Crist on offshore drilling

Posted: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 5:22 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Republicans

From NBC's Lauren Appelbaum
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) has recently come under fire for (now) supporting offshore oil drilling after McCain, whom Crist supports, called for allowing states to make individual decisions about drilling for oil in American waters.

While hosting the 2008 Serve to Preserve Florida Summit on Global Climate Change today, Crist defended his decision.

"In fact, what we're talking about is a comprehensive approach to providing the resources and fuel that our people need and doing it in a way that is safe enough, far enough from our shore, and clean enough," Crist told reporters. "So I don't think there's any problem with that so long as those three tenets are met."

Earlier, during the opening speech of the summit, Crist called for a new energy future to begin in the sunshine state.

"We laid the foundation of our energy future last year; this year it is time to make it happen," Crist said in downtown Miami. "I truly believe that in investing in renewable and alternative technologies here in the sunshine state can propel us as a leader. We can become the green technology hub, the silicon valley of green, if you will. Florida can be known as the energy and green industry leaders in the world."

In speaking with the reporters, Crist used the purchasing of Everglades land as an example of what Florida is doing to achieve this status.

"And what we announced yesterday as it relates to the Everglades, I think, is one of the most exciting things that Florida has ever done in the environmental arena,” Crist said. “This is such a treasure. The need for us to protect it and preserve it is first and foremost of this administration."

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Comments

Crist, are you wearing you FLIP FLOPS to our beautiful pristine beaches here in FL? Another Republican hypocrite who is blowing in the wind. Hope you get your VP slot,FOX news will have a field day with the g.a.y. rumor!

Paul, Miami, FL (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 5:33 PM)

McCain, Bush and the GOP will PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND BIG OIL AND THERE PROFITS SO HELP THEM EXXON/MOBIL!

EVEN IF IT MEANS HURTING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, DESTROYING THE ENVIROMENT, AND SUPPORTING TERROIST BY BUYING THERE OIL! THE GOP AND MCWAR/BUSH WILL BE THERE FOR BIG OIL!

Obama 08/12
BECUASE I LOVE AMERICA!

Capt. Smash, Salt Lake City, Utah (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 5:37 PM)

Go talk to your buddy Waxmen Crist. Ask him if wants tourists spending money and paying huge hotel and car rental taxes on those nice beaches in his district. If so, ask him how he intends to get them there if no one can afford the cost of fuel.

Sneezer Woodsman, Manhatten KS (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 5:40 PM)

Crist... the second coming of the flip-flopper himself

geez (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 5:40 PM)

That's why John McCain has my vote. What do I care about oil spills on our nation's shores? I live in Wisconsin where it won't affect me.

Bobbi, Eau Claire, WI (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 5:41 PM)

AS we continue to ignore the Dodd Shelby bill FHA Housing Stabilization and Homeownership Retention Act of 2008 which was written word for word by Bank of America.

This will cost 300 Billion.

Mr. Dodd has in the past rewritten the accounting rules that allowed Arthur Andersen to cover up for Enron.

The Senate ethics commite wants to have Congress pass stringent disclosure requirements for senators’ mortgages. Note to Senators: mortgages records are public record. Not that a reporter would be able to find it.

Today Countrywide sharesholders approved a buyout.

You are being driven to the poorhouse and your only question is; " Is the driver a democrat or Republican?"

The Truth (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 5:45 PM)

One more reason to watch Fox? Better looking women. Mika couldn't even have a job making coffee at Fox. Fox women are much smarter too. And being smart for a liberal is important, just look how they swoon over Obama's sheepskin. Liberals even get excited over people with HS diplomas, mostly because most of them don't have one.

Cree Withrow, Ames, Iowa (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 5:47 PM)

Come to Florida and have your seafood served in oil.
Oh ye panderering politicians of little vision and devotion to the cover-up have you no desire to leave your children a living breathing world?

bill, okla (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 5:47 PM)

Off-shore drilling is a wedge issue manufactured by the Republicans to try to blame the high price of oil on Democrats and environmentalists. I'm sure a small percentage of voters who prefer to let Rush do their thinking for them will fall for it, but meanwhile all the Republican politicians that buy into it will ultimately look foolish trying to convince the rest of us that this is actually sound energy policy. Granting new leases for offshore drilling would be nothing more than (yet another!) giveaway to the oil and gas industry.

Doug, Renton, WA (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 5:49 PM)

Quick! What's slimy, pasty, and can flip a flop in a single bound?

If you said "Charlie Crist," you win! The big prize is one free trip to Florida! That's right, watch Uncle Charlie carve up the American coastline right in front of your very eyes.

But wait -- there's more! Enter now, and you're eligible for The GOP Veep Tour, which includes a stop in Louisiana to witness a real-live rebel exorcism (one performed without Church sanction). And, as a special bonus to first-time entrants, we'd like to invite each of our first- and second-prize winners to a LIVE taping of "I Heart Huckabee," the new CBS sitcom starring the former Arkansas governor as a fish out of water, sharing a New York apartment with a gay black socialist.

Don't wait -- enter now! (Many will enter, few will win).

Brendan D, Niles, IL (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 5:49 PM)

I hope McCain picks this guy as his VP choice. He's such an empty suit Obama will coast to the WH.

CUB FANS FOR OBAMA

Bill Honolulu, HI (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 5:56 PM)

The only oil the Republicons are pumping is snake oil. The big oil companies already own leases for 79% of the potential oil-bearing regions and McCain's policy would give them access to the other 21%, and they probably won't drill there, either since they buy up these leases mostly to increase their assets, not to drill. These are the facts as I understand them; the corporate media should not pretend they're Democratic political spin unless they can prove it is.

The oil companies should be made to drill in the regions they've already leased before they're allowed to grab any more territory.

McCain's change in view is another unprincipled political flip-flop.

Houston (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 6:14 PM)

See, this is what I'm talking about, and stuff. It's the same thing but only they want us to do it, then it's gone. I'm only saying, that's all.

Misty, Des Moines, Iowa (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 6:15 PM)

Why hasn't Crist been this enthusiastic about drilling the 68 million acres of Atlantic shelf already approved for drilling? I guesss he didn't want to be VP before.

Ira, Freehold, NJ (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 6:16 PM)

One of the reasons gasoline is so expensive is that american oil companies are exporting gasoline. Why not export new found oil as gasoline and increase prices here at home to pay for drilling costs? The oil companies haven't built new refineries in a long time. Next they will try to hold us up for lower air protection so they can build cheaper refineries and further raise prices. The oil companies are going to raise and lower gas prices untill we are paying as much as Euope and Asia.

Ron Ring (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 6:29 PM)

Drilling for oil off the coast of Florida isn't GREEN.

Brandy, Woodbury, Minnesota (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 6:30 PM)

Sorry, Charlie!

In ten years under Osama’s plan, our infrastructure will not crumble. Bridges, highways, and levies will be built. Plus, jobs will be there. What do you have to instead of devastating the country even more and proposing a new war?
go Obama

Beverly in Chicago (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 6:37 PM)

Let me think How can I spin this to make it look like a positive flip flop. If the residents of Florida believe that this is not a political move to improve his chances of becoming Vice President, then he truely has them hoodwinked.

No Drill on Florida Shores (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 6:45 PM)

Democrats have worked hard to ensure that Americans pay as much for gas as Europeans do. After a quarter-century of gas tax hikes, a ban on drilling for oil and a complete destruction of the nuclear power industry in America, I guess liberals can declare: Mission accomplished!

Ann C., NY NY (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 7:03 PM)

Funny, but China is currently setting up to drill 60 off of Cuba. For you Obamabots, Cuba is really close to Florida.

Obama isn't coming up with anything regarding gas prices, because he thinks it's just fine, he only wished it would have occured over a longer period.

No Dr. No, New Orleans, La (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 7:27 PM)

Its funny, when Bush didn't change his mind Iraq, everyone said he is stubborn and out of touch. When Crist changes his view due to circumstance such as that pesty gas going to $4, he is a flip flopper.

P Diddy, California (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 7:29 PM)

So how does this help the price of gas today, tomorrow, next year, 5 years from now?? It doesn't. Those wells won't be doing anybody any good for AT LEAST 10 years.
In the meantime, why aren't the oil companies utilizing the leases that they already have available to them without any restrictions? Do you see any new wells being constructed?
Do you see any new refinary construction?
No???...well why not? Because the oil companies are taking their vast profits TO THE BANK, while the republicans are selling you all a bill of goods.
GET REAL PEOPLE. This scheme to add more offshore drilling to what the oil companies already have isn't being done to help YOU. It has NEVER BEEN ABOUT YOU. How many Bush administrations will it take for you to figure this out????

Merry (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 7:30 PM)

Lets see, in ten years we can hope for lower prices when the gushers come in, but until then we will do nothing about speculators driving the price of oil up. Dollar is down, stock market is a loser, the only place to invest is in commodities so that is what is driving the price up. Seems like more lazy republican policies that make money for a few while driving the rest of america into the ditch.
That is why I love to hear more hypocracy from the conservatives, they love parts of our country, the parts they own.
Keep up the false histrionics boys, it will make your brand even more unsavory.
Go dems, we got this one wrapped up if the repubs continue to play this game of hiding the pea under the walnut shell.
3 card Monty anyone? You could be a millionaire, just pick a card, any card.

John Alexander,PA (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 7:33 PM)

Crist screwed up the elections for Florida! Then blamed Dean and the DNC.

He flip-flopped to offshore drilling on Flrida's coastline. Next, he will blame Obama and the DNC!

Crist is a broken record, air head, and empty suit! Cannot believe he is a bachlor and plans to get married to increase his changes of being VP! What a nut! Will he married his long-time BOYFRIEND in California?

Crist is a closet QUEEN!!

WILLIS, TX (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 7:40 PM)

The plan to fix America's energy crisis and indeed the entire economy is here;
http://www.strategicnine.com/STERLING-AMERICAN-ENERGY-PLAN.htm

This plan outlines what we as a nation have to do to achieve a real measure of energy independence in the next 3 years. It is all up to us here in the United States - we don't have to get permission of others. This plan outlines a 15 step process to get us out of the mess this country finds itself.
Please communicate this to your Congressmen and local officials who need to realize that there is a way out of this in the NEAR TERM if we have the guts to take the needed actions.

Peter Sterling (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 8:18 PM)

John McCain basically owes Charlie Crist the VP spot. He ruined his political career to help McCain not lose Florida because he wants to drill there.

wally (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 9:30 PM)

What a Double Talker...there goes the Bermuda Triangle.
It moved over Florida...no fishing, no boating, no beaches..but ever time a hurricane hits Florida the price will go up...bet on it...the McOil/McCrispee is...

BJ, CA (Sent Wednesday, June 25, 2008 9:55 PM)

Fact: There is not enough oil offshore, nor anywhere else in the United States, to make even a tiny difference in meeting our demand for oil. We consume 25% of the worlds oil supply, and we have only 2% of the worlds oil reserves.

The energy crisis we now face will not be solved by more drilling, but rather by reducing demand through efficiency and conservation measures. The benefits of conservation can be felt within 10 weeks as opposed to the 10 years it will take to bring any freshly drilled oil to market.

Rolf Jamison Miami FL (Sent Thursday, June 26, 2008 12:13 AM)

Just a typical "say anything to get elected" GOP flip-flopper... Crist is sucking up for a cabinet post or the VP slot...

Dave (Sent Thursday, June 26, 2008 8:39 AM)

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