Republican Party

June 23, 2008 -- When John McCain is in California this week he will no doubt try to tie himself to Gov. Schwarzenegger and distance himself from President Bush. But when it comes to offshore drilling, an important issue to coastal states, like California, Senator McCain is on Bush's--not Schwarzenegger's--side.

When McCain announced last week he wanted to lift the moratorium on offshore drilling, President Bush and big oil were quick to side with him, even though the idea has been met with much criticism and would do nothing to solve our short-term energy crisis. Just as bad, Senator McCain himself campaigned against off-shore drilling in states like Oregon, Maine, and even California in the run-up to the 2000 election.    » read more »

June 23, 2008 -- After years of saying he opposed drilling in our coastal waters, Senator McCain changed his position and has embraced President Bush's vision for offshore drilling. On CBS's Face the Nation, McCain advisor Carly Fiorina tried to defend John McCain's decision to cave in to Big Oil.

Offshore oil rig: Photo by arbyreed (CC)    » read more »

June 20, 2008 -- This week John McCain reversed himself again, announcing that he now supports lifting the moratorium on off-shore drilling despite previously opposing such a plan to reverse decades of U.S. policy. McCain and President Bush stood behind the plan even though it does nothing to address current gas prices, it would take years to see a drop of oil from these leases, and oil industry execs already have thousands of untapped leases at their disposal.    » read more »

June 20, 2008 -- The Democratic National Committee today filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the U.S. Department of State seeking information about possible violations of the Hatch Act in connection to John McCain's events in Ottawa today. The FOIA request follows reports that McCain campaign officials requested assistance in arranging a $100-a-plate luncheon speech from U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins.    » read more »

June 20, 2008 -- John McCain claims he is following campaign finance laws. But the reality is when it's inconvenient to his campaign, Senator McCain thinks the rules don't apply to him--even going as far as breaking the law. Senator McCain is violating campaign laws by using a corporate jet for campaign events but not reimbursing the corporation for the cost of the trips.

John McCain protesters, Pennsylvania: Photo by Bernard Pollack (CC)    » read more »

Speech to Follow, Expand on Failed Bush Energy Policies

June 17, 2008 -- Washington, D.C.— Senator John McCain is slated to give a major policy address on energy issues later today in front of an audience of oil industry executives in Houston.

Yesterday Senator McCain called for lifting a nearly three decade old federal moratorium on drilling off of our coasts. "There are areas off our coasts that should be open to exploration and exploitation , and I hope we can take the first step by lifting the moratoria," said Senator McCain.

Yesterday’s Sierra Club response to Senator McCain’s announcement can be found here .

Statement of Carl Pope, Sierra Club Executive Director    » read more »

New Radio Ad Calls for Support of Clean Energy Legislation

June 16, 2008 -- Washington, DC: In remarks today Senator McCain indicated that in his speech tomorrow in the heart of the fossil fuel industry he will focus not on clean energy and fighting global warming but instead on opening America’s coasts to drilling.

“Tomorrow, I'll call for lifting the federal moratorium for states that choose to permit exploration. I think that this -- and perhaps providing additional incentives for states to permit exploration off their coasts --- would be very helpful in the short term in resolving our energy crisis,” said McCain.

Statement of Carl Pope, Sierra Club Executive Director:    » read more »

June 17, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Pvt. Eugene D. M. Kanakaole, 19, of Maui, Hawaii, died June 11 in Balad Iraq, of injuries sustained in a non-combat related incident.

He was assigned to the 87th Engineer Company, 8th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas.

The incident is under investigation.

Source: DOD

June 17, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. 1st Class Gerard M. Reed, 40, of Jacksonville Beach, Florida, died June 11 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained in a non-combat related incident.

He was assigned to the 86th Combat Support Hospital, Fort Campbell, Ky.

This incident is under investigation.

Source: DOD

June 16, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of four Marines who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Sgt. Michael Toussiant-Hyle Washington, 20, of Tacoma, Washington

Lance Cpl. Layton Bradly Crass, 22, of Richmond, Indiana

Pfc. Dawid Pietrek, 24, of Bensenville, Illinois

Pfc. Michael Robert Patton, 19, of Fenton, Missouri

All four Marines died June 14 while supporting combat operations in Farah Province, Afghanistan.

They were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Source: DOD

June 17, 2008 -- During his campaign John McCain has tried to create distance from the Bush Administration by talking tough on the environment. But you just never know which John McCain you're going to get. Today, Senator McCain will cave to his friends in the oil and gas industries by declaring that he supports lifting the federal moratorium on drilling exploration, even though he supported the moratorium the last time he ran for president and has opposed drilling off the coast of places like Florida, North Carolina, Oregon, and Maine.    » read more »

Holding McCain Responsible For His Do As I Say, Not As I Do Campaign

June 17, 2008 -- The Democratic National Committee today announced that it will file a suit with the U.S. District Court in D.C. next week to compel the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to investigate John McCain's decision to unilaterally withdraw from the FEC's matching funds program despite using the program to financially benefit his campaign, which is clearly against the law.

John McCain's "Straight Talk Express": Photo by Rich McGervey (CC)    » read more »

June 17, 2008 -- While John McCain likes to talk tough about energy independence and renewable energy, John McCain today will cave in to his friends in the oil and gas industry. Despite supporting a moratorium on off-shore drilling during his last presidential campaign and opposing offshore drilling in places like Florida, North Carolina and Oregon, Senator McCain will call for the elimination of the moratorium during his remarks in Houston today.

Oil spill cleanup crew: Photo by ex.libris (CC)    » read more »

17 June 2008 -- Iraqi officials say a car bomb has killed 51 people and wounded 75 others at a market in a mainly Shi'ite area of Baghdad. Tuesday's bombing in the Hurriyah district of western Baghdad was the deadliest in the Iraqi capital in more than three months.

The car bomb triggered a fire that engulfed a multi-story building containing shops and apartments. Many of the victims were trapped in that building.

Baghdad had been relatively calm since May 11, when U.S. and Iraqi forces began observing a truce with Shi'ite militants that ended weeks of fighting.

In another attack Tuesday, an Iraqi television news reporter, Muhieddin Abdul-Hamid was shot dead near his home in the northern city of Mosul.    » read more »

June 16, 2008 -- John McCain claims that a part of his economic plan for America is "bolstering job security," but his record tells a different story. When Senator McCain has had the chance, instead of fighting to keep America's jobs here at home he helped steer a tanker contract to a European company for which his campaign advisors then lobbied, shipping tens of thousands of American jobs overseas. This follows McCain's pattern of mocking and subverting "Buy America" rules in the Senate. [johnmccain.com, accessed 6/15/08]    » read more »