Obama’s Taxpayer-Funded Swing Is All For Show With Little Purpose Other Than Recycling The Same Old Talking Points

OBAMA’S ENERGY TOUR IS “PURE PHOTO-OP”

Reuters’ Jeff Mason: “Obama’s New Mexico stop is pure photo-op. After 1.5 hour AF1 flight and 30 minute helo ride, he speaks for 10 mins by an oil rig and leaves.” (Jeff Mason, Twitter Feed, 3/21/12)

“In Perhaps The President’s Biggest Photo-Op To Date On Energy,” Obama Gave A “Short, Camera-Friendly Speech At A New Mexico Oil Field.”  “As rising gasoline prices continue to plague the White House, President Obama moved aggressively Wednesday to parry GOP claims that he’s stifling U.S. oil and natural gas development with a short, camera-friendly speech at a New Mexico oil field. In perhaps the president’s biggest photo-op to date on energy, the White House sought to use a clear visual — a working oil field dotted with pumps — to display the increases in U.S. oil production in recent years and support for continued expansion.” (Ben Geman and Amie Parnes, “Obama Vows To Drill ‘Everywhere We Can’,” The Hill’s E2 Wire, 3/21/12)

IN CASE IT WASN’T CLEAR THAT OBAMA’S TRAVEL IS ALL FOR SHOW

Obama’s Promise To Expedite Review For Southern Portion Of Keystone “Won’t Speed Up the Timeline For The Project…” “President Barack Obama’s promise to expedite review of the southern leg of TransCanada Corp. (TRP)’s Keystone XL pipeline won’t speed up the timeline for the project, which already is slated to start construction as soon as June. TransCanada is awaiting permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the last it needs to begin construction on the phase of the pipeline that will carry crude from the oil storage hub at Cushing, Oklahoma, to Gulf Coast refineries, Terry Cunha, a spokesman for the Calgary-based company, said in an e-mail message yesterday. ‘We expect to receive the permits in time to begin construction in 2012 and be operational in 2013,’ he said.” (Bradley Olson and Mike Lee, “Obama’s Speedy Keystone Review Won’t Accelerate Cushing Pipeline,” Bloomberg, 3/22/12)