McCain Hits Back at Obama Energy Speech

John McCain hit back at Barack Obama’s energy speech today, accusing the Illinois Democrat of opposing both offshore drilling and nuclear power.

In his speech today in Michigan, Obama said he is willing to accept more offshore drilling as a compromise with the GOP; he also called for research into safer nuclear power plants and nuclear waste storage. Republicans have accused Obama of not being serious about nuclear power, as he opposes a planned waste dump at Yucca Mountain, Nevada.

“Anybody who says that we can achieve energy independence without using and increasing these existing energy resources either doesn’t have the experience to understand the challenge we face or isn’t giving the American people some straight talk,” McCain said at a campaign stop in Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania.

“Unfortunately, Senator Obama continues to oppose offshore drilling. He continues to oppose the use of nuclear power. These misguided policies would result in higher energy costs to American families and businesses and increased dependence on foreign oil. We’re not going to achieve energy independence by inflating our tires,” McCain said.

McCain supporters and the Republican National Committee distributed tire gauges today to mock Obama, who suggested last week that, by keeping their tires properly inflated, Americans could save as much fuel as oil companies would produce through GOP plans for more offshore drilling.