CNN

I find it incredible how the public can be sold to. But I guess we have been conditioned for years with Madison Ave advertising and this administration has used this to their advantage to sell what we know in our core not to be right, but if they say so.... we acquiesce. The Iraq war... sold day after day. Many knew it was a bad idea, but in the end the majority and congress bought it lock stock and barrel to use a cliche. The war was good for the oil companies and bad for the people of America and that has been born out in the state of our economy.

And now the drilling. As people have noted, to drill won't help the price for years and by then the market will have changed. Drilling would be a huge boon for drilling companies and oil companies but we would lose in the long term. I guess as long as we have the corporations running the country, this is what we get. Let's try something different this time around. Don't vote republican and don't buy into the drilling.

I have to agree that sooner or later we will have to drill more, but if McCain gets into office he WILL drill everywhere. Anyone that does not live where they are drilling now needs to make a trip and ask yourself if you would want to live there (this includes on or off shore)

For all you anti-drilling fanatics: Read the September issue of Popular Mechanics. There are several impartial articles on biofuels, hybrids, hydrogen, and making your own fuel. The reality is that while these options sound promising, they are just not anywhere near commercial availability for many years. So my question is: what are your suggested real solutions that we can use for the next 10-15 years to include transportation, home heating, etc. which will bridge the gap? Ummmm...do I hear crickets chirping?

What Obama is saying is "oil is not the answer not the future" and he is correct. If you look at other countries that are independent of oil they started their independence 30 years ago. The US is behind the times when it comes to oil. It is time we seriously look at alternatives and not scramble to do something that will just keep us in the same situation. Obama is taking a realistic but maybe more painful approach, rather than go for the easy pickings. Going fo the easy pickings has gotten us in this situation.

Don't let the politics confuse you! The republicans are just after the easy pickings to get ratings. They are even willing to start wars and put our youth into harms way because it is easier than saying "NO" to big oil. Saying "NO" to big oil doesn't line the republican coffers. It always comes back to money doesn’t it!

Obama 08 and 12. It's going to take some time to turn this sinking ship around.

McCain is going to wear this off shore thing into the ground. Until it becomes his goat instead of his calvary horse.

The American people will realize that while starting an off shore drilling program will provide some relief at some future date, America will be in even worse shape on that future date if we are still at the current level of oil dependence.

Off shore drilling is a poor foundation for an energy policy. It is something that should be included as part of an overall strategy that decreases the use of fossil fuels, no matter where they come form.

NO MORE DRILLING!! It will not work!!! Wind, solar and nuclear would be fine if, and thats a big IF they can find a safe way of despossing of the waste material!!!!

Does McCain know that oil in the ground is not created by Republicans.. it is a natural resource that everyone is aware of. His super plan is to use up the oil and then do what ??? Nothing, Oh..by that time he wont be a President anymore and he will probably be dead too.
McCain's energy plan is to dig up American soil for oil and drive big big SUV's , Trucks and then when it is over.. go back to Iraq / Iran and start bombing them.
OBAMA (2008 -16)

WHY ISN'T HE TALKING ABOUT THE OIL RESERVES BEING TAPPED INTO? BECAUSE HE IS GOING TO SAVE THAT FOR HIS NEXT WAR OR WARS....ANYWHERE HE CAN BOMB. GOD HELP US WITH THIS OLD COOT.

Mike -Tx is about the delegates stupid. And stop with the myth that she won the popular vote, she did not more creative math by the Clinton's not counting the Caucus states.

If we would have started drilling 10 years ago when we should have then BO couldn't say it won't have an effect for 7 years. If we don't start now that will be the same argument 7 years from now when gas is $10.00 a gallon. BO says he's for the poor folk but these are the people hit hardest by these prices and are also the people who will not be able to afford alternative energy vehicles. The fact is we should be doing everything Nuclear, solar, wind, lower speed limit, more fuel efficient cars and drilling for our own oil.

Just a quick question to anyone, why isn’t anyone talking about jobs being lost because of Anheuser being sold to a foreign company and why aren’t the children from is first marriage ever spoke of?

MCCAIN WAS A POOR STUDENT NEVER APPLIED HIMSELF NOW HE WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT. NOW WE HAVE LOWERED THE STANDARD. STUPID PEOPLE CAN RUN FOR PRESIDENT OUT OF AMBITION...

OBAMA.......08

What I would like to know is exactly how much of the oil from the new drilling will actually stay in the U.S. My understanding is that much the oil from Alaska is sold to other countries. If that's going to be the same practice with the new off shore drilling I don't see much of an impact being made.

Does anyone really believe that we will be off oil in 10 years, or 20? Oil will be part of the energy mix for decades. We need to do all of it: drill, nuclear, wind, solar, etc. There is no one answer. Obama complains that offshore fields won't produce for 7 years. Well his alternatives won't enter the mianstream for decades, so we need that oil!

10,000 barrels a day? Wow, that'll solve all of our problems with gas and oil! Way to go McCain!

Obama's right, McShame isn't. Off shore will do little to none.

McCain is lying. Again.

Obama has supported new exploration - as long as it is also tied to alternative energy.

He knows we will need both to be energy independent.

McCain lies. Our soldiers die. For oil

Like Pickings said "can't drill ourselves out of this one."

What part of this doesn't Mccain or the Pepublicans get.?

We need a comprehensive energy bill.

How come Mccain/republicans not fighting for that? Answer: No big oil money for them.

People vote for Obama and Democrats and see the good that comes from it.

Yes WE can.

So, while the Obama campaign is wrapped up in its own VP self-hype engine, McCain is talking about something which really matters.
Just say Nobama '08

McCain managed this photo op with no oil spill THIS TIME...the questions i would like to ask are:1) they have 68 million acres now that they are NOT drilling on, why?2) if they do drill here drill now, and oil is found why does McCain want to put that oil on the open market instead of keeping it here in America and 3)if McCain flip flopped on off shore drilling only AFTER the HESS foundation payed him to do so, how can he expect us to believe his word? also 4) HOW MANY LOBBYIST ARE RUNNING MCCAIN'S CAMPAIGN? 59! including people from EXXON, AMCO,OCCIDENTAL...country first? how can he say that with a straight face? have any of you seen a flag pin on Mccain's lapel? why does he still, after all this time refuse to release his Military records? you people voting for McCauin are the sheep to affraid to ask the questions of McCain you should have asked of Bush.

MCCAIN LOOKS LIKE A BIG APE ON THE OIL RIGS. HE CAN'T EVEN MAKE A SENTANCE WITHOUT LOOKING DOWN AT HIS NOTES. CAN YOU IMAGINE HIM IN A WORLD MEETING WITH OTHER WORLD LEADERS.....LEIBERMAN OR GRAHAM ONE WILL ALWAYS HAVE TO ATTEND WITH HIM TO MAKE SURE HE GETS HIS NOTES AND COVER UP ALL HIS GAFFS. MCCAIN WILL DIE OF OLD AGE BEFORE ANY OF HIS DRILL...DRILL...DRILLL NOW EVEN HAPPENS. AMERICA WAKE UP, THIS IS A HOLLOW SPEECH TO WIN HIM VOTES. HE IS SO INVIOUS OF OBAMA THAT ALL HE CAN TALK ABOUT IS WHAT OBAMA SAYS. I ALMOST FEEL SORRY FOR HIM.

SENATOR MCCAIN BEAT OBAMA AT THE CIVIL FORUM AT THE SADDLEBACK CHURCH IN ORANGE COUNTY WHERE OBAMA STUMBLED AND MUMBLED . IT SEEMS HIS RHETORIC SUFFERS
WHEN HE DOES NOT HAVE A TELEPROMPTER IN FRON OF HIM WHEN HE SPEAKS. ON THE ISSUE OF ENERGY: OIL EXPROATION AND DRILLING , WIND PORWER, SOLAR, GEOTHERMAL AND NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS, BIODIESEL, B ATTERY TECHNOLOGY
AND MORE FUEL EFFICIENT CARS LIKE ELECTRIC CARS, SENATOR MCCAIN HAS OBAMA OVER A BARREL. (OR OVER A DRUM OF OIL)

Off-shore drilling will NOT solve the energy problem. Destroy the environment and not lower the price of gas !! Wake up people !

Why are we still talking about this? I dont think a trip to an oil rig will chance Obama's ideas on the issue...

Obama 08

I hope McCain is only pandering, but if he really believes that offshore drilling will actually help us then we have a real problem.

He's said before that economics is not his strong suit, and he is proving it in spades with his fundamental misunderstanding of the way the oil market works. Oil drilling off our shores ain't gonna make a bit of difference for the average American. The only folks it will help are those who own the oil rigs and can bring their oil to the world market. Oil is traded internationally - it's not like you just dig in your backyard and then put it in your gas-tank.

If McCain does not understand this, he is unfit to be president. And if his supporters do not understand this, then they are neither educated in economics nor true fiscal conservatives.

It will be a miraculous day when they all just stop either acting like children or treating us like we are children.

We all see that McCain is marching right in bush,s footstept .This is allPresident Bush did the almost 8 years he has been in office day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year selling his oil,oil,oil, and war,war war,intrest.This is the same blue print of Mr McCain.We think things are really bad now ,we haven,t seen nothing yet if Mr same blue print gets in office.

It is amazing to me that most saw the Gas Tax Holiday as a political stunt, which it was. It is even more amazing that most do not see McCain's horn blowing on off shore drilling as another stunt, which it is.

McCain opposed off shore drilling until he met with executives behind closed doors. 60% of the leases oil companies already own are for off-shore areas. It takes years to find the oil, set up a rig, drill the oil, and bring it to market. The international market, not the US market.

It does not reduce US dependence on petro-fuels, it only makes it worse. It does nothing to help the environment; the air or the seas, it only makes it worse. McCain offers no alternative energy ideas as his main platform, only drill, drill, drill.

at least he's standing somewhere where he really can drill here drill now.stagehands across america will be thrilled that mccain has stopped drilling through their stages.

I'd really like to believe...that if our future President believes so strongly in an issue he once strongly, vehemently opposed...that he wouldn't have to read his new "belief" so haltingly and badly off of a cue card.

OMIG0D – I do not believe these people in the McCain campaign and the idiots that want to vote for him . The Litlle Old Man dons a hardhat and takes a tour of an oil drilling rig near New Orleans to bolster his charge that off shore drilling is the only answer to our energy woes. Reading off his usual "See N Say" cards during this outstanding media blitz (not!), he rants on and on about off shore drilling and that Obama and the Dems do not support it. Off shore drilling is not going to help in the long term as a solution to help the American people, and McCain and his oil crook cronies who line his little pockets know this. It's just like that stupid, idiotic, insulting, Gas Tax Holiday McCain proposed, which would have saved us a whopping 18 cents on the gallon –

All McCain can do spend his time lying. Obama has said he would agree to drilling IF it included serious comprehensive energy legislation. So my question is why hasn't McCain come on board with that? If he too is REALLY for a comprehensive energy plan then why hasn't the so called maverick joined the push for that legislation? The only thing I can conclude is that he doesn't believe in a serious energy plan. More Pandering from McPander.

McCain I suggest YOU get back to work ! I know you've missed more votes than any other senator except a guy who had a life threatening illness. I'd like McCain to explain where he was when he neglected to vote on 7 energy plans.

BTW, McCain couldn't visit the gulf coast a few weeks ago because there was a ....wait for it..............OIL SPILL!

"WHY IS OBAMA THE NOMINEE WHEN HILLARY WON THE POPULAR VOTE?"

Because, idiot, she didn't win the popular vote nor did she win the nomination. How stupid are you people?

I watched this statement and McCain looked anything but presidential. He couldn't avoid looking at his notes for more than a second. I don't think is heart is in this fight it's just pandering to the ignorant. He still in his heart prefers his previous stance that drilling will not solve anything.

Thank you John McIdiot, for proposing a stupid red-herring energy proposal that won't help us for at least a decade. By then we'll practically be a third-world country under Bush/McCain leadership. How about a real energy policy that actually helps us in the near term?

You are a pathetic, pandering, ethically challenged shell of the independent man you used to be. I would have considered voting for you before you completely sold yourself to the Bush thug/thief squad.

Drill here and drill now. What a ridiculous solution to a problem that has existed for over 25 years and only now is a Senator with 26 years experience concerned. They didn't learn anything from the Oil Embargo of the early 80's. In the past 28 years, Republican presidents have held office for 20 of those 28 years and look what it has gotten us. How can McCain with 26 years in the Senate and a part of the problem even say with a straight face he has the solutions. I say get invested in many alternate sources of energy right here, right now and let them eat sand.

This guy needs to change his Depends because his maverick manure is really starting to stink.

So now we have a liar, on the seen, wont even claim her own, blood, plus she married a guy who commited adultry. So this is what all you Mccain people want in the white house, plus the four more years of bush that we will also be getting. Hay you puma people where are you no comments from you childish, stupid and racits people.

Drilling can´t creat energy independence. It blocks new engineering ideas and new green industries. Other nations will fill this gap.

I don't get all the people who blast liberals in posts and then say "Hillary '08 or '12!"

Um... Hillary is a liberal. Very much so. Be honest and admit you don't care one bit about Hillary, you're a Republican in Democrat's clothing.

Currently 13.5 billion dollars in tax breaks for big oil companys and McCain is a share holder.

Nope. Nothing wrong here.

Does Obama or Gore have a huge windmill in his backyard? Why don't they put their money where their mouths are? You Obamabots have a lot of faith in 2 people who drive huge vehicles and private planes and use more energy in a week than you would in 10 years! Oh, I forgot, they want you to sacrifice, not them! Not Elitist?

Jim from Burlingtion,

Did you know that T Boone Pickens is in favor of drilling? You should look it up.

Do you know why he wants wind farms? So he can free up the NG electrical generators so we can transform to an NG car society. Guess who controls the majority of NG sources?

That's right, T Boone Pickens.

The majority of Americans (62%) want off-shore drilling. It's time to get this done.

We will still be using oil 20 years from now, regardless of the alternative energies that come along. We can either get that oil from our enemies, or get it from ourselves.

The choice is clear.

Once again, my comment is awaiting moderation. Why CNN?

Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Obama's on the right side of this issue. Without comprehensive reforms and a strategic plan to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, "drilling here and drilling now" is only a band-aid on an arterial bleed. I'm so sick of McCain saying that. It's his new buzz phrase and he couldn't even get it right at the Faith Forum.

This man terrifies me. What kind of America will we live in? One with a higher population of infants since he'll outlaw abortion, with a disproportionately lower number of young adults since he'll send all of them off to war.

any one ever heard the term "that goes together like oil and water"?

I am so amazed at how utterly dumb the democRATS are. It has become abundantly clear during this election, more so than ever. Amazing.

only fools (aka the average American apparently) will actually believe that offshore drilling will actually Yield any results (as in lower oil prices) . We have the oil (in reserves) and tapping into that is the real solution for immediate price reduction. The American People need to stop listing to Corporations and politicians who are paid by them, and look at the real facts.

That´s not logic ! Being pro drilling and against climate change at the same time is just a cheat.

Keep drinking the kool aid guys. The Messiah is not going to win. McCain is much better....that is painful to say, but is true.

Bulldog I would say you are a paid professioal blogger from the Obama camp . If this were true Msnbc and Cnn would already have run with it since they are in the tank for Obama and have a thrill running up their leg as Chris Matthews . The reason they do not report this is called a lawsuit and could easily be proven as false.

So if we're refining at 98% capacity – where does Mr. McCain think this oil is going.
His buddies will put it on the open market – make a killing and we will be putting gas in cars in Bejing
Only the decorum of this thread keeps me from typing several short crude words I would use to describe Mr. McCain

Can't he find something more significant. Every analyst agrees it won't change anything thing in the price of gas before 10 years. Obama's plans with renewable energy will have done more in that period of time than this stupid drilling idea. I can't believe so many Americans are dumb enough to buy this gammick.

Didn't he oppose drilling not too long ago? I guess his flashcards are telling him to support it now.

Good job John.Most people realizes that this drilling needs to be done in conjunction with other techniques for energy. You where out in front with this proposal and every other poltician nearly was against it. Since 70% of the american people are with you I would say it shows how little most politicians are in tune with the average american especially the democrats.

Cindy McCain has consistently stated that she was "the only child" but today I heard on NPR that in fact she has a sister from the same father who is pissed that Cindy is lying to the media. Her sister, Kathy, is content that her and Cindy's dad gave Cindy the family business and only gave her $10,000 in his will, but she is pissed that Cindy continually lies to the media about being an only child.

Notice he is reading from a script when he makes his statements. He is clearly a puppet saying whatever his Bush advisors are telling him to say.

Of course he is. The Republicans have got to get off-shore drilling approved before the elections. Because, if Obama is elected and/or the Democrats establish a clear majority in Congress, their chances go down considerably. So the oil companies are pushing hard while the politics are in their favor.
By the way, have you noticed that the oil prices (and, more significantly, the gas prices) have been going down the closer we get to an election? Maybe it's the markets, maybe it's supply, maybe it's the price of eggs in China. Or maybe it's an effort to help the Republicans.

McShifter is now the biggest proponent on a policy he vehemently opposed before...go figure. Straight talk my hiney. He's such a hypocrite! He talks about Obama being ambitious to be president but not be ready after he himself acknowledged that being POTUS was indeed his own ambition. And how does the Georgia situation make McCain any more ready to be Commander in Chief? If he were president, I'm sure we'd already have troops over there getting in the middle of something we probably shouldn't and end up going to war with Russia as a result. I'm all for Democracy but I'm sick of every other country getting support from the US government when our own country needs it.

Benedict Arnold was reprimanded for profiteering during the Revolutionary War. He got angry about it, but it was true. That was in the eighteenth century. Now here we are in the twenty first century and not only do we have just one person doing that but a whole administration applying the Benediction practices. Bush, Cheney and just about the whole administration is guilty of this, yet no one dares bring it up. I have not heard one mention of even the possibility that this is occurring. Strange.

So here comes McCain with the same aspirations. He's no different and is just as guilty. Yet once again, no one is taking these greedy men to task about it. We, the people, act as if we don't have a clue. McBush, pumping up his; "drill here, drill now" nonsense with his sights not only on off shore drilling, but also the Georgian pipeline and Iran too. God's judgment will come down on this nation with a fierce wrath and it will be well deserved. Go ahead and elect this baseless and moraless, unprincipled, untrustworthiness man if you people want to. But remember, I told you so.

And when our sons and daughters continue to die for unjustified wars, don't cry and complain because we the people like whatever lies are told us to satisfied our national ego. Shame on us. We, the people, will also be judged by God too. And might I add, justly so. So like I said go ahead and vote for McWar, but don't complain about the death toll of our children and grandchildren. We are a nation of idiots and fools....

Offshore is fine, but what about Alaska? We need to drill there as well.Has McCain changed on that? I hope he does.

THATS WHAT SO SCARY ABOUT MCSTUPID.....IT'S ALWAYS ALL OR NOTHING.........................................NO MIDDLE GROUND........................WE SHOULD BE VERY AFRAID OF THIS MAN................."HE'LL FOLLW BIN LIDEN TO HELL" SO WHAT IF HE'S IN PAKASTIAN remember my friend when you jumped all over OBAMA ........this man is to old ................please america don't make me look or have to listen to this man for 4 years.......

AMERICA'S STOCK WILL DROP IF WE ELECT THIS MCSTUPID

John McCain, like George Bush, is determined to destroy the environment, raise taxes, give breaks to huge oil companines, and KEEP THE WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN going on as long as possible.

Hasn't anyone learned anything after the last 8 yeas?

Americans have to be the laziest, most apathetic, whiniest people on the planet who do NOTHING to try and change things for the better.

Complacency can be deadly!

Im sure McCain felt right at home on that big oil rig with his buddies who line his pockets with all of their money.

Mc Cain plays on emotions and not on hard oil potentials facts.

Mcain did you not meet the other day with T boone pickens stop with the drilling already!!!!!!!!!!!!

If no one has fallen in the water then obviously this offshore drilling thingy is safe.

Drill drill drill, the mantra of the Republicans this year.

We're not stupid, even T. Boone Pickens has said we can't drill our way out of this mess, and he's no friend of Democrats.

With a 5 year waiting list on offshore drill rigs, and 40% of the area oil companies already have leases on that they aren't drilling – how can opening more area possibly help now?

Wind mills offshore could be producing electricity with 3 – 5 years if we started now, we could cut our electricity generated by natural gas, coal and oil by a third – that coupled with smart conservation would really put a kink in money going to OPEC.

Be a patriot – use less energy. Want to hit Bin Laden were it hurts, buy less gas.

Anyone driving a gas hog is a traitor.

All American oil possible to be drilled out is far from being enough to satisfy the current need. Drilling in US is more expensive so Oil companies prefer to drill outside of the US. They don´t touch the already given areas.

Senator McCain is full of it and he knows it. More drilling will have little to no real impact on the price of oil. But with so much of the electorate to lazy to really check out the details I am not surprise it has become popular. W.C. Fields said it better than I ever could" THERE'S A SUCKER BORN EVERYDAY"

Who buys your gasoline, Johnny Boy? How much money have YOU made off oil stocks? Another question comes to mind, " How can YOU fix any problems as President, when YOU haven't fixed anything while in DC all these years? You have been screwing us all along, while filling YOUR pockets. By the way, thanks for shafting the POW's you left behind!!!! And congratulations on treating the family members of those POW's so nastily. YOU sure showed them didn't YOU! McTraitor!!!! http://www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnmccain.com

Correction:...even if it doesn't help for ten or twenty years.

Let them drill where they already have unused leases. McSame, you are pandering ... it's unbelieveable you get any votes!!!

All McCain cares about is oil. Find a way to make Repubs richer!

Delaware won't help McMistake be president.

Obama must be president, or we are in for it. I think I will move to Canada if he is not!

McCain has the only good plan on making this country energy independent.

Obama has no plan.

McCain has obviously better judgment, and will be our next President.

As usual, Obama takes a stand "after" his opponent. This way Obama has time for polls to tell him what to do. If confronted before the polls come out Obama will stammer and stutter. After poll results, Obama will then respond in his usual "eloquent manner.

How can offshore drilling NOT help the situation, even IF it doesn't help.

If all the environmentalists would live like the Amish, we wouldn't have an energy problem. Maybe Gore would be willing to start the movement. He can even have credit for the idea.

Post this one CNN and do your part in solving the energy crisis.

John McBush once again shows that reality is not to be considered when he makes such outlandish claims. New platforms will not have any effect until five or more years go by. That FACT is from the oil industry itself.

The plan outlined by Senator Obama IS the one that will have an effect almost immediately.

How can offshore drilling NOT help the situation, even IF it doesn't help.

If all the environmentalists would live like the Amish, we wouldn't have an energy problem. Maybe Gore would be willing to start the movement. He can even have credit for the idea.

Why is Obama afraid to move the US towards energy independence? Why is his spin such a blatant lie (or perhaps he really has no clue about how energy works)?

But most of all, WHY IS OBAMA THE NOMINEE WHEN HILLARY WON THE POPULAR VOTE?

Give it up, McDrill! We're moving beyond oil, pal! Tell your corporate masters in Big Oil to join the 21st century and invest in alternative energy...Shill!

Did the Exxon Rig,roll out the Red Carpet for the Royal Oil puppet?

Oh that's great McSame. This American does NOT want off-shore drilling. 10,000 gallons a day? That doesn't seem like much to accommodate America's needs. How about thinking of alternative fuel and energy for once. Everyone knows that McSame stands with the cronies in Washington. It has always been about the oil and our women and men are dying for it. Preposterous!!! Let's hope that you won't be our next President because if you want a "whole lot of drilling" our beautiful beaches and wildlife preserves will suffer greatly. Oh, I guess you don't really care about that. Always about big money and big oil. You are NOT fooling anyone. Democrats WILL BE taking back the White House. Think about that one.

I've asked before what type of car does Obama drive, can he drive, though I like working on my own car, the question begs and answer,does he have anything in common with the average citzen that needs to drive perhaps this is one of the reasons he is not connecting. Barack is and achidemic and a politician, which says he is not the type that gets dirty or sweats unless its at his quickie gym workout. let the ultra liberals reply in their normal nasty way....

Hillary VP or 2012

I want actual solutions. If dependence on oil is the problem, the solution is to have less dependence on oil. Nobody tries to cure a heroin addiction with more heroin.

so McCain just wants to do it, no matter the cost, and Obama is open to looking at safe drilling practices. HMMMM wonder which is the more sound JUDGEMENT??? i doubt McCoil would mind if a major spill crippled our sea life and beaches in the southeast. How do you feel about that, Floridians?

OBAMA '08

If anyone suggest that off-shore drilling will lower gas prices, they are flat-out LYING!!!

America will deserve what she gets if we elect another bought-and-paid-for BIG Oil candidate into the White House...

This is just a wedge issue. It's nothing, and it won't help price's. It'll porbably do a lot more harm than good when spills accure. Unbelievable that the public still listens to the oil lobbiests after how badly they had everyone by the balls this summer...

John McCain needs to come up with more than drill, drill, drill, as an economic policy. I can't believe people are actually voting for this moron. Apparently, eight years of Bush isn't enough.

McBush BIG OILS POSTER BOY for gouging the american taxpayer amid record profits.

There are a couple of problems with offshore drilling as a solution to our energy problems. Oil companies operate as private corporations and not nationalized entities (such as in Russia and Venezuela), so when they produce oil they DO NOT HAVE TO SELL IT IN THE US. The oil they extract from our offshore areas will go into an international market and could possibly be sold to China, India, etc. Again: They do not have to, and will not sell it all domestically. The price of gas, which is what most Americans really care about, will NOT go down, but the profits for oil companies will go up. Obviously oil companies will support this idea because it is in their own interest.

Another problem is the time frame–even by the most rosy estimates this oil will not start flowing for around a decade, and even when it reaches full capacity total production will barely crack 3-4% of total domestic use. That is, once again, if oil companies sold all of their oil domestically, which they won't.

Drilling offshore is not a solution to our energy problems–it only really benefits oil companies, which makes sense since oil is their business. A better solution is that dirty word–"conservation"–that politicians (particularly Republicans) hate using because it means people may have to change parts of their lifestyle. Drive less, turn down the air conditioning in the summer, use compact flourescent bulbs, etc. If we use less of something then the price will go down, it's simple supply and demand. Just look at the price of gas in the past few weeks as Americans have gotten sick of paying so much and are driving less miles. Good for us, bad for the oil companies.

Conservation, renewables, alternatives. That is what we need, not more oil.

Obambi will lose! I can't wait until November! I am so sick of Obama!

McCain '08 for Hillary '12

Since McOutOfTouch is so hot to trot for offshore drilling, maybe he'll compromise on UHC?? Doubt it. He's all for Big Corp and less for the majority of American People.

Obama will follow failed policies of pursuing energy independence on things that will take 10-30 years. By drilling NOW you ease the pain starting in 5 years while still pursuing those other options. Duh...

You ever notice that mccain has no real long term solutions to anything? He just shoots from the hip – drill, bomb, surge. He is too impulsive to be president, has a lousy temper and never thinks before he talks. Obama on the other hand, thinks things through, always has average americans in mind and has shown brilliant judgement. BTW what ever happened to mccain's gas tax holiday? Oh I remember, he didn't even show up for the vote. It was just more lies.

Obama's on the right side of this issue. Without comprehensive reforms and a strategic plan to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, "drilling here and drilling now" is only a band-aid on an arterial bleed. I'm so sick of McCain saying that. It's his new buzz phrase and he couldn't even get it right at the Faith Forum.

This man terrifies me. What kind of America will we live in? One with a higher population of infants since he'll outlaw abortion, with a disproportionately lower number of young adults since he'll send all of them off to war.

OOps – LOW IQ (typo, sorry)

Quite different from Saturday night.

He could barely get words out that he was reading from cue cards.

He WAS practiced for the answers Saturday, and I found him quite flippant about things that he should have been more thoughtful on.

No thanks. We've had one of these loq IQ people for 8 years now. That's enough.

For someone who has been around so long mccain, your judgement SUCKS!

This is so funny it's sad. McCain tried to visit an oil rig before, but a storm damaged it and it was leaking oil (That would have shot down his claim about safety). He visited a nuclear reactor #2, because reactor #1 (which he was to visit) was shut down due to safety reasons. If there was no danger, why did his advance team go in with Geiger counters? Don't be fooled by this pandering former Maverick. I've voted Republican all my life, but this time I'm voting Democratic and so are many others I know. We are just fed up and know it's time for a change.

Mcdrill, mcwar, mcsurge, do you have any ideas that benefit americans instead of the rich only? Your agenda is purely for the rich. You have voted against envirnmental issues for the last three years straight, the oil spill in the mississippi is still a disaster and has polluted those waters, we already have 65 million acres of land leased to the oil companies that they are not drilling on yet you want to drill more. Your judgement sucks buddy and shows that experience does not necessary breed good judgement.

We do not need more oil. The country needs to be weaned off of it. The wrinkly old man havs been bougt by them for $1.3 million I will not listen to him.

" As a dip in gas prices barely registers at the pump"? What planet is Tasha living on! A 50 cent drop per gallon is significant to the common man.

Obviously Tasha is letting her personal agenda cloud her ability to write objectively. Such bias blankets the media nowadays and is a pathetic statement to the MSM of today.

Either candidate will cave. Both will do what the polls tell them is popular and stop using any common sense. More offshore drilling will do nothing for a decade. That time and the money spent would be better used to research and refine renewable energy sources. Unfortunately, we will get more of the same.

Pelosi and Borack are completely out of touch with America on this issue. Just how does the DNC leadership let the GOP take the lead on energy issues? Idiots.

Why aren't the oil companies exploring all the leased areas they already control if drilling is so simple and straightforward? Why isn't McCain chastising them over this?