San Francisco editorial: Obama goes for easy points on energy

Obama goes for easy points on energy

Sen. Barack Obama's energy policy is offering more flip flops than a Lake Tahoe souvenir stand.

First the presumptive Democratic nominee opposes offshore oil drilling, but, wait, now he doesn't. Second, he never suggested dipping into national petroleum reserves, and now he wants to open the spigot.

And remember how he hooted at suspending federal gas taxes as a primary-season stunt? Now, he wants $1,000 rebate checks mailed out to families, paid by a windfall profits tax on the oil industry that was tried and dumped in the 1980s.

The crushing power of $4-a-gallon gas lies behind these changes along with polls showing his modest lead is dwindling. Other polls, showing a slim majority of the country now favors coastal drilling, have made it easier to switch positions with little pain.