Obama: I Could Compromise On Drilling (*Update)

Thank you Barack. The most sensible approach to relieving our dependence on foreign oil is to drill more at home. Somewhere in that statement gets lost the fact that drilling for more oil at home does nothing to relieve our dependence on oil and it says nothing to the fact that it will take about a decade for that oil to hit the market. Yet drilling at home is about the only option given the fact that our addiction to oil is at epidemic levels.

Part of the compromise Obama would be willing to consider is one that allows for more drilling on American coastlines, guarantees the sell of that oil for domestic use only and also mandates portions of the profits go towards research for alternative energy sources.

"My attitude is that we can find some sort of compromise," Obama told the Times shortly after talking with voters at Gibbs High School. "If it is part of an overarching package, then I am not going to be rigid in preventing an energy package that goes forward that is really thoughtful and is going to really solve the problem."

Also, take into account that Obama made his comments in Florida, a state he has a really good shot at winning and one that kept both Gore and Kerry from becoming president. So take them for what they're worth in an election year.

One final point, my buddy Jaz could easily add this to his list of Obama flip flops if he were to focus merely on the aspect that Obama is now willing to compromise on the issue and not that he has switched over to the Republican stance because that he has not done.

*Update:

As happy as I am with Obama's switch that he would now consider drilling offshore as a compromise, the right wing shouldn't be too enthusiastic since McCain was the first to flip flop on this issue. Don't two flip flops cancel each other out? If not I'm sure in the Republican Fantasy World 3 > 72.