podesta_email_01231.txt

podesta-emails 3,904 words email

P17 V11 V15 P19 P22

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Hello All, Just off the phone with our tracker Andres who is on the ground in Fresno today. Below are the notes from our call. *BIG HIGHLIGHTS * - Clean Car Challenge - McCain offers a $5,000 tax credit for zero-emissions cars - $300 million Prize! 'for the development of a battery package that has the size, capacity, cost and power to leapfrog the commercially available plug-in hybrids or electric cars' - When directly asked, McCain maintains that he does not support drilling in ANWR - Claims Senator Obama does not support nuclear energy -- hits him on that point - Reaffirms anti-choice position - McCain talks about putting the responsibility of health care in the American people's hands - Promises to mention 'Asian-Americans' in speeches from now on after being prompted by a 'passionate' audience member - McCain forgets an audience member's question (see question #12) - McCain ends question and answer period by hitting Obama for not attending the town hall with him (Note: McCain holds media availability immediately after town hall hitting Obama again on the issue) *Fresno, CA - McCain Speech, Town Hall Meeting 06/23/08* (Disclaimer: The following are notes, not direct quotes. If you'd like a quotable transcript or video of any part below, please email us.) *Background Details:* - Approximately 350 in the audience; standing room only but small venue, elementary schools have bigger auditoriums only maybe 250 seats. Risers bisect the room in 2/3rds standing only behind risers - Almost entirely white crowd with a few hispanics and a couple African Americans - Hand-made campaign signs on the sides of the auditorium - Reform, prosperity, peace slogan signs behind and on podium - Well staffed, more professional feel from the staff. - Little press mostly local - channel 30, channel 47 cbs, univision, local newspaper, *FULL Speech: *LINK: http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/Speeches/65ee015f-0eb2-46e3-b7c5-5e9da01d08d4.htm * Remarks By John McCain on Energy Security and Our National Security * * * June 23, 2008 ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain delivered the following remarks as prepared for delivery at a town hall meeting in Fresno, CA, today at 10:00 a.m. PDT (1:00 p.m. EDT): Thank you all very much. I appreciate the kind introduction from Jim Woolsey, and the warm welcome to Fresno State. I'm here to listen about energy issues as well as to talk. So let me just offer a few ideas before we begin our discussion. All across this state and nation, people are hurting because the price of gasoline is higher than it should be, and more than many folks can afford. Because of far-off events in the world oil market, a barrel of oil has more than doubled in a year. And the bad effects of that are spreading across our economy. The cost of business is rising, the cost of food and other essentials is rising, the whole cost of living is rising. What isn't rising is the value of your paychecks and the rate of America's economic growth. Back in the 1970's, they used to call this "stagflation." And it feels the same today, because the unwise policies of our government have left America's energy future in the control of others. America imports about one third of its oil from Canada and Mexico and no one need worry about a reliance on friendly, stable neighbors, and partners in NAFTA. The Middle East and Venezuela are a different story. We import roughly a quarter of our oil from them, and they have a disproportionate impact on world prices. When we buy foreign oil from these and other sources, there are many consequences -- all of them far-reaching and none of them good. Worst of all, by relying on foreign oil, we enrich bad actors in the world, some of whom finance terrorists. Some in Washington seem to think that we can still persuade OPEC to lower prices -- as if reason or cajolery had never been tried before. Others have even suggested suing OPEC -- as if we can litigate our way to energy security. But America is not going to meet this great challenge as a supplicant or a plaintiff. We are not going to meet it with words at all -- we are going to meet it with action. We're going to produce more, conserve more, and invent more. And to a large extent, this strategy hinges on innovations in the cars and trucks we drive. Ninety-seven percent of transportation in America runs on oil. And of all that oil, about 60 percent is used in cars and trucks. Yet the CAFE standards we apply to automakers -- to increase the fuel efficiency of their cars -- are lightly enforced by a small fine. The result is that some companies don't even bother to observe CAFE standards. Instead they just write a check to the government and pass the cost along to you. Higher end auto companies like BMW, Porsche, and Mercedes employ some of the best engineering talent in the world. But that talent isn't put to the job of fuel efficiency, when the penalties are too small to encourage innovation. CAFE standards should serve large national goals in energy independence, not the purpose of small-time revenue collection. Innovation in the use of alternative fuels in transportation presents the greatest opportunity for energy independence. At the moment, entrepreneurs and engineers are trying to figure out which among the various alternatives to oil works best. Alcohol-based fuels are the farthest along in both development and commercial use. Some, such as ethanol, are on the market now, and new sources of ethanol are on the horizon that will not require the use of so much cropland. Corn-based ethanol, thanks to the money and influence of lobbyists, has been a case study in the law of unintended consequences. Our government pays to subsidize corn-based ethanol even as it collects tariffs that prevent consumers from benefiting from other kinds of ethanol, such as sugarcane-based ethanol from Brazil. The result is that Americans take the financial hit coming and going. As taxpayers, we foot the bill for the enormous subsides paid to corn produ cers. And as consumers, we pay extra at the pump because of government barriers to cheaper products from abroad. Here's a better way. Instead of playing favorites, our government should level the playing field for all alcohol fuels that break the monopoly of gasoline, lowering both gasoline prices and carbon emissions. And this can be done with a simple federal standard to hasten the conversion of all new vehicles in America to flex-fuel technology -- allowing drivers to use alcohol fuels instead of gas in their cars. Brazil went from about five to over 70 percent of all new vehicles with flex-fuel capacity. It did all that in just three years. Yet those same automakers that helped Brazil make the change say it will take them longer to reach the goal of 50 percent new flex-fuel vehicles for America. But I am confident they can do more, and do it faster, in the interest of our energy security. And if I am elected president, they will. Whether it takes a meeting with automakers during my first month in office, or my signature on an act of Congress, we will meet the goal of a swift conversion of American vehicles away from oil. At the same time, smart policy can also help to broaden the market for energy-efficient cars. Right now we have a hodgepodge of incentives for the purchase of fuel-efficient cars. Different hybrids and natural-gas cars carry different incentives, ranging from a few hundreds dollars to four grand. They're the handiwork of lobbyists, with all the inconsistency and irrationality that involves. *My administration will issue a Clean Car Challenge to the automakers of America, in the form of a single and substantial tax credit based on the reduction of carbon emissions. For every automaker who can sell a zero-emissions car, we will commit a 5,000 dollar tax credit for each and every customer who buys that car. For other vehicles, whatever type they may be, the lower the carbon emissions, the higher the tax credit. And these large tax credits will be available to everyone -- not just to those who have an accountant to explain it to them.* Furthermore, in the quest for alternatives to oil, our government has thrown around enough money subsidizing special interests and excusing failure. From now on, we will encourage heroic efforts in engineering, and we will reward the greatest success. *I further propose we inspire the ingenuity and resolve of the American people by offering a $300 million prize for the development of a battery package that has the size, capacity, cost and power to leapfrog the commercially available plug-in hybrids or electric cars. This is one dollar for every man, woman and child in the U.S. -- a small price to pay for helping to break the back of our oil dependency -- and should deliver a power source at 30 percent of the current costs.* My friends, energy security is the great national challenge of our time. And rising to this challenge will take all of the vision, creativity, and resolve of which we are capable. The good news is, these qualities have never been in short supply. We are the country of Edison, Fulton, and two brothers named Wright. It was American ingenuity that took three brave men to the moon and brought them back. Think of all the highest scientific endeavors of our age -- the invention of the silicon chip, the creation of the Internet, the mapping of the human genome. In so many cases, you can draw a straight line back to American inventors, and often to the foresighted aid of the United States government. For all the troubles and dangers our energy vulnerability presents, we know that we can overcome them, because we have overcome far worse problems and met far greater goals. Together, we Americans can achieve anything we set our minds to. I believe this about our country. I know this about our country. And now it is time to show those qualities once again. Thank you. *Question and Answer* 1 Q) I've been listening to the experts on the energy crisis -- they say speculators have caused prices to go up. How come Congress hasn't done anything about these speculators? MCCAIN: I'm aware of that too -- but we don't know how much those speculator costs are actually driving up the cost of gas. But if there's anybody who took advantage of Americans for themselves, then they should be held accountable. 2 Q) What's your plan for bringing the troops home? What is your time-line? MCCAIN: Would you like me to talk about energy and global warming as well? And by the way if I don't answer your question, you'll be able to follow up. Because that's what these town halls are all about -- the back and forth. This war has been badly mishandled for the past four years. I went to Iraq and saw that and came back arguing for a new strategy. And our new strategy, I know, called the surge is succeeding. And let me tell you, I hate war. I believe that if we had done what many advocated -- set a date for withdrawal, we would have risked a wider war. Today the Iraqi government is functioning, but they have a way to go. The casualties and attacks are gone. Everything is in our favor, but we're not done. We still have work to do. So, I understand your frustrations and sorrow of the war. And I thank you for your commitment to peace. I am also committed to peace. I believe we will withdraw over time -- and I believe we will come home with victory and honor, without defeat. FOLLOW-UP: For a country that's able to do all these wonderful things, I think that we are also a country that can show with empathy for other people of the world. We went over there and invaded when this country was of no threat to us. We went to war on a lie. We killed all these people over there, our 4,000 dead soldiers. We could have handled this in a much more peaceful way. MCCAIN: Thank you for your opinion. I'd be happy to go over WMD's, etc. But I feel the important part of this debate is -- we are where we are and we need to figure out what to do NOW. 3 Q) In relation to ANWR - do we still have the luxury to put the environment over our energy needs? Also if you still have that belief, why? MCCAIN: I believe in the long-term, I believe that climate change is real. We have to go to green technology. The states should decide if they want to drill -- if California wants to do it, they should be able to. The moratorium on off-shore drilling should be lifted. The problem I have with ANWR is that it is a pristine area and I'm not sure it can be done in an environmentally safe way. *Senator Obama says he doesn't support nuclear power -- I support nuclear power.* 4 Q) What about alternative infrastructure? MCCAIN: Absolutely and we have to provide those incentives. All of the alternate forms of energy - we should provide lots of incentives to pursue them. 5 Q) Are there any plans for making higher percentage ethanol available for U.S. citizens? MCCAIN: I'll look into that. But let me reiterate, I want to do flex-fuel first. I want to see us to the E-85 standard. FOLLOW-UP: What are your plans for hydrogen? MCCAIN: Can I say you're very smart? Your parents investment in your education has been well-spent. There's a lot of challenges, but we have to continue to develop hydrogen solutions. Oh and another thing. We are sitting on a lot of coal. Why don't we have more clean coal technology? And electric cars -- we need more of those. Right now, they're too expensive, but just like with cell phones, the cost will come down. 6 Q) The right to life issue is very important to me. Obama's vote against legislation for the child that was born alive after an unsuccessful abortion. MCCAIN: I don't understand. I don't understand how someone could vote against a ban for partial-birth abortion. *I believe in the rights of the born and the unborn.* Human rights extend around the globe. 7 Q) As a young person, my friends are defaulting to the democratic side without event researching. What are you going to do to sell your message to the younger community? MCCAIN: I try to go to venues that young people use for the sources of information and knowledge -- like the Internet and Jon Stewart. I am going to give young Americans a safer and more secure America. I know how to reform Washington. I pursued Mr. Abramoff and his friends. I have fought for reform the entire time I've been in Congress. I'm going to fix government so you have a more prosperous future. FOLLOW-UP: The price of oil has gone up as the dollar has fallen. Can you comment on that? MCCAIN: My view is that we are in spiral. Our debt is rising, we're borrowing to pay our debts and we're importing what we can't afford. Our dependence on foreign oil is an economic one and an environmental one. You're right -- they are connected. 8 Q) What can Washington and you do to bring mass transportation to American towns? MCCAIN: I think mass transportation is good. I think we have to focus on those areas where there's real need and a willingness of local authorities to contribute to building the system. We have this great system on the East Coast -- Acela. I use that frequently. It all has to do with cost per passenger per mile. We have to recognize that folks are not going to run a train from Florida to California -- folks are not going to do that. And we're subsidizing that. We need to redirect the money to more popular routes. And if you want to do this, you have to stop this pork barrel spending. Who hasn't hard about the bridge to nowhere in Alaska? It's outrageous. I'm not ashamed to tell you that there's certain high growth areas that are badly in need. We gotta be fair to the American people. 9 Q) Do you have plans to regulate the actual fees for services in your health plan? MCCAIN: I think it has to be better policed and regulated -- more in keeping with the actual costs. But that's not the root of the problem -- Americans are not as responsible for their health care as they ought to be. FOLLOW UP: More specifics? MCCAIN: *If that money was coming out of your pocket, you'd be more careful about how you spent it*. 10 Q) What about the Asian-American vote? We pay taxes too. I feel like Asian-Americans have been left out of the political process. You and others -- never mentioned 'Asian American.' We feel that we are being left out. Are you going to reach out to Asian-American communities? MCCAIN: Yes. Could I say that there are Asian-American members of Congress and others who have contributed much to our country. If I have gave the impression that I've neglected the contributions of your community, my apologies.* * *FOLLOW-UP: Lots of Asian-Americans -- but no mention. Will you mention us from now on? **MCCAIN: I got your message loud and clear. You listen to me in the future.* 11 Q) How are we going to charge all these electric cars? Think about it. Reform that. MCCAIN: Everyone remembers the rolling black-outs with large discomfort. Right now, we have not built a nuclear power plant in more than 30 years. It takes 5 years to build a nuclear power plant. I want to assure you that nuclear power has got to be a part of any plan to solve our energy needs. The French -- 80% of their electricity comes from nuclear energy. We need to store and re-process like them. FOLLOW-UP: Nuclear power is not the way to go. We know that the half-life of this radioactive material is a million years -- and we haven't figured out a way to dispose of that. We need to rely on changing our lifestyle and conservation. MCCAIN: I agree with that -- but I am not going to tell Americans that they have to shiver in the dark. 1*2 Q) What lessons besides securing the borders have you learned? And 2, governor of Alaska for VP? **MCCAIN: We are still in the process of the VP search. Excuse me what was your first question? * *QUESTIONER: Inaudible* MCCAIN: There is the need for temporary workers. The lesson I learned was that Americans demand and want the borders secure first. And we have the technology to do that. And we need to have a temporary worker program that works. Immigration is a national security issue and one of great importance. 13 Q) I would like you to pursue solar energy and not nuclear because it is hazardous. Solar is cheap and very safe. MCCAIN: I will pursue solar to it's fullest degree. Some straight talk -- solar alone will not solve all of our energy needs. It has to be part of a multi-tiered solution. 14 Q) Many of us have long commutes. The valley is so filled with commuters without mass transit. My gas prices have sky-rocketed. There's an immediate need -- and I don't see an answer to that. Do you? MCCAIN: I don't, but I'd like to get you some relief -- and that was my gas-tax holiday. All I wanted to do was give you a little relief for the summer. But I would also like to make sure that we don't raise your taxes. I don't see an immediate relief -- but I do see an exploitation of our reserves. Who pays the most on a per capita basis for gasoline? It's of people of low income and fixed income with older cars. And I liked to get them some relief. 15 Q) What is your stance on the Palestinian-Israel conflict? What are your thoughts on bringing back the middle class? MCCAIN: So many, millions of Americans are finding that they signed documents they didn't understand and aren't able to make those payments anymore. I'd like people to be able to go and get a 30-year FHA guaranteed loan. So that's an immediate help, to keep Americans in their homes. I don't want to raise taxes -- I'm not gonna raise taxes on them. I believe that it's very important that we restore trust in government. I will always put my country first. These are tough times. I want to assure you that I will do everything in my power to restore the American dream. What I should know is that you and your family is hurting right now, I'll reach across the aisle and get problems solved for you. 16 Q) Veteran. Served with McCain. MCCAIN: Thank you for your service. Could all our vets raise their hands? Thank you and God bless. 17 Q) I'm a veteran. The forgotten war of Korea. What I want to hear from you and your administration sir when you become president, are you going to improve the conditions for the veterans that return with injuries? MCCAIN: Yes sir, it's part of my plan. The Korean war may be the forgotten war, but those who fought in it will never be forgotten. Thank you for your service. My friends, what happened at Walter-Reed can never happen again. There are numerous cases of PTSD and its terrible. We have to change our system so we are able to get care more quickly to our vets. We have to expand the capability of the VA. I want to take every veteran that needs a routine health care need, give them a plastic card so they are able to get health care anywhere. *Conclusion* I hope you will ask Senator Obama to join me in a town hall meeting here in California. My friends, one thing I promise you, you can always count on, I will put my country first. -- Cammie L. 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