Aug 2, 2008 5:31 pm US/Eastern
Obama Shifts Stance On OffShore Oil Drilling
St. Petersburg (AP) ―
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Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images
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Barack Obama may be changing his stance on expanding offshore oil drilling; what do you think? Should the U.S. expand our drilling?
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Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama announced in St. Petersburg, Florida he may be willing to support limited additional offshore oil drilling. In a speech on Friday, Obama said he'd change his stance if that's what it takes to pass a policy encouraging fuel-efficient vehicles and the development of new energy sources.
Previously, the Illinois senator has opposed the expansion of offshore drilling. However, he says he'd be willing to compromise with Republicans and oil companies to prevent a gridlock over potential energy bills.
Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain has already reversed his opposition to offshore drilling. McCain has recently criticized Obama for standing firm behind his stance while gasoline prices hover just under $4 a gallon. Recent polls suggest the comments have helped McCain catch up to Obama.
In an interview with the Palm Beach Post, Obama said his interest is, "in making sure we've got the kind of comprehensive energy policy that can bring down gas prices." He went on to say that he'd compromise as long as the plan was well thought-out and carefully written to avoid significant environmental damage.
Congressional Republicans and Democrats have battled over a new energy policy for the last several weeks. Republicans want more domestic oil drilling, while Democrats are concerned about record-high oil company profits.
Though they debated for hundreds of hours in both the House and Senate, lawmakers were unable to come to a deal before their five-week summer hiatus, which begins this week.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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