Subject: [big campaign] Sierra Club Launches TV Ad, Grassroots Events in Battleground States re: Obama/McCain & Gas‏
From: [email-masked]
To: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:48:02 -0400
List-Id: <bigcampaign.googlegroups.com>

The ad can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO3kbVb79Q8

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 31, 2008
CONTACT: Josh Dorner, 202.675.2384
         David Willett, 202.675.6698

Sierra Club Highlights Major Differences In McCain, Obama Energy Plans With
                         TV Ad, Grassroots Events
        Obama Plan Offers $1,000 Tax Cut, Real Relief to Consumers;
McCain Plan Offers $3.8+ billion Tax Giveaway to Big Oil as Record Profits
                                  Roll In

Washington, D.C. -- The Sierra Club today unveiled a new television spot
and held grassroots events in key battleground states to contrast John
McCain and Barack Obama's plans for dealing with America's energy crisis.
This week’s news -- another quarter of billions in record profits for Big
Oil -- underscores why America cannot afford another president who sides
with Big Oil instead of consumers.  The television ad will begin airing
today in Washington D.C., Ohio, Colorado, and New Hampshire, with events
taking place in Ohio, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Nevada, New Mexico, and
Wisconsin.

"While soaring gas prices have crippled our economy and hardworking
families are hurting, the big oil companies are rolling in some
$40,000,000,000 in profits in just the past three months alone," said Cathy
Duvall, Sierra Club Political Director. "Barack Obama has a plan that takes
on Big Oil and would provide us with $1,000 in real relief to get us
through today's crisis, while putting us squarely on the road to energy
independence.  Meanwhile, John McCain's taken over $2,000,000 in campaign
cash from Big Oil and now wants them to have another $4,000,000,000 in
government giveaways.  We literally cannot afford another president who
sides with Big Oil instead of American consumers."

As gas prices have skyrocketed and our pain at the pump has increased, oil
company profits have also soared.  Just this week, Big Oil is reporting yet
another quarter of billions in record-breaking profits -- profits far
outstripping even last year's record haul.  ConocoPhillips raked in
$5,400,000,000, BP pulled down $9,470,000,000 (exceeding analysts'
expectations by more than $1,500,000,000), and just today Shell announced a
record of $11,560,000,000.   ExxonMobil's quarterly profit is expected to
come in around $13,000,000,000 -- the largest ever posted by a corporation,
anytime, anywhere.  A recent Rice University analysis shows Big Oil is
investing only a small percentage of its profits in exploration—a
mid-single digits figure unchanged since the 1990s, while the industry's
spending on stock buybacks and dividends in order to further enrich its
investors has increased from 1 percent of profits in 1993 to a whopping 55
percent today.

John McCain’s Plan Calls for Billions in Additional Giveaways to Big Oil

John McCain's economic plan calls for a drastic cut in the corporate tax
rate.  This would not only permanently bust the budget with its $1.7
TRILLION price tag, it would tremendously benefit Big Oil.  John McCain has
already refused to cut off more than $13,000,000,000 in government
giveaways to Big Oil and his new plan would give just the five largest
American oil companies another $3,800,000,000 handout each year—with
ExxonMobil alone getting an astonishing $1,200,000,000.

"It's American consumers--not ExxonMobil--that need help from the
government," said Duvall.  "John McCain claims his gas tax holiday would
help consumers, but that's nothing more than a gimmick and a hoax. Over 230
leading economists have said that it wouldn't do anything to help us and
would instead just add to the oil companies' record profits."
Barack Obama Has a Plan for Real Relief That Will Benefit Consumers

Barack Obama has called for a second stimulus package and $1,000 in
immediate tax relief for consumers in order to help Americans deal with the
rising costs of energy, food, and other goods.  He would pay for this plan
by ending the billions in government giveaways to Big Oil and by making
sure the oil industry is paying its fair share on its record profits.  His
plan also would create over 5,000,000 new jobs and build the clean energy
economy by investing $150 billion in clean, renewable energy.

"Obama's plan gives us real relief and will help end Big Oil's chokehold on
our economy and politics once and for all," commented Duvall.  "Instead of
McCain's gimmicks and schemes that will benefit no one but Big Oil and do
nothing to actually lower gas prices, Obama's plan sides with hardworking
families and will help put America back on the right rack."

New TV Ad Underscores Who Benefits--Consumers or Big Oil--Under Candidates'
Energy Plans

The Sierra Club’s new TV spot, entitled "Full Nelson," is airing in
Washington D.C., as well as the key battleground states of New Hampshire,
Colorado, and Ohio. The buy could be expanded to additional markets in the
weeks ahead.

The ad can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO3kbVb79Q8

"Full Nelson"
30 seconds

Script:
[Shot of family being squeezed by oil barrels overflowing with cash]
"Big Oil companies have our economy and politics in a choke hold."
"They are getting billions from the government...raking in record
profits...while we pay $4 a gallon for gas."
Cite: Cox News Service,04/02/2008
[Shot of McCain in front of the Capitol]
"John McCain’s answer?"
"Another $4 billion giveaway to Big Oil."
[$4,000,000,000 pops out of the Capitol like an old-fashioned cash
register]
Cite: Center for American Progress Action Fund, 06/18/2008
[Shot of Obama in front of the White House]
"But Barack Obama has a plan the breaks the grip of Big Oil..."
[Shot of people installing solar panels]
"...It invests in clean energy options and gives families energy tax
rebates."
Cite: http://www.barackobama.com/
[Shot of Obama]
"Barack Obama. Real Relief.  Real Change."
"The Sierra Club Political Committee is responsible for the content of this
advertising."

# # #

Paid for by the Sierra Club Political Committee,
http://www.sierraclub.org/, and not authorized by any candidate or
candidate's committee.

David Willett
National Press Secretary
Sierra Club
(202) 675-6698 (w)
(202) 491-6919 (m)
[email-masked]
www.sierraclub.org
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