VP picks and the Race for the White House

The last week of the Obama vs. McCain race for the White House has been an exciting one. Now that both nominees have picked their running mates and we are in the intermission between the Democratic and Republican conventions, the end of the Bush Administration finally seems to be coming into sight. So what, if anything, do the candidates VP picks say about their environmental positions? More specifically, what do their VP picks say about how they will address the most pressing environmental challenges of the 21st century: accelerated and extreme climate change and energy insecurity.

Let's take a look at Sarah Palin first. According to the McCain campaign, Gov. Palin "has challenged the influence of the big oil companies while fighting for the development of new energy resources." They claim she is equally as "mavericky" as John McCain and will be willing and able to help squeeze the influence of oil companies and other special interests out of our system while moving America on its path towards energy independence. Yet, when you take a look at Gov. Palin's record and her history on environmental and energy issues, you can't help but come to the conclusion that a McCain/Palin white house would be business as usual when it comes to energy and global warming.
Here's some interesting facts on Gov. Palin that point to her being much more of a Dick Cheney like VP (with his connections to Halliburton) than the type of energy reformist the McCain campaign claims she is and that this country needs.
-Opposes a windfall profits tax on oil companies
-Is the chair of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, a multistate panel "that promotes the conservation and efficient recovery of domestic oil and natural gas resources while protecting health, safety and the environment"
-Proposed eliminating Alaska's Gas Tax
-Wants to open ANWR to drilling
-Palin's husband is also an oil production operator for BP.

Do we really need another Vice President with such deep ties and loyalties to Big Oil?

By the way, here's a nice little quote I stumbled upon from Gov. Palin: "A changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state, because of our location. I'm not one though who would attribute [global warming] to being man-made."
Seriously? But wait, I thought John McCain prided himself on differing from his party on the issue of Climate Change?

All of this just points to the fact that John McCain does not seem to be truly concerned about accelerated and extreme climate change, energy innovation, or having the influence of oil companies whispering into his ears and those of his administration. The greatest evidence of this is his recent reversal of his opinion on offshore drilling and the "Drill here, drill now, pay less" dogma he and his colleagues have been shoving down the throats of the American people. John McCain continues to erode whatever semblance of environmental credibility and potential he may have ever had.

What about Joe Biden's record?

-For starters, Joe Biden has been a longtime leader in the Senate on Climate Change issues. In 1986 he introduced the very first bill designed to limit global warming pollution, the Global Warming Protection Act.
-Cited the energy crisis as America's top priority in his primary campaign for the white house last year.
-He is endorsed by the environmentally-minded League of Conservation Voters with an 83% lifetime voting score on environmental issues.
-During his time on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Biden has been a harsh critic of the oil industry and oil subsidies.

With 35 years of experience in the Senate, Biden now chairs the Foreign Relations Committee. As Joseph Romm pointed out in a recent article for Grist , achieving a comprehensive, binding, international treaty on Climate Change will be one of the most difficult and important task facing the next administration. This is where Biden's experience will truly prove salient. "The great challenge...will require not merely strong domestic action by the world's richest country, the one that has admitted by far the most cumulative amount of carbon dioxide. It will also require global leadership by us, the ability to negotiate one-on-one and collectively with every major country in the world...The Democratic team now has onboard...one of the most qualified people in the country to help lead that effort from the White House, which is where it must be lead from."

Or, you can hear it from Biden himself, "I would be most capable of getting this country back into an international climate regime, getting us back to the table the fastest and with the most prospect for success, because of my extensive engagement in foreign policy...To deal with global warming, you have to change the attitude of the world, particularly China and India, the two largest developing nations. But in order to do that, to have any credibility, you have to begin here in the United States by capping emissions, increasing renewable fuels, establishing a national renewable portfolio standard, requiring better fuel economy for automobiles."

When it comes to energy issues, global warming and the environment, John McCain used to seem like at least a decent moderate choice. Fortunately for swing voters concerned about these issues, he's making the decision making process a lot easier by showing that his true loyalties lie more closely with his special interest supporters than the American people. Barack Obama, on the other hand, has proven his commitment to addressing these issues with his selection of a running mate with a long-standing, positive, environmental record.