Is Helping Big Oil the New Third Rail in American Politics?

Posted by Steven Reynolds, The All Spin Zone at 11:46 AM on August 8, 2008.

Another Republican incumbent has lost an election, this time a primary in Tennessee. He was painted as beholden to Big Oil, and that's what led to Dave Davis' loss. Meanwhile, John McCain is in opposition to the New Energy Reform Act of 2008 precisely because is scales back Big Oil subsidies. This is the stuff of political ads against McCain.

courtesy of Think Progress

So it seems. There was a primary in Tennessee yesterday, and the incumbent Republican lost. David Davis, who represented the Northeastern part of the state, was upset by the Mayor of Johnson City, Phil Roe. While this one is going to be in the Republican column come November, Roe worked hard to tie Davis to Big Oil, and the pundits are reporting that is why Davis lost. RawStory has the scoop, as does Ben Pershing at the Washington Post:

Though the district is heavily Republican and will stay in the GOP column in November, Democrats are already highlighting the race as an example of how they believe the politics of energy can play in their favor. Roe focused his campaign on charges that Davis was in the pocket of "Big Oil."

"While East Tennesseans have been struggling with out-of-control gas prices, David Davis has pocketed thousands from oil companies," the narrator of a Roe campaign ad intoned. "Why is 'Big Oil' trying to buy our seat in Congress, and why is Davis accepting their cash?" (Watch the ad in full.)

The Post story goes on to note that Republicans, backing Big Oil to the hilt, are whining in congress today, still, about passing an energy bill that will be favorable to Big Oil.
The 538 web site sees an opportunity for Obama in the compromise that's being put forth by 10 Senators. So far both Obama and McCain are hedging their bets in their opinions on the bill, which puts together a package paid for by scaling back oil industry subsidies. John McCain is on the side, of course, of keeping those subsidies. Is he standing too close to this new dangerous political spot, too close to Big Oil? Well, he'd be a major flip flopper, again, if he decided to vote to scale back those subsidies.

I suppose John McCain will ask himself the question: WWDCD? Well, he's got Cheney speaking at the convention now, so I'm betting McCain stays in the pockets of Big Oil. Hmm, I'm thinking there's a political ad here somewhere ...

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