Fact Check: Obama and Oil Money?
NPR-Democratic Sen. Barack Obama has seized on a key feature of voters’ economic concerns — rising fuel prices — and is casting himself as the candidate who could bring about energy independence because he is not beholden to energy companies.
Last week, Obama aired a television ad in Pennsylvania called “Nothing’s changed” that outlines his energy proposals while declaring, “I don’t take money from oil companies or Washington lobbyists, and I won’t let them block change anymore.”
THE SPIN: In his ad, Obama states: “Since the gas lines of the ’70’s, Democrats and Republicans have talked about energy independence, but nothing’s changed except now Exxon’s making $40 billion a year, and we’re paying $3.50 for gas. … I don’t take money from oil companies or Washington lobbyists, and I won’t let them block change anymore. They’ll pay a penalty on windfall profits. We’ll invest in alternative energy, create jobs and free ourselves from foreign oil.”
