Published: August 06, 2008 10:51 pm         

Casey blasts McCain’s Marshall football visit

State Democratic Chairman Nick Casey tossed the yellow penalty flag Wednesday on John McCain’s private visit with Marshall’s football team, saying the Republican presidential hopeful should have talked about the high price of gas.

Instead, the chairman charged, the Arizona senator ducked the real issue in favor of a photo-op with the Thundering Herd.

“All of Sen. McCain’s talk about football won’t do a thing to lower the price of a gallon of gas in West Virginia or across the nation, and neither will his irresponsible plan to give a $4 billion per year tax break to the five major oil companies at a time when they are making record profits, $12 billion alone for ExxonMobil last quarter,” Casey said.

In rebuttal, McCain spokesman Ben Beakes said the Democratic nominee-in-waiting, Sen. Barack Obama, favors policies that would decimate both the coal and gas industries in West Virginia.

“When it comes to energy issues, Barack Obama is ‘Mr. No’ — no to drilling offshore,” Beakes said.

“All he wants to do is have a windfall profits tax on oil companies. But he has no comprehensive plan for energy. Sen. McCain has a very comprehensive plan. He wants to approve offshore drilling of oil to increase our supply and decrease our dependence on foreign oil.”

Casey ridiculed the GOP contender’s third visit, and second one that was staged in a closed venue, barring the public and most of the general media.

“When Sen. McCain last visited West Virginia, he went to a gun store,” the chairman said.

“Today, he’s attending a football practice. What’s next — taking some cuts in a batting cage at a ball park?”

Casey said the $4 a gallon gas is even more burdensome to West Virginians, perhaps more so than any other state, given the rural nature of the state that forces longer commuting distances.

“It’s no wonder the oil companies have given Sen. McCain $2.1 million in campaign contributions to finance his bid for the presidency,” the Democratic leader said.

“Leveraging a $4 billion tax break with $2.1 million in campaign contributions may be good business for ExxonMobil and the other big oil companies, but it’s guaranteed to create more misery at the pumps for West Virginia motorists.”

Beakes defended the Marshall visit, saying the Huntington community realizes the importance of the school and its football team.

“He wanted to get a sense of the Huntington community and West Virginia, and to get to know the state better and meet people who are leaders in the community,” he said.

Besides, when it comes to energy, Beakes said there is no comparison with Obama.

McCain has proposed $2 billion annually to be invested in clean coal technology, while Obama is calling for a tax on “dirty energy,” meaning largely coal, but to some extent, natural gas as well, Beakes said.

“Those are two of the biggest industries in West Virginia,” he said.

“So when it comes to a presidential candidate whose policies will help or hurt West Virginia, I think everybody realizes Sen. McCain’s policies will help the West Virginia families and Barack Obama’s will hurt them.”

— E-mail: mannix

@register-herald.com