Green Campaign Watch: "Emergency" Energy Rebate, Coal-Connected VP & Sierra Club's Ad

Energy continues to dominate presidential politicking and Obama proposes a $1,000 energy rebate that he says could alleviate the stress of high energy costs. But when fighting energy costs we’ve also got to mind emissions, something that worries some about a potential running mate for Obama — Virginia governor Tim Kaine who’s a well-known coal advocate. Though environmentalists are still rallying around Obama, now paying for ads supporting Obama’s stance on big oil.

Obama Calls for “Emergency” Rebate: Speaking in St. Petersburg, Fla. at a town hall meeting this morning, Obama said his $1,000 energy rebate check needs to happen now. Originally proposed as part of a larger and later tax relief package, Obama said this “emergency” rebate is needed immediately to help consumers battle rising energy prices and a slumping economy. The rebate would be funded by taxes on the windfall profits of oil companies. Obama’s announcement coincides with news that unemployment rates hit a 4-year high last month at 5.7 percent as well as reports of ExxonMobil’s second quarter earnings of $11.68 billion, breaking their own record for biggest three-month profit ever.

Obama’s Potential Veep a Coal Shill?: Virginia governor Tim Kaine has been a popular name for Obama’s running mate. The problem is, Kaine, called “Governor Greenwash” by NASA climatologist James Hansen, fought to defend a coal-fired power plant in his state and doesn’t agree that in order to fight global warming we should stop building coal power plants. Can Obama stand to have a coal advocate as a running mate while campaigning on cleaning up our emissions?

Sierra Club Attacks McCain on Big Oil Policy: A new television ad paid for by the Sierra Club Political Committee attacks John McCain’s policy on big oil and says Obama has a plan that “breaks the grip of big oil.” Costing an estimated six-figures, the ad will run statewide in New Hampshire; as well as in Denver, Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland and Washington D.C. The Sierra Club has also launched a radio ad campaign in swing states in an effort to get Obama elected.

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