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 Is T. Boone Pickens a Democrat? The man who has contributed to Republican causes since at least 1980, including perhaps most famously to the Swift Boat Vets and POWs for Truth campaign in 2004, has historically done little to hide his preference for the Grand Old Party. But during Wednesday's speech at the ACG InterGrowth 2009 conference, the octogenarian gave a few hints that he has perhaps switched sides.
Asked by Fox Business Network anchor Liz Claman if the Obama administration had been receptive to the Pickens plan to reduce dependence on foreign oil, Pickens said, "Yes. Everything's working. We've cleared every hurdle." Pickens first met Obama at the then-senator's behest last August in Reno, Nev., to discuss energy policy. "Obama listened ... he asked me a lot of questions. He was very polite," Pickens recalled, before pronouncing that "the Obama administration gets it." He then singled out Alaska Governor and Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin as somebody who is not quite able to generate the same level of understanding. "They say ANWR will save us," said Pickens, referring to the grass roots organization working to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration. "That's what Sarah Palin will tell ya if she were sitting here. She's selling Alaska all the time and she should -- she's the governor. She doesn't have to be accurate, she just has to continue to sell Alaska and then you'll get re-elected." Perhaps more surprising was Pickens' admiration for the Netherlands, a country known for having many liberal policies, most notably toward prostitution and drug use. Yet Holland embodies Pickens' choice of a nation whose energy policies he would most like to see the U.S. emulate. Pickens recalled a meeting with the Dutch minister of energy where he learned of the country's move away from importing oil and toward renewable sources of energy. "I would have to say hats off to them," Pickens said of the Dutch. Positive statements about a Democrat administration, questionable ones about a Republican governor, support for alternative "green" energy, admiration for a country like the Netherlands. Has Pickens moved to the left? Not so fast. Discussing Taliban activity in Pakistan, Pickens said, "I don't know why they don't find Obama over there." "Osama," said Claman. "Osama," said Pickens. "That was a slip." "I'm used to dealing with that mistake because I work at Fox," said Claman. "Somehow everybody makes that mistake." - Nathaniel Baker
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From: AndyinSanFrancisco,
I was at this conference. Pickens is putting his policies on energy above other politics here I believe. He is a Republican and would prefer a Republican to be doing this. He is just working with what he has to push as much of his agenda as he can because he knows how much trouble we are in. It's very wise.
Posted on:
May 15, 2009 4:24 PM
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I think Pickens is getting a little loose around the rails. The Chicago Machine "gets it"? What is it with the President seducing all these old kooks-Biden, Spector, Pickens... And it goes without saying why Pickens would appeal to the Chicago Machine. "Perhaps more surprising was Pickens' admiration for the Netherlands, a country known for having many liberal policies, most notably toward prostitution and drug use."