McCaul Stumps at the Pump
August 4th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Round Rock) says he’s not a “gimmicky guy.” Then what was he doing chasing drivers around at a Shell station in Austin this morning for the benefit of the media?
Like many of his House Republican colleagues, McCaul is trying to capitalize politically on sky-high gas prices. So this morning, the congressman — dressed in a white knit shirt and loafers — buttonholed drivers at the pump, telling them about his “all of the above” energy plan, which includes developing renewable power (wind, solar, etc), “clean coal,” nuclear energy and “safe, environmentally sound” drilling in ANWR and other protected areas - with emphasis, it seemed, on the latter.
The congressman also collected receipts from folks that he plans to send to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who opposes increased drilling.
Most people, when McCaul prompted them, said they supported new oil exploration. But there were some surprises. One man, who put $38.50 of gas into his Honda Fit (40 mpg!), said he thought high gas prices were “a good thing” because they “will change habits.” He suggested to McCaul that subsidies for the oil and gas industry ought to be used instead for research into alternative fuels. Many drivers wanted to talk about the promise of renewable power. “Oil’s not going to be around forever,” said Karen Delle-Ford of Cedar Park. We should be looking at “friendly fuels” like wind and solar, she said. But McCaul pressed her about new drilling. As long as it’s “environmentally safe,” she said.
Polls show that Americans are softening their opinion on offshore drilling. A recent CNN poll put support for the measure at 69 percent. So it seems this whole “Drill Here, Drill Now” gambit is actually working for the GOP. But there is little evidence that ramped-up domestic oil production will have much of a near- or long-term effect on oil prices. The Department of Energy estimates that opening ANWR up to exploration will reduce the price at the pump by only a few cents. But McCaul insisted the market would respond immediately if Congress acted. He pointed to the drop in oil following Bush’s lifting of the executive ban on exploration of the outer continental shelf.
Meanwhile McCaul’s opponent, Larry Joe Doherty, is ridiculing the congressman’s energy plan. Jon Niven, a Doherty staffer, was on-hand at the Shell station with a poop sheet that tallied McCaul’s votes against alternative energy and the $107,000 he’s taken from Big Oil.
One driver was suspiciously on-message. Without prompting, the woman began profusely thanking McCaul and the Republicans for their efforts. She even wrote a snappy note to Pelosi on her receipt: “Dear Nancy, Hope you enjoy your vacation. Get back to work.” The local TV guys were eating the made-for-TV moment up. But, as it turns out, the “random” driver was Rosemary Edwards, the chairwoman of the Travis County Republican Party and occasional donor to Republican candidates. Edwards said she just happened to be driving by and saw McCaul.
Happens to me all the time too.
August 7th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
[…] Seems the Texas Observer figured out that the best TV moment of my Stump at the Pump in Austin was a setup! I don’t guess it matters - real voters will never find out, since they don’t read […]