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Norm Coleman repeats lie that China is drilling off Cuba
Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) just simply cannot keep the truth straight from Republican talking points. In Mankato yesterday Norm repeated the lie about China drilling for oil off the coast of Cuba.
"At the same time, we've got to be producing more -- outer continental shelf exploration," Coleman said. "The Chinese are able to begin operating 90 miles from our shore by working for Cubans. American companies should tap into those resources."
The Coleman campaign has not responded to our request for confirmation. The Mankato Free Press published an article yesterday about the event, featuring a photo of Coleman wearing the same outfit and standing next to what looks like the same green tractor -- making it all but certain this video was shot yesterday.
(TPM Election Central)
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Any lie that's good enough for Cheney...
is good enough for Norm.
But Cheney had a spokesperson correct his misstatement.
I doubt that Norm or anyone on his staff will admit his mistake.
A little clarification
Actually, if one looks carefully at his statement, he doesn't say the Chinese ARE drilling, only that they are able to.
This brings up a couple of interesting points.
First, Chinese companies are indeed able to bid for Cuban oil, while American firms may not. This isn't because of a congressional moratorium on drilling in those waters, but the embargo banning American companies doing business in Cuba. Should we lift the embargo?
Second, I'm curious whether the offshore reserves Coleman is talking about are under the congressional or executive moratoria. If I'm not mistaken, most of the Eastern Gulf of Mexico was placed off limits by the executive branch (the President), not congress. President Bush could lift the ban (Clinton tried to and took a lot of flack), but instead, his promise to lift the executive edict only when Congress lifts its own on other protected areas speaks to the Republican politics on this one. It's playing electoral chicken with Congress rather than seriously working on long-term energy policy.