In an interview today with Hoppy Kercheval on MetroNews, Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV) said he supported then-Sen. Barack Obama for president in 2008 because he thought Obama was pro-coal.
However, in a January 2008 San Francisco Chronicle editorial board meeting, Obama sure didn’t sound pro-coal:
“If somebody wants to build a coal-fired power plant, they can. It’s just that it will bankrupt them,” Obama said, responding to a question about his cap-and-trade plan. He later added, “Under my plan … electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket.”
Months after Obama’s anti-coal statement in support of cap-and-trade, Rahall remained a steadfast supporter of Obama’s during the May 2008 West Virginia Democratic presidential primary, and said Obama was “an agent for true change“:
RAHALL:”And as more and more West Virginians get to know Senator Obama, and as he comes into the state, which he will do many more times in the future, they will realize that in him is a man that is an agent for true change. One who is genuine, who is trustworthy, who can truly end the bipartisan – who can end the partisanship across this country and provide progress and prosperity for all Americans, including hardworking West Virginians.”
And after four years of the Obama administration’s war on coal, Rahall endorsed Obama for re-election in 2012:
“I’m supporting Democrats this November, and that includes the Democratic nominee for president. It is true, his people need to understand coal is going to be around a lot longer than they are. But, the war on coal is coming from many fronts.”
Either Rahall showed extraordinarily bad judgment or he knows something we don’t.