Biden on Near-Shore Drilling

Strictly from a Pensacola Beach perspective, the first thing to be said about Joe Biden as a potential vice-president is that he is firmly in the reality camp when it comes to Bush-McCain proposals to drill for oil and gas off our near-shoreline (and lay underwater pipelines to carry it all the way to the port of Mobile.)

Biden's position can be succinctly stated: "Congress should not lift the ban on offshore oil drilling." To do otherwise would be a "gift to the oil companies."

He made this clear in a short debate with fellow senator Lindsay Graham late this past June. Graham had just reversed his former opposition to near-shore oil drilling. Incredibly, Sen. Graham repeatedly gave these two reasons for why he and McCain have changed positions and now want to put our world famous sugar white sands at risk: "$4 gas" and there are "a lot of low income people in South Carolina who drive the most inefficient cars."

That's not only stupid, but it insults the intelligence of voters, as Joe Biden makes clear.

Where I Stand has the full video, from late June 2008. Here is a shorter edit: