McCain Extends Olive Branch to Pelosi and Gore

McCain extends olive branch to Pelosi, Gore
SF Gate
Republican Sen. John McCain, engaged in increasingly sharp attacks on rival Barack Obama, pledged that if elected president, he would work closely with Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, praising her as an effective leader and an “inspiration to millions of Americans.”

“I respect Speaker Pelosi. I think she’s one of the great American success stories,” McCain said during an interview with The Chronicle prior to a fundraiser at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco.

“We talk about (New York Sen.) Hillary Clinton and her inspiration to millions of Americans. Speaker Pelosi has been an inspiration as well” in a role that is “in many ways … more powerful than the president.”

And McCain also had high praise for the 2000 Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore and his advocacy on the issue of climate change. McCain recently raised eyebrows in GOP circles by calling “doable” Gore’s suggestion that the country could become entirely energy independent through use of renewable resources within 10 years.

“I agree with his goal,” the Arizona senator said Monday of Gore’s idea. “I may disagree with all the ways of getting there. But I again want to emphasize my respect for the former vice president’s leadership on this issue and his continuous leadership. And I am in no way trying to get into a fight with him.”

McCain said that while he differs with Gore on the importance of nuclear power, “I do believe that his goals and his priorities and the visibility that he’s given the issue has been good for America and the world.”

His praise for two Democrats who are regularly in the bull’s-eye of the conservative talk radio and the right-wing blogosphere is likely to draw fire from Republican loyalists, who consider Pelosi and Gore to be the evil twins of liberalism.

“It drives the talk radio crowd nuts when McCain does not wage war on Pelosi and Gore,” said Hoover Institution media fellow Bill Whalen. McCain, he said, likely was trying to reach out to moderate and independent voters during his San Francisco visit.

“McCain’s “first instinct is not to go negative or go to the punch. He tends to pull the punch,” said Whalen. That may have to end soon, he said, because “he’s got two challenges ahead of him: Obama is hovering close to 40 to 50 percent in the polls, and has to be dragged down, and McCain is in the low 40s and has to be pumped up.”

Pelosi’s view
Pelosi has recently pounded McCain for what she said has been an energy policy that she argued is a virtual continuation of the Bush administration’s failed efforts.
The speaker appeared at a San Francisco gas station earlier this month to charge that McCain has failed to take action on ideas that will reduce the price of gas at the pump now – including cracking down on price gouging, enacting a “use it or lose it” policy for oil companies to drill on the 68 million acres of undeveloped federal oil reserves and suspending the filling of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

McCain, asked about those criticisms Monday, sidestepped the direct issue of “use it or lose it.” Although he did criticize her for failing to hold a vote on offshore oil drilling, he said he would extend a hand to work with her on a variety of critical issues.

“I promise you that I respect her,” he said, “I will sit down with her when I’m president, and will say ‘Let’s work together,’ ” he said. “If (the late House Speaker) Tip O’Neill and (President) Ronald Reagan could, then certainly John McCain and Nancy Pelosi can. … I think she’s been very effective.”

McCain also downplayed criticism from California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger – a Republican and an endorser – who dismissed the idea of lifting federal offshore oil drilling moratorium as “blowing smoke.”

“I have said the states should decide. And Gov. Schwarzenegger has made his position clear. So has Speaker Pelosi,” he said.

But he said as an added incentive to coastal states, “one of the things I would do is offer them a higher share of the revenues. There are certain budgetary problems that exist, as we all know,” he said. “It’s their coastal waters, and I would offer them more of the revenues.”

John McCain in his own words
In an interview with The Chronicle on Monday, John McCain addressed a number of issues. Among them:
On Gov. Schwarzenegger’s criticism that lifting the federal moratorium on offshore oil drilling is “blowing smoke”:

“Gov. Schwarzenegger has made his position clear. … The governor of Florida has had a different position. … One of the things I would do is offer (coastal states) a higher share of the revenues. There are certain budgetary problems that exist, as we all know. It’s their coastal waters and I would offer them more of the revenues.”

On how he would handle sanctuary cities like San Francisco:

“I would push for federal action to carry out a federal responsibility. And a federal responsibility is immigration. …If you have secure borders and you have a temporary worker program that has to do with tamper-proof biometric documents … you address the issue of the 12 million people who are here illegally, and you don’t have to worry about all that.”

On former Vice President Al Gore’s contention that America can be energy independent in 10 years:

“I don’t think it’s doable without nuclear power. I do believe we can become energy independent, but I think it will (involve) nuclear power, wind, solar. … It requires all those things, including offshore drilling.”

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Wild Thing’s comment………
At first I thought this was a satire piece, because McCain seemed to be coming around with his excellent ad called Pump and the other one about Hussein Obama and the wounded troops. Not that I thought hell froze over or anything, and McCain turned into a conservative but at least he was finally getting strong on some things FOR America.
But instead of this article being a satire, I think this entire election cycle is satire. We’re all being filmed and we don’t know it.
Doesn’t McCain know he’s p*ssing off 91% of Americans!?! Don’t suck up to Pelosi, McCain; she’s on very thin ice, she is one of the enmey within for pete’s sake.
“I respect Speaker Pelosi. I think she’s one of the great American success stories,” McCain said during an interview with The Chronicle prior to a fundraiser at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco.
Most people think prostitution has to involve sex.
I beg to differ.
And as far as ole Schwarzenegger. I could care less what he thinks, he has driven California into a bigger mess then it was already. He love that he has come to America and is grateful for all the opportunities and rewards for his hard work have been. That is good and the way it should be…..the American dream for sure. But hs is a rino more then ever, and has moved further and further to the left since becoming Gov. of Callif. He was always been socially liberal but politically conservartive for many years. That has changed a lot. Nick and I know him and are too ticked off at him to even communicate with him anymore. hahaha And I know him pretty well I used to date him eons ago before I met my prince charming Nicholas. Arnie has gone off the deep end totally especially about drilling for oil and the illegals having things handed to them. sheesh.
There is NO other person unless we want Obama to send us whirling into the madness of socialism and communism and marxism and the poor house to boot. But this slapping us in the face has got to stop, how much are we supposed to stand anyway. I mean is McCain running for President or is he running for a spot in the Obama cabinet.
Then here is the BUT or maybe…….
The other way to look at this is that McCain is choosing his battles. Its true, that a lot of people are getting frustrated with the Witch on the Hill, but McCain wants to avoid getting in the middle when Pelosi may end up hanging herself if people become sufficiently angry with her. If McCain wins, he may have to deal with her, so he is deflecting her for now and letting this play out without direct confrontation.
But for me the thing is that Pelosi, Reid etc, well they are the enemy and should be treated as such.
Meanwhile I continue to pray harder and harder for our country and for McCain too. There is power in prayer I believe that, and maybe He can get through to McCain on this stuff because I know none of us can.