Graham: Follow France on Nuclear Power

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of John McCain’s closest allies, said that the United States should look to France and try to develop nuclear power to help clean up the environment and reduce demand for oil.

“It’s ridiculous that America cannot proceed with nuclear power,” Graham said on Fox News on Wednesday.”We should follow the French model of storage and recycling.”

Graham noted that while McCain has proposed building 45 new nuclear power plants, his Democratic opponent for the presidency, Barack Obama, has espoused building more coal-fired plants.

“[Obama] gives lip service to nuclear power, but the environmental left — the anti-nuclear left has stymied his platform,” Graham said.

The Republican suggested that Obama look at the French nuclear power program, which provides most of the country’s power, when he visits Europe.

“Surely we can be as bold as the French,” said Graham. “They know what they’re doing. They have a very mature nuclear program.”

Graham said that his state, South Carolina, would be willing to show how to recycle spent nuclear fuel, the disposal of which has been a concern of environmental groups.

“So we need to deal with the waste,” Graham said. “And Obama doesn’t want to address the waste because the hard left really is anti-nuclear.”