FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 7, 2008 WV Democratic Party Chair…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 7, 2008



 WV Democratic Party Chair Says "Calling John
 McCain a Friend of Coal is like calling Colonel
      Sanders a Friend of the Chicken"

CHARLESTON ­ West Virginia Democratic Party Chairman Nick Casey responded to
John McCain's West Virginia campaign chair, Larry Swan, who claimed yesterday that
the Republican Senator had adopted an energy policy that included the development of
clean coal technology.

Chairman Casey commented, "Just four years ago Senator McCain argued on the floor of
the U.S. Senate against spending $1.6 billion on the development of clean coal
technology, saying `clean coal technology demonstration programs have shown severe
problems in meeting costs, schedule, and performance goals.' The Arizona Senator went
so far as to characterize this initiative as a `so-called clean coal program.'"
(Congressional Record, 5/11/04)

"If Mr. Swann's statement's are true then Senator McCain would appear to have had an ­
election year conversion on the issue of clean coal technology," said Casey. "In
Congress he criticizes the technology and argues against funding it ­ but in West Virginia
his spokesman would have us believe he's clean coal's best friend. I'd say, based on his
record, to call Senator McCain a friend of clean-coal technology is like calling Colonel
Sanders a friend of the chicken."

"The truth is, John McCain's `so-called' energy policy is based on giving a $4 billion per
year tax break to the top five oil companies at a time when they are realizing record
profits," said Casey. "And just as with President Bush who has been long on promises
and short on delivery when it comes to support for clean coal technology - John
McCain's current rhetoric just doesn't match the reality of his record."


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