Both campaigns favor drilling for more oil domestically, although only Palin currently advocates opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas exploration. Both campaigns also favor using “clean coal” and “safe nuclear” technology along with renewable energy sources such as wind power, solar power and geothermal energy.
While there are other candidates running for president in 2008—Green Party candidate Cynthia McKinney, Independent Ralph Nader and Libertarian Bob Barr are still in the race—it’s essentially a given that either McCain or Obama will be sitting in the Oval Office come January, and either Palin or Biden will be advising the president and presiding over the Senate.
For environmentally-conscious voters trying to decide between the major party candidates, it may be a matter of timing and degree on some issues.
While both McCain-Palin and Obama-Biden favor expanding offshore oil drilling as part of a comprehensive energy policy, McCain and Palin have made offshore drilling and domestic oil a cornerstone of their energy plan while Obama and Biden have said they would consider allowing a limited increase of offshore drilling to supplement other energy sources. And whereas McCain has called for an aggressive and immediate expansion of nuclear power in the United States, a policy Palin supports, Obama and Biden favor increasing the number of U.S. nuclear reactors only after a safe disposal method for nuclear waste has been developed.
Biden-Palin 2008 VP Debate FAQ Index:
- How Do Biden and Palin Differ on Climate Change?
- How Do Biden and Palin Differ on ANWR, Offshore Drilling and Renewable Energy?
- Where Does Biden Really Stand on Clean Coal?
- Why Do Biden and Palin Disagree About the 2005 Energy Bill?
- Where Do Biden and Palin Disagree on Subsidies and Tax Breaks for Oil Companies?
- Where Do Biden and Palin Line Up on a Windfall Profits Tax for Oil Companies?
- What Can Pro-Environment Voters Learn from the Biden-Palin Debate?
