Bush, McCain Push Offshore Drilling

John McCain may soon find it even harder to differentiate himself from Bush. Earlier this week, he advocated a lift on the 26 year ban on offshore drilling in the United States. President Bush followed suit, pressuring congress to lift the ban. Both have had a history of opposing offshore drilling, but apparently changed their minds owing to the dire political need to reduce oil prices.

Republican strategists and spokespeople are rallying around the message that this will lower our gas bills and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Opponents fear that offshore drilling could lead to environmental disaster. Some detractors, including Democratic candidate Barack Obama, point out that this is not the short-term relief many hope for: the oil produced by such drilling would not be available for years.

The fallout of this reversal may hit McCain hard in coastal states like Florida. Quinnipac University's latest poll shows McCain actually trailing Obama by four points in Florida, a state where he has previously enjoyed a solid lead. However, Florida's governor and possible VP candidate Charlie Crist has joined the call for offshore drilling.