The Washington Post calls out Sarah Palin for her total lies - four "Pinocchios" worth - on her claim that Alaska produces "nearly 20 percent of the U.S. domestic supply of energy" (alternatively, she says claims "nearly 20 percent of the U.S. domestic supply of oil and gas").
While Alaska is a leading producer of crude oil, it produces relatively little natural gas, hardly any coal, and no nuclear power. Its share of oil production has been declining sharply, and now ranks lower than Texas and Louisiana. As the following table shows, Alaska is the ninth largest energy supplier in the United States, accounting for a modest 3.5 percent share of the nation's total energy production.[...]
... According to authoritative EIA data, Alaska accounted for just 7.4 percent of total U.S. oil and gas production in 2005.
It is not even correct for Palin to claim that her state is responsible for "nearly 20 percent" of U.S. oil production. Oil production has fallen sharply in Alaska during her governorship. The state's share of total U.S. oil production fell from 18 percent in 2005 to 13 percent this year, according to the EIA.
The McCain-Palin campaign did not respond to a request for an explanation.
Meanwhile, Palin just yesterday repeated the bald-faced lie that she had opposed the "Bridge to Nowhere," which about a gazillion fact checkers have proven SHE SUPPORTED. I mean, ok, I can deal with some exaggeration in politics, even a bit of "misspeaking," but the McCain-Palin campaign has turned into the Big Lie Campaign. McCain-Palin: "Dishonorable and dishonest."
Has anyone ever asked Governor Palin if she would, if elected, seek to tax the multinational oil companies on their excess profits for the United States as a whole, as she did in Alaska for her state? Isn't that Obama's intent anyway, so she agrees with Obama and not the avuncular (ha) head of her ticket?
Carly Fiorina is a key surrogate to John McCain. I'd say this was just a WEE bit off message! :)