Energy expert Palin doesn't know how much energy her state produces
Sarah Palin's biggest claim to national security experience is her supposed knowledge of the energy industry.
I guess it would be problematic then if she, for example, couldn't get her figures straight on, say Alaskan oil production, wouldn't it?
Let me speak specifically about a credential that I do bring to this table, Charlie, and that's with the energy independence that I've been working on for these years as the governor of this state that produces nearly 20 percent of the U.S. domestic supply of energy, that I worked on as chairman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, overseeing the oil and gas development in our state to produce more for the United States.
Golly 20% of US domestic energy!? That's sure a lot.
It's also a lie.
According to US government statistics Alaska produces (in 2005) 3.5% of total US domestic energy production.
Alaska does produce nearly 20% of US domestic oil supply (actually it was 18.5% in 2006).
Oh, you say, so she just got them mixed up?
Perhaps, but strangely enough (or not) John McCain made the exact same mistake in his most recent interview:
She knows more about energy than probably anybody else in the Unites States. She is governor of a state [pause] that 20 percent of America's energy supply comes from there.
Now I realize that people's eyes glaze over regarding statistics, but still, the McPalin campaign is using her energy "expertise" as the main facet of her security resume.
That she doesn't know what her state produces, or (more likely to my mind, and consistent with the McPalin MO to date) is simply lying about it, is something that we should (helpfully) point out to anyone and every one we can.
One more talking point in the growing "McPalin is lying to you" narrative.
[x-posted at Daily Kos]
3 comments:
Actually, the 18.5% number is oil RESERVES. Oil production is more like 12.5% and about a third less than the state of Texas. This is even worse, because it suggests she can't even distinguish the difference between production and reserves.
I'd be willing to be McBush and Shotgun Mom actually can distinguish between production, reserves and domestic supply. Those obfuscations are for the benefit of people who like to swallow jingoistic horseshit without bothering to let facts get in the way. I don't know how much lower these two can sink but it's becoming fairly amusing. I mean, amusing in the way a domestic dispute in a trailer park is amusing.
Indeed, a funny thing, whenever you think McPalin's lies are as bad as you think, it turns out they're worse.
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