T. BOONE PICKENS STATEMENT ON MEETING WITH U.S. SENATOR BARACK OBAMA (D-IL) IN RENO, NEVADA
Dallas, TX, August 17, 2008 – Below is a statement issued by T. Boone Pickens following his meeting this morning with U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL):
“I enjoyed the opportunity to meet Senator Obama and discuss an issue that is America’s top priority, which is ending our dependence on foreign oil that today is approaching 70 percent of our imports and is costing us $700 billion a year.
“I assured Senator Obama that this is a non-partisan campaign and that I will do everything in my power to work together with leaders who are willing to solve our immense energy problems which are ruining our economy and threatening our national security.
“As I did with Senator McCain on Friday, I stressed the urgency of the situation and the need to end the largest transfer of wealth in human history. I told him that any credible domestic energy policy must reduce our dependence on foreign oil by at least 30% in the next 10 years, in addition to conservation measures and that must utilize proven and available technologies and be 100 percent comprised of American resources.
“We discussed my plan and the opportunities to create jobs, grow our economy and revitalize America’s heartland by using private capital to invest in renewable energy including wind and solar power that are among our most abundant and untapped natural resources. I shared my feeling of encouragement at the Senator’s willingness to speak out on energy issues recently in the campaign, but told him that there is still much more that needs to be done.
“We also discussed the Pickens Plan’s success and our efforts to get more than one million supporters. These are people who share an immense concern about our dependence on foreign oil and are actively pushing our solution to this issue with the goal of getting legislation passed in the first 100 days of the next administration.
“It would be inappropriate for me to speak for Senator Obama. I have a real sense, however, that he was very engaged. He understands the issues and is interested and excited by the work we are doing to educate and involve the people of this great nation. As with any leader, he knows that developing real energy policy that will transform America for the better requires change and that change happens not just from the top down, but from the bottom up and that’s what we are doing with the Pickens Plan.”
