News Palin is probably the nation's leading energy expert - McCain

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The discussion centers around John McCain's assertion that Sarah Palin possesses unparalleled knowledge about energy, which he cites as her primary national security credential. This claim raises skepticism among participants, who argue that it is exaggerated and question her qualifications compared to established experts in the field. Many express concerns about McCain's judgment in selecting Palin as a running mate, suggesting that he may be either delusional or desperate to defend her. The conversation touches on Palin's academic background, noting her BA in journalism and her varied college experience, which some interpret as a lack of depth in expertise. Participants also critique her claims about Alaska's energy production, highlighting discrepancies in her statements and suggesting that they reflect a broader pattern of misleading information from McCain and Palin. The thread ultimately questions the credibility of both candidates and the implications for their campaign.
  • #31
syano said:
Isn’t it a more simple explanation to say that McCain exaggerated?

To say that Palin is an expert is an exaggeration. To say that she is the nation's foremost expert is an absurdity beyond measure.

This is more fraud than exaggeration. At the least it proves that McCain has ZERO credibility. He will tell any lie needed; no matter how absurd, and regardless of the best interest of the country.
 
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  • #33
LowlyPion said:
My curiosity about her academic record is really more directed along the lines of what grades she got in Physics.

:smile:
 
  • #34
Gokul43201 said:
PF is a serious forum. So, if this thread is not worthy of PF, it should be locked.

Heh, McCain's statement is a great of example of the sort of sleeze politics that gave us Bush. I can think of nothing more relevant to the election than the lies told to the voters.

Of course, we could just talk about semantics and meaningless campaign promises, and ignore the real issues, like deception, and the irrational thinking exhibited by our war hero.
 
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  • #35
Gokul43201 said:
...
Palin doesn't even come anywhere near the kind of energy credentials that Republicans like Don Young and Pete Domenici have. There are at least a half dozen Republicans in Congress that know way more than Palin does about energy. ...
According to who? Yes Young and Domenici are players as legislators; Young was influential in the original Trans Alaska Pipe, Domenici co authored the 2005 Energy Policy Act. Palin has certainly been in the ground zero locations needed for experience. She was the chair of the Ak Oil and Gas Conservation Commission; was the force behind the approved Ak gas pipeline plan as Governor, which had gone nowhere for years, and now if completed will be the longest single project pipe in the world.
 
  • #36
Cyrus said:
Just finished watching MTP. Must say, its up there with Charlie Rose. Very good episode.

MTP has been the gold standard in political review for as long as I can remember. It has been on for over sixty years.

Check out the list of former guests. On the main page in the left column, go to Browse, "Meet The Press", and then the slide show that looks back at the history of the show.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032608/
 
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  • #37
Energy is a big inclusive word. What does Palin know about wind, tidal generation, hydroelectric power, nuclear, solar, hydrogen technologies, battery technology, energy storage and distribution systems, etc? If helping to push through a compressed natural gas pipeline makes her an energy expert in McCain's eyes, I should be eminently qualified to be Secretary of Agriculture. I do grow most of our own fruits and vegetables, after all.

John McCain said:
She [Sarah Palin] knows more about energy than probably anyone else in the United States of America.
The old guy has lost it.
 
  • #38
mheslep said:
According to who? Yes Young and Domenici are players as legislators; Young was influential in the original Trans Alaska Pipe, Domenici co authored the 2005 Energy Policy Act. Palin has certainly been in the ground zero locations needed for experience. She was the chair of the Ak Oil and Gas Conservation Commission; was the force behind the approved Ak gas pipeline plan as Governor, which had gone nowhere for years, and now if completed will be the longest single project pipe in the world.

Are you seriously attempting to defend McCain's statement? Are you suggesting that Palin is the nations leading energy expert? Or do you admit that McCain was either lying, delusional, or demonstrating extreme ignorance?
 
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  • #39
Ivan Seeking said:
Are you seriously attempting to defend McCain's statement? Are you suggesting that Palin is the nations leading energy expert? Or do you admit that McCain was either lying, delusional, or demonstrating extreme ignorance?

Presuming that he has figured out what honor is by now, it must be one of the latter two.
 
  • #40
turbo-1 said:
Energy is a big inclusive word. What does Palin know about wind, tidal generation, hydroelectric power, nuclear, solar, hydrogen technologies, battery technology, energy storage and distribution systems, etc?

They claim to supply 20% of the nation's needs for energy, and yet are only .2 % of the population. They haven't the slightest idea about Energy independence so much as wanting to be a separate country so they can keep energy wealth for themselves.
 
  • #41
mheslep said:
According to who? Yes Young and Domenici are players as legislators; Young was influential in the original Trans Alaska Pipe, Domenici co authored the 2005 Energy Policy Act. Palin has certainly been in the ground zero locations needed for experience. She was the chair of the Ak Oil and Gas Conservation Commission; was the force behind the approved Ak gas pipeline plan as Governor, which had gone nowhere for years, and now if completed will be the longest single project pipe in the world.
Palin was Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission for 1 year.

Domenici has chaired the United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for 4 years and been the ranking member on that committee for many more. Likewise, with the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development. And he's been on the Appropriation subcommittee for Science (etc.) for who knows how many years. He has written a book on Nuclear Power and edited a second one, and has earned the epithet "Nuclear Renaissance Man" as arguably the strongest driver of Nuclear energy development in the US Congress. Heck, he is the only American to be awarded the French Nuclear Energy Society’s Grande Medaille de l'Academie des Sciences (their most prestigious recognition). He is one of the strongest supporters of the US National Labs, and has been calling for US energy independence for about a quarter of a century now. He has authored numerous bills on energy, science and technology and water management. He has been instrumental in virtually every major energy bill (including the 2005 Energy Policy Act that he crafted) in the last couple of decades. He is the second most senior Republican in the Senate.

You really think Palin can hold a candle to Domenici on Energy issues? You've got to be kidding!
 
  • #42
LowlyPion said:
They claim to supply 20% of the nation's needs for energy, and yet are only .2 % of the population.
Palin (and McCain as well) certainly made this claim, and it's way off.
Energetically Wrong
September 12, 2008

Palin says Alaska supplies 20 percent of U.S. energy. Not true. Not even close.

Summary

Palin claims Alaska "produces nearly 20 percent of the U.S. domestic supply of energy." That's not true.

Alaska did produce 14 percent of all the oil from U.S. wells last year, but that's a far cry from all the "energy" produced in the U.S.

Alaska's share of domestic energy production was 3.5 percent, according to the official figures kept by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

And if by "supply" Palin meant all the energy consumed in the U.S., and not just produced here, then Alaska's production accounted for only 2.4 percent.

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/energetically_wrong.html

Now that's what we get from the nation's leading energy expert!
 
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  • #43
Gokul43201 said:
He is one of the strongest supporters of the US National Labs,

To be fair, you'd have to look pretty danged hard to find a New Mexico Congressman that isn't a strong supporter of US National Labs.
 
  • #44
Gokul43201 said:
Palin (and McCain as well) certainly made this claim, and it's way off.

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/energetically_wrong.html

Now that's what we get from the nation's leading energy expert!

Thanks for the reference. I never checked up on that, which is why I prefaced it as their/her claim. The sad thing is that even though her estimate is exaggerated by nearly a factor of 10, even at only 2.4% her state still enjoys a factor of 10 surplus over its share of the US population.
 
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  • #45
quadraphonics said:
To be fair, you'd have to look pretty danged hard to find a New Mexico Congressman that isn't a strong supporter of US National Labs.
Point taken.
 
  • #46
The thing that is staggering to me is the lengths they will go to in order to avoid saying that Palin is inexperienced and not knowledgeable about all that much outside of Wasilla.

The attempts to inflate her abilities and experience, to deny her ethical lapses, to hide her religious ideological policy positions, looks like a Marx Brothers comedy.

While I think bringing people to the White House that would be better suited for Jerry Springer throw downs than Meet the Press would be a rich trove of bizarre entertainment opportunities, I'd say the country has a broader responsibility to the world to be a part of solutions, rather than as a contributor to its problems.
 
  • #47
Gokul43201 said:
Now that's what we get from the nation's leading energy expert!

So she isn't even an energy expert in regards to Alaska.

So that means that she doesn't have any national security credentials...? Wait, I'm confused. :biggrin:
 
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  • #48
I can see Russia from my house.
 
  • #49
Uh, where are you going with that Cyrus?
 
  • #50
She and McCain continually make the false claims that "Obama will raise your taxes", and "I told Congress 'no thanks' to the bridge to nowhere". Now this, the Alaska energy supply "facts", perhaps even troopergate, book banning, etc.

The question is: Can these two swift-boat the truth, or is America now too sophisticated to fall for this again?

How many people actually believe these two, and how many know they are lying and just don't care?
 
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  • #51
binzing said:
Uh, where are you going with that Cyrus?

Want to hear a joke?



Side:
Check this out:


Side 2:
Nice new signature Ivan, :smile:
 
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  • #52
Cyrus said:


Damon nails it. No matter who she may be, we have no way to know by election day. That alone disqualifies her.

Nice new signature Ivan, :smile:

Personally, I think this episode alone shows that neither of them is qualifed to be President. I used to have a lot of respect for McCain, but at the least, his Palin pick, and his ludicrous defense of her show that he is far too cavalier with the nation's future to be trusted. I mean really, like Damon says, this is absurd!

This is why I am so confident that Palin is nothing to worry about; so long as the media and bloggers do their jobs. There isn't much time, but the facade is extremely thin. Really I think this whole business amounts to nothing more than a gimmick.
 
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  • #53
Isn't this just a slip of a word or words?. She uses the word energy, instead of saying oil and gas? Maybe we should just stick with her hair style, and call it a day.
Yipes .. You guys are a tough crowd. :-)
 
  • #54
castlegates said:
Isn't this just a slip of a word or words?. She uses the word energy, instead of saying oil and gas? Maybe we should just stick with her hair style, and call it a day.
Yipes .. You guys are a tough crowd. :-)

Maybe instead we should hold people accountable for what they say. :rolleyes:

Oh that's right I forgot, you don't care. So the point of you're posting was.....?
 
  • #55
castlegates said:
Isn't this just a slip of a word or words?. She uses the word energy, instead of saying oil and gas? Maybe we should just stick with her hair style, and call it a day.
Yipes .. You guys are a tough crowd. :-)

You think she is the nation's leading expert on oil and gas? She didn't even know how much Alaska contributes.

I don't think anyone is being unfair. I think we have grown too accustomed to accepting absolute nonsense from political charlatons.

keep in mind that only few years ago, most people would have had no way to know anything about this; only the people in Maine [many of whom may have believed McCain], and those of us who watch Meet The Press, would know. He and Palin would be free to roam the country telling all of the lies that wish to tell. Now, through the power of the internet, they can be held accountable.
 
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  • #56
Cyrus said:
Maybe instead we should hold people accountable for what they say. :rolleyes:

Oh that's right I forgot, you don't care. So the point of you're posting was.....?
(Maybe) is good enough for me, since it came from you. So it's not a lie as one poster suggest, and just a misuse of a word. Seems more than reasonable since the 20% corresponds with the oil and gas production percentage that this site gives.
http://www.akrdc.org/issues/oilgas/overview.html
Now maybe we should get back to her hairdoooo?

And I really really don't care who wins this election. Sara Palin isn't all that bright. We can all agree here, but she is BUBBLY!, and BUBBLY! makes her a force to be reckoned with. Now I know you won't be voting for her, but I'm not referring to you in this paragraph, nor me, because I don't vote, but the average American does vote, and if I'm not mistaken, the average American likes MIZ BUBBLY more than any of the other candidates.
MAYBE enough to tip the scales to a win, what was in the bag for Obama.
 
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  • #57
You think she is the nation's leading expert on oil and gas?
Obviously she isn't.
She didn't even know how much Alaska contributes.
And you are willing to lie to yourself.
I think we have grown too accustomed to accepting absolute nonsense from political charlatons.
If we accept the system by which they are chosen, it is to be an expected norm, in fact it is demanded of them by the very nature of the process. You just happen to think it is only republicans that hold the realm of charlatan. :-)
 
  • #58
Has Obama just not been getting much coverage lately? I thought it would be his best bet to ignore the Palin issue and just sit back and wait for the air to clear a bit before getting back to business as usual. This is looking to me like that's what has been going on. Without anything big from Obama to take back some of the spot light its just staying on Palin and giving their campaign more rope to hang themsevles with as they try to figure out how to avoid too much scrutiny.
 
  • #59
Why do people care what Matt Damon thinks? Should we also consult Angelina and Brad?
 
  • #60
Math Is Hard said:
Why do people care what Matt Damon thinks? Should we also consult Angelina and Brad?

Because he's dreamy :!)

And he makes good movies. You leave matt alone!

More seriously though: I care what he thinks because he's exactly right.
 

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