Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) on Obama’s Vote for the Bush-Cheney Energy Policy — Let’s Play Dodgeball
By Charles Lemos on August 6, 2008 at 12:30 PM in Barack Obama, Energy Policy Act of 2005, Hillary Clinton, John McCain
Poor, poor Allyson Schwartz, a Democratic Congresswoman from Pennsylvania, who yesterday was embarrassed on national television by MSNBC’s David Schuster who asked in the wake of Obama’s attacks on the Bush-Cheney Energy Policy:
Didn’t Barack Obama vote for the 2005 Bush-Cheney energy bill?
At first she dodged the question and tried the valiant, let’s not talk about that, let’s talk about this tactic. Schuster would have none of it and persisted. To which, the idiotic Congresswoman from Pennsylvania could only say that David Schuster would have to ask the Obama campaign. Really? So either she didn’t know or she was too embarrassed to admit the awful truth and hypocrisy of Obama’s energy attacks.
Allow me then, Congresswoman, to inform you that Senator Obama voted for the 2005 Energy Bill, written in secret by Vice President Cheney and the energy lobby. Thomas Friedman referred to the bill as “the sum of all lobbies.” U.S. PIRG noted that the bill’s “heavy tilt toward big oil companies reflects the influence of Exxon Mobil and other oil companies on policy-makers in Washington, DC.”
The Washington Post editorialized that the bill was a “piñata of perks for energy industries.” Indeed, the bill contained $6 billion in subsidies to the oil and gas industry and $12 billion to the nuclear power industry.
Although Sen. Obama voted for the legislation, he has spoken as if he opposed it on the campaign trail, criticizing it repeatedly. At a presidential debate he said “You can look at how Dick Cheney did his energy policy . . . he met with oil and gas companies forty times, and that’s how they put together our energy policy.” He attributes the failure of our current energy policy to Congress’s “failure to stand up to the lobbyists.” Actually Barack, I attribute the failure of current energy policy to shameless politicians like you and Dick Durbin who crossed the aisle to vote the most egregious give-away since the 1872 Mining Law.
Here’s the transcript of Schuster’s grilling of Allyson Schwartz:
DAVID SHUSTER: Congresswoman, during the event in Ohio today, Barack Obama attacked the Bush-Cheney energy policy. But didn’t Barack Obama vote for the 2005 Bush-Cheney energy bill?
ALLYSON SCHWARTZ: Well let’s talk about what John McCain’s been saying, and John McCain was in Pennsylvania just yesterday and really had very little to say about doing anything differently than the Bush administration’s been doing for years.
SHUSTER: Congresswoman, I’m happy to talk about that, but just a yes or no question: didn’t Barack Obama vote for the 2005 Bush-Cheney energy bill?
SCHWARTZ: Well, I think, you know, we have to go back and, and check on that. I’m sure the campaign can give you the specifics on, uh, exactly what, uh, was done.
Allyson Schwartz, I think your television career, hapless as it was, as a surrogate is over.
You can view the exchange in all its fluttering glory on here. It’s must see television as they say. You can actually see her panic when her attempt to play dodgeball failed. She looks up to the side and you can see her wonder “what do I say next?” In this case, shamelessly Allyson Schwartz chose to dodge again and pass the buck. She chose to omit the truth. Obama voted for the Bush-Cheney Energy Policy. John McCain did not. And it matters, neither did Hillary Clinton.
From my blog, By The Fault.
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Who is stupider: Obama or the people who represent him on TV? It’s a tough call.
Shame on her. No preparation. Wah.
I guess BLOOD is thicker than water after all………
isn’t Chainsaw a distant cousin to Bambi?
roflol! That just makes so much more sense now.
Obama and Durbin were getting money from Exelon, a Nuclear company from their state, I know Obama got $269,900 from the employees of Exelon. This is the company that William Ayers’ Father used to be CEO of, it was called Commonwealth Edison.
All politicians need to be vetted, at a minimum they should be required to have a brain…..
LOL! Don’t you think you’re asking for too much? (I mean Hillary has a fine mind and the told her to iron shirts!)
Mandelay (love your name)
I miss Hillary’s FINE MIND about NOW don’t YOU??
JEZ!! Close the cave door the BO-POD people are everywhere!
Should have brought in Flauvia.
Read her op-ed in todays WSJ.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121798030763715107.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries
Moving on nicely from the election and talking about issues.
Think the voters in her district are having second thoughts? If I were going to run against her I’d be playing that thing as many times as I could afford to with a voice over something like: Allyson it’s a simple yes or no answer; not to difficult to handle.
Obama can’t even answer this question, why would you expect Schwartz (a Hillary supporter) to answer this? It is a crying shame that the Media did not do this in the Primary - Obama is a corporate shill.
(ROFLMAO) OMG I’m friggin dying here I’m laughing so hard
The Messiah’s zombies will undoubtably see that Schuster pays dearly for daring to question the Presumptious nominee’s record.
Ay, it must be hot under those lights.
Sad–She was a strong and very early Hillary supporter. Sorry to see that she has fallen down.
Well, if she is a SuperDelegate she should take this as a big warning, resent the Obama campaign for sending her to do his dirty work and vote FOR HRC at the Convention.
An immediate ad highlighting Obama’s hypocrisy would show voters they cannot trust what he says. McCain campaign should not miss this opportunity.
Oh what a t.v. ad we have here! Earth to John McCain … get your ad agency to earn their keep and get this ad on the air.
How right you are! That would be excellent!
Did she actually think she wouldn’t get questioned about his vote or did she not know about the vote? Was she set up or is she actually that stupid? Jesus, SHE’S AN ELECTED OFFICIAL!!! Please somebody stop the pain. I keep thinking I’m not smart enough top run for public office and than I see knuckleheads like this idiot.
Obama is just an American Hating Racist Shitbird.
He is an Emptysuit liar with no beliefs, no paper trails and is most likely not even an American Citizen.
What a absolute piece of Garbage and what a disgrace this is what the Party put up.
Oh man!
Anchovy. I could smell you from a mile.
Anyone see Paris Hilton’s video about the energy plan? It was actually pretty good. I’d vote for her before I’d vote for the two current candidates.
I’m glad I’m not a Democrat anymore. They have become really moronic lately.
I hope that this vote bites BO in the ass. Now we know why he generally votes present. But I am sure that the energy policy question, must be a racist topic.
YEP. Oil is black gold.
Young Voters Change the Channel on Obama
http://media.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NDk5Y2QxMmI4NmNiYmI0MjkxZjY2YTQ3N2MzYWQ4NmU=
Another “karma” hitting an unjust individual?
Remember how he stole the thunder from HRC by supporting BO at an opportune time? Karma bites back.
Reasons why people still support Obama:
1. They hate the Bush and the Republican brand so much they stop thinking
2. They haven’t done much research about the Obama.
3. They think he is cool and “sexy” - remember Bob Herbert’s analysis
4. They received money from the Obama
anything herbert has to say is useless. cds!
haha Mel Brooks in The Producers…maybe B.O. will soon target the Rich Old Widow vote.
Okay. She’s in the House. Ask her how Kucinich voted. Don’t ask her to tell you how the other chamber voted. She probably didn’t have an f’ing clue how he voted. It wasn’t until the question was asked and how it was asked that it came to her there was a problem. She’s a SWEETIE. 0bama’s campaign just sends them out to slaughter. She goes down, they’ll find another one. No big deal to him. Why should he care if she looks stupid to her constituents?
Um, we’re just political junkies, we don’t get paid, it’s not our jobs and WE knew how Barky voted. Colour me silly, but I expect people who make a living by voting for our interests (supposedly) to have some idea how our nominee for the most important job in the world voted on one of the most important issues to the American people…or am I asking too much?
Sorry …. It was an ugly snark … Maybe Pat needs to do a snark column next?
They should stop being surrogates for him. Anyway, who knows when he will change his position and they are made to look like fools sticking up for him?
i know you are desperately looking for any excuse you can, but really! if the campaign this poor woman on to represent them, the least they can do is update her on the most likely questions. duh!
Well it is hard for other people to keep track of other people’s lies and Obama has a lot of lies that he can’t even remember.
This sums up Obama’s answer to everything.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThEAO0lt4Dw&feature=related
Isn’t she still a delegate for Clinton?
Good on ya, Allyson! Make Obama look bad all you want.
LOL! Yeah - maybe it’s a strategy - and a great one at that!
I agree - good on ya, Allyson!
(Although I do have to raise an eyebrow at David Shuster - Mr. “Hillary’s pimping out her daughter” - suddenly trying to act like a reporter. What’s up with that?)
Firefly, you are good! That’s what I thought - What’s this bimbo-out-of-rehab-chaser ‘journalist’ Schuster doing in a news room actually asking an intelligent question?
It’s a mystery. Maybe he took a xanax this time and his testosterone levels calmed down a bit…His remakrs prompted Hillary to write a letter, as she should. Obambi wrote a letter to protesst Imus because of ‘his 2 little girls’. Ya! Tell it on the mountain, Barry! All that misogynist frat-boy stuff didn’t bother you all these months.
No wonder Barry agrees with Bernie Mac’s punchline (I was just messing with you!) that “mothers and sisters” are “just family whores”!!!What a creep!
Pumas, go roar louder!
Nobama ‘08
Uh, Uh, Indeed. And undoubtedly the campaign will provide the specifics on exactly what it is that was done and why, and it will somehow become McCain’s transgression. Or perhaps Obama didn’t mean what he voted for at the time, or maybe he just pushed the wrong button again.
She looks like a deer in headlights. Congresswoman if you are going to shill for Obama you better know your facts!
http://www.nationalenquirer.com/exclusive_john_edwards_love_child_photos/celebrity/65258
Ha! Fox has been waiting for proof. The MSM will explode now.
OH OH!!
Noooo kidding!
For PUMA our Sister Charlotte, NC did a GREAT Hillary LOVE Video!
check it out (it made me cry)
This was so heartwarming and honest. Hillary would win this election in a landslide. She also would win if she was JM’s running mate. That would be the explosion that American politics needs to start over. She would then be front and center as the 2012 favorite and I think JM would be happy to let her have it. But I want her now to be my candidate for Presdent of the US. There is still hope.
Elizabeth Edwards has my sympathy and support.
Me too. Poor woman. She’s had a rough life. Losing a child, cancer, now this…
As if it wasn’t enough to battle a life threatening disease, she has to put up with a dim wit for a husband who takes too much viagra.
I hope that she has the love and support of everyone else around her to make the best decision for Elizabeth.
it’s not fair to Elizabeth
SHE was not the one to say that HILLARY couldn’t keep her own house in order yet SHE is suffering for it.
Michelle’s Karma fate must be HUGE!
As big as her ass?
I don’t know guys….I really do not care about Edwards private life. I do not rleish this at all–my thoughts are with Elizabeth Edwards.
I am not sure it is him on the photo and this the National Enquirer (–they have photos of aliens with 3 arms)
But, IF this is true, what I DO what to now is if Obama’s camp threaten and knee-jerked him into that
endorsement –it was very weird that Edwards would come out liek that when his wife had just said no endorsements from either and Hillary had JUST won a
primary (was it PA?)…
That and the timing when Edwards dropped out of the Primary- How shocking was that to everyone?
I watched that interview and was astounded at how she blatantly ignored the question and dodged mercilessly. Though I don’t normally commend “In the bag for Obama” Shuster, he did well this time out.What a poor representative for Obama she is.
There is a lesson to be learned here: the media must STOP allowing obfuscation and redirections by the politicians and their surrogates who come into our livingrooms. The least they owe us is straight answers and, gasp, honesty!
Pesky little issue things keep coming up
How did he vote on the issue?
What did he say on the issue?
Can’t hope and change your way around that.
I sent in a short analysis of the economics of the windfall profits tax earlier, I’ll see if it gets posted.
A short synopsis is…
When you tax a commodity like oil.
The price will go up.
The demand will remain the same.
Our economy is oil drependant
When the price of it goes up.
So will the price of nearly everything else.
When it becomes too expensive to do an economic activity here, that economic activity will go somewhere else.
This will cost jobs, and when people don’t have jobs, they don’t pay taxes.
When people don’t have jobs, they don’t spend as much money.
So my hunch is that the windfall profits tax policy is just another case of BS from BHO.
I wonder how many superdelegates out there have buyers remorse.
They have a few weeks to change their minds, or have them changed for them.
cripes, that was bad! I see a McCain commercial out of that one. If I was Allyson, I’d go find the nearest rock and crawl under it.
Nader’s VP running mate said that Obama voted for ‘Class Action’ and several other things and that was what promoted Nader to run. He also said that Nader met with Edwards and Clinton. When asked if he would vote for Obama he said NO, more actively than when asked about McCain (he said he wouldn’t vote McCain either).
Anyone know what that bill was?
Could it be the reason why Edwards endorsed Obama. The Obama camp knew about this.
David Axelrod ran Edwards 2004 campaign,so yes they sure did. If David didn’t use this , in his eyes, he would not be doing his job. I would not be surprised if he was the one who introduced Edwards to this woman .
This is what happens when you snort the kool aide …..I have watch Allyson Schwartz for 25 years , she has always been one of the good guys! Huge Hill supporter and just this week she had 50 walk signs installed on a dangerous stretch of route 1…. so a hard working real bread and butter Dem
So Allyson! what happened! ??
pod people alert!!
I believe the press were waiting on the Edwards story so it would distract us from Barry’s tanking generally just before the convention. IMO. They have known about it for a long time
This could be the end of the political career of Cong Schwartz unless she openly admits that although she is lending her support to DNC and Obama, her heart and mind is really for HRC.
I believe a large part of Allyson’s district is AA and wealthy. So she’s in a bind since both groups are Barry’s peeps. However this performance was so bad, I’m thinking she’s actually a stealth PUMA for Hill lol!!
go Allyson! PUMA!
how long before KO throws schuster under the bus with millbank regardless of all the shameless BO shilling david has done in the past?
You know Chaney and obama are related, and it seems people need to looking into that as well. I loath Dick cheney and his secret energy meetings. Because when and issue does not involve national security our government should be transparent. If obama get’s into the white house, i’m going to be highly ticked.
again I ask, can we sue the media for not doing it’s job, cause this is just down right ridiculous. there is nothing that can say are do to defend the fact they aren’t doing their jobs, and are blatantly hiding information, and going after anyone who dares question this man with a vengeance.Yes the press is free to print what it likes, but just like with bush you have to go outside of your country to get accurate news. Hold up I just realized something obama is a cooperate candidate. back in the 90’s when news stations were being bought by large corporations we didn’t realize exactly what they were doing. I now no longer think that Bush and obama being inexperienced is a coincidence. these corporations want to make sure they have a person in office who lacks the experience and the smarts to make effective decisions. Think about it bush and obama have unusually large campaign funds. If they can control the press they control what people watch, and if they control what you read or watch they control what you think. Human thinking was explored thoroughly in the last century, even now people that produce video games use light sequences to cause a desire to play a game none stop. I once hered that the reason most fast food restaurants have orange tile, because it makes people anxious and want to eat quicker and leave. All though out the primaries i noticed that some blogger asked stupid questions like Is hillary clinton hurting Feminists? and it would tick me off, because there are studies that show that subconsciously questions make people anxious, and so they look to find and answer, and the first one they find relieves that anxiety. i know it sounds like paranoia, but what i’ve seen this election is in no way shape or form normal. I’m a post nixon baby, so all my life, i’ve seen the media ripping politicians to shreds just to uncover information. they were psycho and a tad Jerry Springer, but now days, nothing.It’s wishful thinking but the press is supposed to remain free because it is the voice of the people, and for the last eight years they have been anything but. Obama is not our candidate he’s theirs and i think the democrats are willing to go allowing with it because people need money to run re election campaigns and if you dont’ fall in line they will support your opponents. cooperate america has hi jacked our press
i remember when people were saying “i don’t want bush/clinton/bush/clinton”…i’d say “yeah, well i don’t want bush/clinton/bush/cheney.”
In the preceding video of Obama “debating” with McCain’s “proxy”, Obama tried to justify his vote for the Bush-Cheney Energy Bill by saying the bill was the only way to get alternative energy programs going, even though he has always said the subsidies and other giveaways to the oil industry were bad.
This article mentions that both he and his fellow senator from Illinois, Dick Durbin, both Democrats, voted for the Bush-Cheney Energy Bill. All in all, this combo suggests to me that both these men were probably caving in to intense LOBBYING from agricultural interests (probably corporate agricultural interests) in Illinois who wanted their own subsidies and tax breaks for corn-based biofuels. Who knows how the nuclear power industry factored into the energy package.
So which is worse. SAYING tax breaks for the oil industry are bad. Or actually, ENACTING legislation at the behest of LOBBYISTS that creates a windfall for corporate agricultural interests and affects other basic necessities like our food and water supply in unknown and probably adverse ways.
Good work Obama. I am just so impressed and reassured by your profound judgement and integrity.
“Walking Eagle speaks with forked tongue”
native american proverb
IF BARACK OBAMA WERE AS SMART,INTELLIGENT,CLEVER AS NANCY PELOSI AND CO ARE CHANTING IT ALL ROOFS,HE SHOULD KNOW THAT THINGS YOU SAID OR DID ,ALL YOUR STATEMENTS,VOTES RECORD…ECT WILL CAME BACK TO YOU SOONER OR LATER IN YOUR POLITICAL CARREER LIKE A TENNIS BALL YOU THROW AGAINST THE WALL.HERE WE GO AGAIN WITH THE BUSH-CHENEY ENERGY BILL HE VOTED FOR.IS HE IN A GOOD POSITION TODAY TO CRITICIZE THAT BILL? NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
BARACK OBAMA CAN ONLY FOOL HIS WIFE,HIS DAUGHTERS,HIS SUPPORTERS,BUT NOT ME.CAN’T LYE ON THIS ONE
That interview was almost painful to watch. How interesting that the press is beginning to push some of these questions. Better late than never, I guess. Couldn’t have anything to do with ratings, could it? I don’t know who’s more unpopular right now: the MSM or Congress.
I’m guessing this woman will not be asked for future spots for the Obamarama. Not unless they’re trying to make us laugh at this sorry tapdance.
The Diane Rehm show had people on discussing the energy palns of Obama and McCain and I tried to get on to ask that very question. If you look at their rhetoric and then compare what they actually do who do you trust more to have a good energy policy John McCain who voted against the Bush /Cheney bill or O-blah-blah who voted for it.
This is the same bill that Obama supported and both McCain and Clinton voted against because it gave $6 billion in subsidies to oil and gas industry and $12 billion in subsidies to nuclear power industry..
This is the 2005 energy bill which was written in secret by Cheney and the energy lobby.
The U.S. Public Interest Research Group published a booklet entitled, “How Exxon Mobile and the Oil Industry Benefit from the 2005 Energy Bill,” August 2005.” (Reference below)
But what can one expect when Obama has taken in excess of $200,000 in campaign donations from an energy company’s executives and employees (i.e., Exelon Corp).
Obama also watered down legislation aimed at tightening regulations on the nuclear industry.
Yes, Obama is some progressive.
http://www.calpirg.org/uploads/BJ/8T/BJ8TLWUyYWnuFhE-xdgL5w/bigmoneybigoil.pdf
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (aka The Bush-Cheney Energy Bill) had wide democratic support. More democrats in the U.S. Senate voted for it than against it.
The bill was a mixed bag. It wasn’t devoid of positive provisions and positive effects.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_Policy_Act_of_2005#Support
Which isn’t to say this was my favorite Obama votes.
McCain, btw, has accepted more than $2 million in oil industry contributions– around 10 times what Obama has received. Oil industry contributions to the McCain campaign spiked in June, after he reversed his opposition to the federal ban on offshore drilling.
ziggy, according to CNN your numbers are off. What a surprise.
Ziggy is also mixing apples and oranges.
There is a major difference between Obama and McCain. Obama is pretending to be anti-oil company and anti-energy company. McCain has not made that claim.
Additionally, Obama is roaming the earth talking as though he didn’t vote for the Cheney-Bush Energy Bill.
Ziggy must have gone to the Obama summer camp on propaganda and manipulation.
You are mixing apples and oranges.
There is a major difference between Obama and McCain. Obama is pretending to be anti-oil company and anti-energy company. McCain has not made that claim.
Pink Panther-I agree with your comment about Sen Obama “pretending to be this or pretending to be that” and attacking his opponents who are pretty straightforward about where they stand on the issues- whether or not we agree with them his opponents still have had the guts to say what they mean and mean what they say.
No matter who you choose to vote for in Nov (I support HRC) PLEASE read this excellent analysis-one of the best that I have read to date- about Sen Obama’s legislative votes and positions. Sen Obama’s hypocrisy is pretty impossible to miss.
Sen Obama…YOUR ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN YOUR WORDS…
http://www.beyondchron.org/articles/The_Obama_Craze_Count_Me_Out_5413.html
Damning article on how much Sen Obama REALLY cares about the poor and middle class voters and their issues-and- just how good was/is his legislation for the people?
First time voters-P L E A S E review Sen Obama’s past voting record and understand the implications of his votes. You can tell a lot about a candidate if you take the time to understand the implications of their votes or legislation they passed/or rejected or wrote. You can also tell a lot about a candidate by the company he/she keeps as advisors.
Do not be deceived. Your optimism should be applauded but your optimism should be based upon knowledge of the facts combined with your faith in the candidate, It is dangerous when people vote for a political leader solely on blind faith-especially when you are choosing the next president of the United States of America.
THANKS, KEVIN!
Just read HILLARY’S EDITORIAL TODAY IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL BLASTING BUSH’S CORRUPT HANDOUTS TO IRAQ CONTRACTORS, HALLIBURTON….AMAZING TRUMAN-LIKE SPIRITED ARTICLE BY THE ONE WHO SHOULD BE PRESIDENT!!!!
Hey, REPUBLICANCHICK! THANKS for the Letterman Obambi UH VIDEO! It rocks!
Uh
Uh
Uh
Nobama ‘08
or uh uh
McCain ‘08
Hillary ‘12
Mary-
Thanks for the info.
Here is the link to WSJ editorial you told us about
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121798030763715107.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries
No Crisis Is Immune
From Exploitation
Under Bush
By HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
August 6, 2008; Page A15
What I really like about this op-ed, is that is shows that Sen. Clinton is doing her job, concerned about issues.
remember those?
Doing the senator thing.
As opposed to his presumptious majesty.
who is concerned with whatever talking point is put on the teleprompter.
Even when he contradicts his royal self.
The BHO for dear leader staff needs not only fact checkers, but flip-flop checkers.
Athy - thankx for reference!
I think Kevin’s comments are so right-on-target….and “even when He contradicts his royal self the BHO for dear leader staff need not only fact checkers, but FLIP-FLOP CHECKERS!” Great advice for the one whose time to get lost has come!
May I just humbly add “Flip-Off” checkers, too…after watching his ignominious rapper JayZ wannabe routine where he disrespectfully gave “the finger” to his fellow female Senator HRC?
Obamarama is a Flip-Offer and a Flip-Flopper! Come November, let’s hope he revises his anorexic resume and sends to SNL for their Bernie Mac Comedy Family Hour…