

[inthebrain]

63. Obama aint gonna pickens my T Bone.

[blogslut]

69. Well, I hope he washed his hands afterward

Give him a courteous listen, Obama, and then move on.

Boone Pickens is the scum of the earth and his wind farm crap is just another scam to make him richer.

[MBS]

82. nice summary! : ) n/t

[unfaithful_servant]

85. Ugh. Obama meeting w/ Manson too?

T Boone is one of the biggest US criminals of the last 50 years.

Why would Obama want to lend this crook any cred by meeting with him?

Who's Obama going to meet with next? Charles Manson?

[Barack_America]

87. Pickens is useful to the Dems right now...

And vice versa. His claim that "we cannot drill our way out of" our current situation, deeply undercuts McCain's offshore drilling-based plan (which, oddly enough, Pickens also stands to benefit from).

The Pickens plan is geared to force Congress to subsidize wind energy and allow Pickens to corner the market. But, on the surface, it looks like Pickens is supporting Obama's energy plan over McCain's and that counts for something.

Politics makes for strange bedfellows.

[unfaithful_servant]

88. You are incredibly and destructively naive

Allowing Pickens to corner the market in wind energy is not a good idea.

Please provide some evidence to show it is. K Thx.

[depakid]

89. I think the poster main point is that Pickens can be useful

and I think that has some merit, provided that no one forgets for a New York minute, exactly who and what he is.

[Barack_America]

91. Yep that's it.

Obama's wise to what Pickens is after, but it is smart to string him along a bit.

I'd respond to the poster who criticized me, but I see that he/she is no longer with us, lol.