Aug 06 - The Register-Herald, By Mannix Porterfield
John McCain thinks West Virginia coal must play a critical role in resolving
the nation's energy crisis and that the best way to pull the state out of
the doldrums is to enhance America's overall economy, says a campaign aide.
McCain planned to make his third visit to the state today, huddling with
Marshall University's football team in a practice, and the Republican
presidential nominee-in-waiting intends to make other West Virginia forays,
as yet unscheduled, state chairman Larry Swann told reporters in a Tuesday
conference call.
"He keenly understands, and I think this is the real key to West Virginia,
you cannot solve the energy problems of this country without making sure
that coal is an integral part of that," Swann said.
"He has an overall comprehensive plan that involves, in fact, renewable
sources of energy, such as wind and solar power. That is a comprehensive
plan that brings all those aspects to the table."
Swann said the senator believes clean coal technology needs to be a major
player in any energy scheme.
"He has adopted that, as part of his national energy policy, an approach
that realizes the importance of coal and the development of clean coal
technologies, and he thinks that is crucial to West Virginia," he said.
"Sen. McCain is for West Virginia. He necessarily will support clean coal
and the development of clean coal technologies."
The response was to a question on what plan, if any, McCain had for easing
the burden of $4 a gallon gas. Swann pointed to McCain's call earlier for a
summer-long respite from the federal tax on gas, one that Transportation
Secretary Paul Mattox disparaged as worth but a few cents relief at the
pumps, while denying highway coffers millions of sorely needed dollars.
While in support of off-shore drilling, the Arizona senator is adamantly
opposed to letting Big Oil probe the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, said
his Mid-Atlantic region coordinator, Gail Gitcho.
"Sen. McCain has always believed that ANWR is a pristine area and has not
supported drilling in ANWR," she said.
Asked if he can help West Virginians achieve "the American dream," Swann
said the senator feels the ultimate solution lies in an improved economy,
and that includes lower taxes, less government spending, less regulation,
and a plan that covers all of the energy bases.
"I think that will allow the economy to grow, and I think that will allow
local economies to grow," the former House of Delegates minority leader
said.
"Most of the education funding comes from local funding. The best kind of
help that we can offer for education, and quality of life, is an improved
economy."
McCain views West Virginia as an important state in the campaign, and
President Bush's back-to-back triumphs in 2000 and 2004 in a state with a
better than 2-to-1 Democratic registration edge "gives us hope," Swann said.
Named 3rd Congressional District chairs were Joe Long, David Tyson, and
Delegate Mike Porter, R-Mercer.
County chairs appointed by the McCain staff included Mike Boggs, Clay
County; Gary Lilly, Fayette; Denny Canterbury, Greenbrier; Mike Lushbaugh,
McDowell; Marty Gearheart, Mercer; Benjean Rapp, Nicholas; Cheryl
McCullough, Pocahontas; Dereck Severt, Raleigh; Karen Johnson, Summers;
Robert Waybright, Webster; and Jack Fincham, Wyoming.
-- E-mail: mannix@register-herald.com
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