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Thursday, August 07, 2008

Obama Gets More Money From Big Oil Companies Than McCain

By Rob on August 7, 2008 at 03:24 pm
9 Comments
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Despite the best efforts of Democrats to paint McCain as the “Exxon candidate” it turns out that the money Obama has taken from the oil industry hasn’t been at all insignificant:

Through June, Exxon employees have given Obama $42,100 to McCain’s $35,166. Chevron favors Obama $35,157 to $28,500, and Obama edges out McCain with BP $16,046 vs. $11,500. McCain leads the money race with nearly every other top giver in the oil and gas industry, though — Koch Industries, Valero, Marathon Oil, Occidental Petroleum, ConocoPhillips, the list goes on. (You can see detail on all these companies in the spreadsheet linked below.) McCain also has a big edge with Hess Corp. — $91,000 to Obama’s $8,000 — which has gotten some attention. And, overall, McCain’s campaign has gotten three times more money from the industry than Obama’s has — $1.3 million compared to about $394,000.

Comparing Obama’s and McCain’s financial ties to the oil industry, there’s no question that McCain has benefited more from the industry’s contributions, just as his Republican Party has for years and years. But Obama’s edge with the oil producers Americans know best — and might be cursing most these days — makes it harder for him to continue to tar McCain as the industry’s darling.

I actually don’t see what the big deal is.  Pretty much every single citizen in this country does regular business with the oil companies.  They’re providing us with goods and services at an overall profit margin that’s much, much smaller than most other industries.  And the political contributions the companies, and their employees, are making to both candidates are perfectly legal and totally transparent.

So what’s the big deal?  I know it’s hip on the left to hate oil companies, but as I’ve asked before: Are we really supposed to believe that “big oil” is so inherently evil that the mere act of accepting perfectly legal political contributions from the industry is in and of itself enough to tarnish a candidate’s reputation?

If it is, Obama’s should be about as tarnished as McCain’s.

Comments

Avatar for Hawk

It’s amazing you continually post about Obama, but nothing ever about McCain.

Is it because he offers nothing?

Hawk on August 7, 2008 at 03:41 pm
Kevin

I’ll bet if someone was to check out what the Obamas’ retirement accounts were invested in, you would find investments in the same oil companies he derides.
Barry O and his fellow travelers are big time hypocrites!

Kevin on August 7, 2008 at 03:41 pm
Bat One

Actually, neither candidate gets any money from “Big Oil.” The donations listed are from the individual employees of those companies, not the companies themselves.  Individual employees who have every right to support the candidate of their choice, the same as the rest of us.

Furthermore, if McCain is going to be criticized for being “in the pocket of Big Oil” then in all fairness it should be noted that Obama is in the pocket of the hedge fund industry - the very ones whose speculation, the Left has told us, drove up the price of crude oil in the first place.

“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

Bat One on August 7, 2008 at 03:51 pm
Bat One

It’s amazing you continually post about Obama, but nothing ever about McCain.
Is it because he offers nothing?

Hawk,

No!  Its because the policies advocated by Mr. Obama are so fearfully wrong for the country.

“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

Bat One on August 7, 2008 at 03:57 pm
WOOF

What are you wearing to the costume party?

neither candidate gets any money from “Big Oil.” The donations listed are from the individual employees of those companies,

The FEC filings show that Alice Rocchio, who’s identified as a Hess office manager, and her husband, Pasquale Rocchio, who’s described as an Amtrak “track foreman,” each separately donated $28,500 to the RNC-McCain fund, which is called McCain Victory 2008. They gave the money on June 24th, the same day that the ten Hess execs and family members each shelled out the same amount.

So the Rocchios, who live in Flushing, Queens, donated a total of $57,000 to McCain’s efforts.

GGK

WOOF on August 7, 2008 at 06:29 pm
Avatar for dave

Dear Hawk, stupidy and lies are reported to inform those that care to hear the truth. Those that dont want the truth dont listen. Remember, truth conquers evil. The spin stops here.
Fair and balanced.

dave on August 7, 2008 at 06:31 pm
Avatar for crshedd

rob,

i think the uproar on this is that mccain changed his position (a flip-flop?) on june 16. the next day he went to texas for a fund raiser where he:

and the day after the speech he raised $1.3 million at a private luncheon and reception at the San Antonio Country Club

just a coincidence, i’m sure.

crshedd on August 8, 2008 at 01:45 am
Avatar for crshedd

your title of this post is a bit misleading when in the artilce you quote says:

And, overall, McCain’s campaign has gotten three times more money from the industry than Obama’s has — $1.3 million compared to about $394,000

crshedd on August 8, 2008 at 01:47 am
Avatar for crshedd

sorry, here is the link for my 1:45am post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/26/AR2008072601891.html

crshedd on August 8, 2008 at 01:50 am
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