Obama’s energy plan makes ‘no sense,’ GOP says

The campaign of Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain blasted rival Sen. Barack Obama on Monday for not having shown leadership on the energy crisis and pitching a plan that “makes no sense.”

The Illinois Democrat later in the day was expected to release an energy plan that, his campaign said, would rid the U.S. of its dependence of foreign oil within a decade.

{mosads}However, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.), a top McCain adviser and reportedly on the Arizona senator’s shortlist of vice presidential candidates, ripped Obama’s plan in a conference call with reporters.

“I believe that what we’ll see today is Barack Obama attempting to paint a picture of an energy plan that frankly is not based on developing more American energy supply,” said Cantor, who criticized the Democrat’s plan for not including nuclear and clean coal energy.

Since Obama returned from a trip overseas, both campaigns have focused on domestic issues, especially the country’s energy problems, and are expected to continue to do so this week. The Illinois senator will unveil his energy strategy in Lansing, Mich., and also speak on the issue in Ohio and Indiana as part of his “Energy Week.”

Obama also proposes to tax oil companies, which have been posting record profits, to give Americans a $1,000 energy rebate, a plan that the McCain camp said does not make sense.

“Sen. Obama doesn’t have a plan that adds up,” said McCain spokesman Doug Holtz-Eakin of the windfall tax. “Sen. McCain has a real plan.”

Cantor also criticized Democrats in Congress for not passing energy legislation before leaving for August recess.

“If Barack Obama is serious [about an energy plan] the first thing he should do is to pick up the phone and tell Speaker [Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.] to bring Congress back,” Cantor said.

A group of House Republicans are on the floor again Monday to put pressure on Pelosi to get a vote on expanding domestic drilling.

“It doesn’t sound to me like [Obama’s] fighting very hard” for energy policy, Cantor said.

“The best thing that we can do now is to summon that collaborative spirit so that we can all get behind a plan so that we can ensure that America’s energy supply will be increased,” he added.