PRESS RELEASE from the League of Conservation Voters      [photo]

07/21/08

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Joshua McNeil, (202) 785-8683 or joshua_mcneil@lcv.org

LCV Endorses Barack Obama

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV), which works to turn environmental values into national priorities, endorsed Barack Obama for President of the United States.  At events in Colorado, Ohio, Montana, Michigan, New Mexico, and Washington, DC, LCV representatives and members joined elected officials and environmental champions to celebrate the endorsement and to discuss Senator Obama’s history of support for the environment and his plans for America’s energy future. 
  
“Senator Obama’s proven record and his commitment to a clean, renewable energy future make him the best choice for President,” LCV President Gene Karpinski said.   “At a time when this country must reinvent itself for a new energy future, we can imagine no better steward than Barack Obama. Under his leadership, America will finally achieve the economic growth, environmental protection, and national security that are possible with a new, clean energy economy.”

“We have a real choice here,” said Carol Browner, LCV board member and the longest-serving EPA Administrator in the agency’s history.  “Barack Obama has been a committed leader and has offered bold and comprehensive proposals when it comes to global warming, energy and the environment. John McCain, whose plan will be a continuation of Bush-era political gimmicks, will carry on Bush’s legacy of failure when it comes to energy policy,"

For thirty-eight years, LCV’s annual Environmental Scorecard has been the nationally accepted, non-partisan, environmental report card for our leaders. Barack Obama has earned an impressive lifetime 86% score.  His opponent, Senator McCain, has earned only a 24% score.  

Solving the related challenges of energy and global warming is LCV’s top priority, and the records of McCain and Obama are very different on these issues. Barack Obama plans to raise fuel efficiency to 52 miles per gallon by 2030, invest $150 billion in clean energy technology, require utilities to produce 25% of energy from renewable sources by 2025, and to implement a cap and trade program that will reduce global warming pollution by 80% and make polluters pay for their emissions.   Senator McCain has no plan to accomplish any of these goals and has voted against them throughout his career.  He opposes new fuel efficiency laws, opposes a national renewable electricity standard, and offers only $300 million for the development of clean technologies. 

“Barack Obama’s plan for global warming and energy independence is the most substantive, comprehensive plan ever put forward by a nominee for President,” Karpinski concluded.

Former Secretaries of Energy Federico Peña and Governor Bill Richardson joined LCV at events in Colorado and New Mexico, respectively.  They concur with LCV’s assessment of the two candidates.

“In New Mexico, we refused to wait for George Bush to act on renewable energy,” Governor Richardson said from Santa Fe.  “By investing in renewable energy, we’ve already created good jobs and started to break our dependence on oil. Our country's addiction on oil is a threat to our economy, our national security, and our way of life. Barack Obama will bring the change we so desperately need.”

An election-day poll by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research found that in 2006, energy was the most important issue for independent voters.  In  2008, as gas prices skyrocket and time to head off the effects of global warming runs out, recent polling shows energy to the be the single most important issue for the entire electorate.  

LCV was among the first national organizations to endorse Barack Obama as he trailed in early polls in the 2004 Democratic primary for U.S.  Senate. Since 1996, more than 80% of candidates endorsed by LCV have won. 

Obama joins other heroes on Give Green, the non-partisan clearinghouse for environmental donors: http://givegreen.lcv.org.

For a fact sheet on the voting record of Senator Obama, click here: www.lcv.org/obama/obama-facts.html

For a fact sheet on the voting record of Senator McCain, click here:  www.lcv.org/obama/mccain-facts.html

For more information on LCV or this endorsement, visit www.lcv.org/obama

LCV has endorsed a candidate in every Presidential election since 1984.

LCV’s History with Barack Obama:

LCV has been supportive of Obama's political career since his race for the U.S. Senate in 2004 – endorsing him early in the primary election.

At the 2004 Democratic National Convention, a few hours before he would give his now famous speech to the Convention Attendees, he gave an equally inspiring speech to a crowd at LCV's Environmental Victory Project rally outside of the convention. At the rally, Senator Obama expressed his gratitude for LCV’s early critical support, "we had a lot of important moments in this race, but one of the key moments was when we got the support of the League of Conservation Voters."

Senator Obama has remained a supporter and an active part of the LCV community. In 2006, he was the keynote speaker at the LCV Annual Dinner.

2008 Presidential Endorsement Process:

In the summer of 2007, LCV sent questionnaires to all of the presidential candidates. All of the Democratic candidates returned a questionnaire, but only Senator John McCain returned one on the Republican side. The responses are available at www.presidentialprofiles2008.org.

In the fall of 2007, LCV scheduled interviews with select candidates. These interviews served as a platform to follow up on specific issues.

In the spring of 2008, LCV continued to monitor the campaigns and conducting research on the candidates.

In June of this year, the LCV Board of Directors approved an endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for President.