Obama blasts use of gas guzzling vehicles, leaves meeting in SUV

[Regis Philbin]

http://www.wpsdtv.com/articles/stories/public/200608/14/0DDC_local_news.html

IL: Obama Warns of Gas Guzzling Cars in Town Hall Meeting


Staff Report

Monday, August 14, 2006

Illinois Senator Barack Obama warns citizens at his 50th Town Hall meeting about gas guzzling. It was among many points made to the standing room only audience at the Metropolis Community Center. Obama spoke on everything from DC politics to global warming. He says part of the blame for the world's higher temperatures rests on gas guzzling vehicles. Obama says consumers can make the difference by switching to higher mileage hybrids. Today the Senator said, "It would save more energy, do more for the environment and create better world security than all the drilling we could do in Alaska."

After the meeting... Obama left in a Flexible Fuel Vehicle that can run on E85.

Notice Mr. Obama says consumers should switch to hybrids---NOT himself. He's above the level of a common consumer and besides, he "favors" the SUV himself.

H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-T-E

hypocrite

n : a person who professes beliefs and opinions that he does not hold [syn: dissembler, phony, phoney, pretender]

[LesterX]

Of course, you left out another part of the link, so I'll take care of that for you:

(Editor's Note: After this story appeared Sen. Obama's press office sent us this additional information: "A story your station ran seems to imply that my boss Senator Obama was being hypocritical when he said Americans should drive more fuel-efficient vehicles though he was himself traveling in an SUV.

The SUV in question, though, is a Flexible Fuel Vehicle that can run on E85, which the Senator fills it with wherever its available (and in fact he's worked very hard to provide tax credits to increase availability and access to e85). I believe in light of these facts the story is misleading and warrants a correction."

Just to be sure I understand this word "hypocrite" -- would another example be a person who rails against entitlement programs but defends his rich mother's use of Medicare? Just wondering.

[Venisenvy]

Although that is also spin because it says whenever he can it is likely he had not fillled it with that and it is a gas guzzler otherwise. Although it is also very likely that he has to ride an SUV for security reasons while others do so because they want to.

[LesterX]

Sure it's also a spin, but it also paints a fuller picture of the story than Regis chose to selectively exclude.

[SparkleHugs]

Reg, you say that like you are not a hypocrite yourself, so why don't you shut up until you fully understand your posted defintion.