Kennedy's Ad Spin

The Facts

Voice Over: The Washington game. Senators trading votes. Trading favors.

Baton Rouge Advocate - Kennedy Hoping That If He Attacks Senator Landrieu Enough, Voters Will Believe It: In August 2008, the Baton Rouge Advocate reported, "Kennedy seems to be hoping that if he attacks Landrieu enough, voters will start believing it." (Advocate, 8/10/08)

News Anchor: "Landrieu was the deciding vote in committee that allowed a ban on oil shale leases to stay in effect..."

VO: Mary Landrieu voted against new oil fields, and admits she traded her vote as a favor to a liberal senator... the same liberal senator who had done another favor with contributions to her campaign.

Senator Landrieu Supports Shale Development: In July 2008, Landrieu stated that she was "forging a middle ground, something that can actually pass, that we can open up oil shale but do it in a way that can bring Democrat and Republican support." (Fox News WVUE, 7/14/08)

Landrieu Voted For Law That Encouraged Shale Projects: Senator Landrieu voted for the 2005 energy policy bill, which helped create a research and development program that has allowed energy companies to start devising an efficient way to heat the shale rock and force the oil out of the ground. The legislation also eliminated an 85-year-old rule that limited companies to a single oil-shale lease nationwide and encouraged local, state and federal officials to work together to reduce delays in issuing permits for oil-shale projects. (HR 6, Vote #213, 7/29/05; Battle Creek Enquirer, 7/23/08; Colorado Springs Gazette, 7/30/05)

Senator Landrieu Is "Most-Fervent Pro-Drilling" Democrat In Senate: In August 2008, the Baton Rouge Advocate reported that "Landrieu is considered the most-fervent pro-drilling Democrat in the Senate." (Advocate, 8/10/08)

Landrieu A "Staunch Advocate" Of Coastal Drilling: In 2008, Capital Eye reported that Senator Landrieu is "a staunch advocate of coastal drilling, setting her apart from most of her fellow Democrats." (Capital Eye, 7/17/08)

Independent Weekly - Calling Landrieu Anti-Oil Is Like Calling Rush Limbaugh A Liberal: When you put aside the spin and positioning, ignore the special interests and pundits, there are always undeniable truths ­-- even in politics. For instance, labeling incumbent U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu as anti-oil is like calling Rush Limbaugh a liberal. After all, she's a member of a 10-person, bipartisan energy caucus, the author of a bill that opened up 8.3 million new acres of the Gulf of Mexico to drilling and the only Democrat to vote with Republicans against two Democratic, watered-down energy bills this term. (Independent Weekly, 8/13/08)

Landrieu Law Opened 8.3 Million Acres To Drilling, First New Drilling In 25 Years: In 2006, Landrieu co-authored the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, opening 8.3 million acres in the Gulf to drilling. The region is estimated to contain 1.2 billion barrels of oil and nearly 6 trillion cubic feet of gas. The measure allowed increased domestic energy production for the first time in 25 years. (HR 6111, 2006; Oil Daily, 12/11/06; New Orleans CityBusiness, 12/20/06)

Landrieu Received Praise From Republican Lawmakers For Her Work On Domestic Drilling Bill: The Times-Picayune reported that Landrieu "brought enough Democrats along to get the bill passed easily." Thirty-nine Democrats voted for the final package that became law and included the drilling provisions. (Times-Picayune, 8/2/06; S 3711, Vote #219, 8/1/06; HR 6111, Vote #279, 12/0/06)

• Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX): "I have to give a lot of credit to the Senator from Louisiana who has helped shepherd this bill to this point so far. This is a bipartisan bill which is the way we should do things more often, but this provides a very real solution to a very real problem." (Congressional Record, pg. S8332, 7/27/06)

• Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.): "Particular kudos to ...Senator Landrieu for delivering a significant number of Democrats who were, of course, needed in order to make this a bipartisan proposal..." (Congressional Record pg. S8508, 8/1/06)

• Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.): ".... I will pick up where the Senator from Louisiana just left off, and congratulate her for her energetic support for energy security in this country." (Congressional Record, pg. S9869, 9/21/06)

GOP Minority Leader Called Landrieu "An Exception" To Anti-Drilling Democrats: In 2008, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell referred to Landrieu as "an exception" to the anti-drilling Democratic establishment. (Independent Weekly, 8/13/08)

Landrieu Backed Billions Of Dollars To Encourage Domestic Energy Production: In 2005, Landrieu voted for the Energy Bill that included $14.5 billion over 10 years to encourage domestic production of oil, coal, natural gas and nuclear energy. Landrieu also voted for the 2003 Energy Bill that included $11.9 billion to encourage oil and gas production. (HR 6, Vote #213, 7/29/05; CNN Money, 7/29/05; HR 6, Vote #456, 11/21/03)

Voted 16 Times For Increased Domestic Energy Production, Including Offshore & In Alaska: Senator Landrieu has voted 16 times to support increasing production of energy in the United States. She has repeatedly supported efforts to allow drilling in Alaska (ANWR) and offshore. (Vote #212, 7/14/07; Vote #279, 12/9/06; Vote #219, 8/1/06; Vote #218, 7/31/06; Vote #217, 7/26/06; Vote #74, 3/16/06; Vote #72, 3/16/06; Vote #288, 11/3/05; Vote #143, 6/21/05; Vote #52, 3/16/05; Vote #221, 6/12/03; Vote #59, 3/19/03; Vote #71, 4/18/02; Vote #70, 4/18/02; Vote #231, 7/12/01; Vote #229, 7/11/01)

VO: Mary Landrieu plays the Washington game, and we lose.

Landrieu Ranked 10^th Most Effective Legislator In U.S. Senate: In 2008, the nonprofit, nonpartisan Congress.org ranked Senator Landrieu 10^th in the Senate for legislative effectiveness. (Baton Rouge Advocate, 3/10/08)

Ranked As Ideological Center Of U.S. Senate: National Journal magazine ranked Landrieu as the ideological center of the U.S. Senate in 2008. (National Journal, 3/8/08)

Consistently Among The Top 10 Most Independent Democrats In The U.S. Senate: Landrieu has consistently been ranked by Congressional Quarterly among the most independent members of the Senate, breaking with her party more than most other Democrats. In 2007, Landrieu was the second most independent Democrat in the Senate. (CQ Party Unity Ratings, 2001 - 2007)

Daily Advertiser - Landrieu Is In A Position To Bring A Lot Home For Louisiana: The Lafayette Daily Advertiser said Landrieu "has emerged as a centrist leader, able to bridge the partisan chasm, a member of the majority party with minority party allies, which puts her in a position to bring a lot home to Louisiana." (Daily Advertiser, 1/15/07)

Republican Official - This Is No Time To Give Up Seniority In The Senate: In June 2008, Republican St. Tammany Parish Assessor Patricia Schwarz Core said that the consensus among local Republican supporters of Landrieu "is there is no reason to lose or give up seniority in the Senate and the positions she's earned like her seat on the Appropriations Committee . . . If we get a new senator, we have to start the process over again." (Times-Picayune, 6/28/08)

KTBS-TV Political Analyst Cited Landrieu Seniority: In July 2008, KTBS-TV Political Analyst Scott Hughes said, "I think people are asking, fundamentally, is if you truly want to hang on to what you have today in the federal situation...if we're fighting for Cyber Command, and for the strategic safety of Barksdale and Ft. Polk, and other institutions, it might be good to have some seniority." (KTBS Interview of Scott Hughes, 7/12/08)

Kennedy: I'm John Kennedy. I'm for drilling everywhere, and I approve this message.

Kennedy Called Bipartisan Plan To Allow New Drilling "Outrageous": In August 2008, Kennedy called the compromise plan put forward by Democrats and Republicans to expand offshore drilling and promote alternative energy "outrageous." (Opelousas Daily World, 8/3/08)

• Plan Would Expand Drilling By Nearly 120 Million Acres: The energy plan allows the opening of 116 million acres of the outer continental shelf to oil and gas leasing including in the Gulf of Mexico. The plan would provide states with a percentage of the revenue from oil and gas leases off their shores. (Times-Picayune, 8/2/08; MMS Estimates)

• Gang of 10 Plan Seeks To Reduce Gas Prices: An editorial in the Jackson Sun stated, "A bipartisan group of U.S. senators known as the "Gang of 10" has taken a bold step toward getting something done about the nation's energy crisis, including the high price of gasoline and diesel fuel."  (Jackson Sun, 8/3/08)

• Kennedy Also Refused To Endorse Efforts To Crack Down On Oil Speculation That Is Driving Up Prices: In July 2008, on WIST-AM radio, Kennedy reiterated his belief that we do not need to address oil speculation. "I've read this business - well the whole price - the price of oil has been manipulated by futures, and by speculation. I think that case is way overstated," John Kennedy said. Some analysts believe that speculators are responsible for as much as 50 percent of recent gasoline price increases. An ExxonMobil VP told a U.S. House Committee that speculation was a factor in the inflated cost of oil. (S 3268, Vote #184, 7/25/08; DPC Summary of S 3268, 7/16/08; Philadelphia Inquirer, 6/11/08; Florida Times-Union, 7/8/08; WIST-AM Kennedy Radio Interview)

More Drilling Means More Jobs For Louisiana: There are over 320,280 Louisianans employed by oil and gas companies in Louisiana. (LA Economic Development, Industries)