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Obama Adjusts Stance, Backs 'Gang Of 10' On Oil

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By WILLIAM MARCH | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 2, 2008

TAMPA - Barack Obama has shifted his position on offshore oil drilling, saying he favors a proposal by a bipartisan "Gang of 10" U.S. senators.

That could put him into conflict with Florida's top elected Democrats, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, both of whom opposed drilling closer to beaches.

The proposal, announced Friday by five Republican and five Democratic senators, could move oil drilling to within 50 miles of Florida.

Republican U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida has criticized it, saying it would give Floridians no say in determining where drilling and exploration would occur. On this issue, Martinez has generally been an ally of Nelson. Spokesmen for Sink and Nelson couldn't be reached late Friday for comment.

In a statement Friday afternoon, Obama said, "I welcome today's bipartisan effort as an important step in the process of reducing our dangerous dependence on foreign oil."

He said the proposal "includes many of the policies I've been fighting for," including repealing tax breaks for oil companies.

However, he said, it also "includes steps that I haven't always supported. I remain skeptical that new offshore drilling will bring down gas prices in the short-term or significantly reduce our oil dependence in the long-term, though I do welcome the establishment of a process that will allow us to make future drilling decisions based on science and fact."

William March

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