McCain Visits Offshore Rig to Prove Loyalty to Big Oil

Posted by Matt, Think Progress at 11:03 AM on August 19, 2008.

Today, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) is touring an oil rig off the coast of Louisiana in order “to highlight his support for increased domestic offshore drilling.” Although he will not join McCain today, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) promoted McCain’s oil rig visit in an appearance on Fox and Friends this morning.


Making sure to note that the drilling platform McCain will visit is owned and run by Chevron, Jindal oddly suggested that the photo-op will “emphasize that drilling alone is not enough” to address America’s energy needs. Watch it:

It should come as no surprise that the McCain chose to visit a Chevron-owned drilling platform, considering that lobbyists for Chevron both fundraise and work for his campaign:

Wayne Berman: Berman, the managing director of lobbying firm Ogilvy Government Relations, is McCain’s national finance co-chairman and has bundled over $500,000 dollars for his campaign. Berman has lobbied for Chevron since 2004.


John Green: Green, who also works for Oglivy, has been the McCain campaign’s chief Congressional liaison since March. Green has lobbied for Chevron since 2005.


Richard Hohlt: Hohlt, who is the leader of a group of Washington, DC insiders called the “Off the Record Club” that includes top McCain strategist Charlie Black, is a fundraiser for the McCain campaign. Holht has lobbied for Chevron since 2005.

In June, McCain went before oil executives in Texas to reverse his position on offshore drilling and lay out a set of policy proposals that add up to a big fat kiss to Big Oil. Since then, the oil industry has flooded McCain with money and McCain has begun promoting the advice of “the oil executives.”


Update: The Chevron oil rig McCain is visiting is a joint venture with Exxon, which owns 38.38 percent of the project. Lobbyists for Exxon also work and fundraise for McCain's campaign.

Tagged as: oil, exxon, mccain, chevron, oil rig