President Obama Clearly Demonstrates Command of Energy Policy in Debate Against Governor Romney

Finally - a substantive discussion of energy at the Presidential debate.  Substantive, but neither candidate laid out a clear blue print of what their energy plan would mean to the American public.   At the same time, this debate did not discuss the biggest energy issue down the road -- climate change.  Debate moderator Candy Crowley later said that although there were questions on climate change, the economy was the dominant theme of most submissions.   By and large, both President Obama and Governor Romney stuck to their energy talking points.  

Not surprisingly, the price of gasoline at the pump was a part of the debate discussion.  A questioner asked President Obama about Department of Energy Secretary Chu's statement that it was not 'policy of his department to help lower gas prices'.  Neither Obama nor Romney accurately answered this question - which is that the price of gasoline at the pump is a global commodity, and its price is set by, and subject to the whims of, a global energy market over which an American president has little control.  I really wish this wasn't part of the presidential debate because neither candidate explains this.   The price of gas is often a big part of the American family budget and it is not fair to the American people to pretend that somehow the President or the Administration cabinet agencies can affect this policy.  

The President strongly defended his 'All of the Above' energy policy.  The President touted his fuel efficiency standards which will double the fuel efficiency of cars by 2015, something that Romney strongly opposes.   Obama pointed out that oil and gas production are at an all time high and there are increases in coal production and coal jobs. But he also said it was important to think ahead for energy policy which is why his Administration has made such a big investment in clean energy technologies such as wind and solar saying: "Because China, Germany, they're making these investments. And I'm not going to cede those jobs of the future to those countries. I expect those new energy sources to be built right here in the United States.".

Governor Romney, in turn, touted his plan to use federal lands to develop more oil and gas resources at the same time saying that the President is wrong in saying there was increase in gas and oil production.  Romney made clear his strong support of the Keystone XL Pipeline.  He said "I'll get American and North America energy independent.  I'll do it by more drilling, more permits and licenses."  

A testy exchange, one that dominated the character content of the debate, occurred between President Obama and Governor Romney on fossil fuel production and federal lands.  Romney stated that Obama has impeded fossil fuel production in the U.S. In fact, this charge is wrong; more oil was produced from public lands - 241 barrels the first three years of Obama's presidency than were produced during the last three years of the Bush administration. It is true that permitting on federal lands has dropped under Obama's watch, according to the Bureau of Land Management, which oversees oil and gas leasing.  Natural gas production has gone up since Obama has been in office, but that is due to production of natural gas in North Dakota and Wyoming.  

Obama clearly demonstrates a passion and an affinity for energy issues while it seems to me that Romney just plods through the Fossil Fuel Industry talking points.