2008 Louisiana Senate Debate between Mary Landrieu & John Neely Kennedy: on Energy & Oil


Mary Landrieu: Proud of expanding oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico

Landrieu said one of her proudest wins in Congress was getting approval for the expansion of offshore oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, with a large portion of the royalties going to help Louisiana coastal protection efforts.

Kennedy responded that much of the billions of dollars in royalties wouldn’t start flowing until 2017, after thousands more acres of wetlands had washed away. But Landrieu noted millions of dollars already had come to Louisiana because of the drilling bill.

Source: 2008 Louisiana Senate Debate by Associated Press on NOLA.com Oct 16, 2008

John Neely Kennedy: Incentives for non-petroleum automobiles are a tax increase

Sen. Mary Landrieu is telling voters via a statewide television ad that her Republican challenger John Kennedy opposes more domestic oil drilling. Landrieu’s 30-second drilling spot hinges on Kennedy’s opposition to an energy bill pitched by Landrieu and nine other senators, Democrats and Republicans calling themselves the “Gang of 10.” The approach would combine more offshore production with consumer tax incentives for non-petroleum automobiles. Kennedy called the proposal a tax increase--it would repeal some of the breaks afforded to oil companies--to pay for more studies of alternative energy sources.

Landrieu’s ad goes beyond any nuanced criticism from Kennedy, with an announcer stating, “He opposes her plan to open up 120 million acres for drilling. Under Kennedy, no new oil, higher gas prices, lost Louisiana jobs.”

Source: 2008 Louisiana Senate debate reported in Times-Picayune Aug 25, 2008

John Neely Kennedy: More domestic drilling, including in Gulf of Mexico & ANWR

Kennedy opposes an energy bill pitched by Landrieu and nine other senators, Democrats and Republicans calling themselves the “Gang of 10.” Kennedy has echoed Republican leaders’ call for more domestic drilling, including in the Gulf of Mexico and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Alaska’s ANWR would remain off limits under the “Gang of 10” proposal.

A Landrieu spokesman echoed his boss’s characterization of Kennedy, saying the Republican speaks in generalities and has not offered any specific energy policy, drilling or otherwise.

Drilling has been a major issue in the campaign since Kennedy started earlier this summer highlighting a May committee vote in which Landrieu honored a request of Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colorado, to vote against allowing exploration in oil shale in Colorado.

Source: 2008 Louisiana Senate debate reported in Times-Picayune Aug 25, 2008

Mary Landrieu: Member of bipartisan “Gang of 10” for comprehensive oil plan

Sen. Mary Landrieu is telling voters via a statewide television ad that her Republican challenger John Kennedy opposes more domestic oil drilling. Landrieu’s 30-second drilling spot hinges on Kennedy’s opposition to an energy bill pitched by Landrieu and nine other senators, Democrats and Republicans calling themselves the “Gang of 10.” The approach would combine more offshore production with consumer tax incentives for non-petroleum automobiles. Kennedy called the proposal a tax increase--it would repeal some of the breaks afforded to oil companies--to pay for more studies of alternative energy sources.

Landrieu’s ad goes beyond any nuanced criticism from Kennedy, with an announcer stating, “He opposes her plan to open up 120 million acres for drilling. Under Kennedy, no new oil, higher gas prices, lost Louisiana jobs.”

Source: 2008 Louisiana Senate debate reported in Times-Picayune Aug 25, 2008

Mary Landrieu: Voted against allowing exploration in oil shale in Colorado

Kennedy opposes an energy bill pitched by Landrieu and nine other senators, Democrats and Republicans calling themselves the “Gang of 10.” Kennedy has echoed Republican leaders’ call for more domestic drilling, including in the Gulf of Mexico and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Alaska’s ANWR would remain off limits under the “Gang of 10” proposal.

A Landrieu spokesman echoed his boss’s characterization of Kennedy, saying the Republican speaks in generalities and has not offered any specific energy policy, drilling or otherwise.

Drilling has been a major issue in the campaign since Kennedy started earlier this summer highlighting a May committee vote in which Landrieu honored a request of Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colorado, to vote against allowing exploration in oil shale in Colorado.

Source: 2008 Louisiana Senate debate reported in Times-Picayune Aug 25, 2008

  • The above quotations are from 2008 Louisiana Senate Debate between Mary Landrieu & John Neely Kennedy.
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Candidates and political leaders on Energy & Oil:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Dec 01, 2018