Pool Report of McCain Tour of Pennsylvania Coal Silo

McCain Pool Report #2
7/9/08
Silo Tour/Media Availability

CONSOL Energy

South Park, Pa.

McCain speaks on Iran, FISA, and balanced budget

On FISA: "So Sen. Obama and I are still in strong disagreement on the issue of immunity for the telecommunications corporations. He was opposed to FISA in the past...and now he is supporting it. Not the first change in position."

On Iran: "I am convinced that our European allies and friends are ready to impose significant, impactful and meaningful sanctions on the Iranians. Especially financial, and including trade and international financial systems and that those sanctions can be effective in modifying Iranian behavior."

On Iranian National Guard: "My understanding is that this missile test was conducted by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. This is the same organization that I voted to condemn as a terrorist organization when an amendment was on the floor of the United States Senate. Senator Obama refused to vote. He called it provocative, a provocative step. The fact is, this is a terrorist organization and it should have been branded as such."

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John and Cindy McCain arrived on the third floor of a coal silo, clad in white hard hats with stars and stripes on the sides. Their hats had their names in block print on the front, and both of them were wearing goggles. He was wearing a navy suit with a light blue shirt opened, no tie. Cindy was in a purple jacket and skirt.

The pool's hard hats had no stars or stripes, and had the words "Visitor" emblazoned on the front.

Steven Winberg, the vice president of research and development for CONSOL, led the McCains on a very brief tour. Winberg explained that waste from the coal burned at the test silo created 1,000 megawatts of power, enough to power 700,000 homes. He also said it had low CO2 emissions and virtually zero SO2 emissions.

McCain asked why the technology was developed in the United States but then tested overseas. Winberg said it was brought to the Europe in the late 1980s and 1990s because the U.S. was using more natural gas than coal. He said the time was right now to bring it back.

McCain called it "very interesting." The tour continued for McCain as the pool was ushered to the two tents where the avail took place.

McCain came down the stairs several minutes later and walked over to CONSOL employees, shaking hands. He received a Steelers jersey from one with the words "Steel Curtain" and the numbers 63, 68, 75. 78 on the back. Their appeared to be numbers on the white numbers, but it could not be made out. McCain posed for pictures with the jersey before starting the avail.

The media availability included the national pool and a local pool. Two cameras - the national and local pool cameras. The local pool cabled and carried it live. McCain spoke at a lectern with Cindy at his side. There were several rows of tables and chairs on both sides for poolers.

McCain began by thanking the employees and staff and speaking briefly on the use of coal in the future, standard Lexington Project stuff. "What's being done here and many other places around country is vital to the energy future of the United States of America, some remarkable technology being developed here, a broad variety of uses of coal, but most importantly reductions to the CO2 that are causing climate change in America and in the world."

He said he would be happy to take questions, including about the Iranian missile tests.

The first question was on McCain's criticism of Obama on FISA:  "Sen. Obama was unalterably opposed to the allowing immunity, providing immunity to those telecommunications corporations that at the request of the federal government cooperated in helping us try to monitor and intercept communications of terrorist organizations. My understanding is that he is still opposed to providing that immunity.

"I, I strongly support it. The new kinds of telecommunications and the advances that have been made in recent years clearly dictate that we have to have the ability to monitor communications between terrorist organizations and individuals who want to destroy America and everything we stand for.

"So Sen. Obama and I are still in strong disagreement on the issue of immunity for the telecommunications corporations. He was opposed to FISA in the past...and now he is supporting it. Not the first change in position."

Asked whether the Iranian missile tests require a change in U.S. policy, McCain said they constitute evidence of a continued and growing threat by Iran to its neighbors:

"I am convinced that our European allies and friends are ready to impose significant, impactful and meaningful sanctions on the Iranians. Especially financial, and including trade and international financial systems and that those sanctions can be effective in modifying Iranian behavior. My understanding is that this missile test was conducted by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. This is the same organization that I voted to condemn as a terrorist organization when an amendment was on the floor of the United States Senate. Senator Obama refused to vote. He called it provocative, a provocative step. The fact is, this is a terrorist organization and it should have been branded as such. I am proud pleased that President Sarkozy and Prime Minister Brown and Chancellor Merkel and other European leaders have given every indication that they are prepared to join with us in imposing meaningful, impactful sanctions on the Iranians. Their economy is not strong because they've got a bad government, but I think we can have a significant effect joining together. Unfortunately the United Nations Security Council is unable to impose such meaningful sanctions because of Russian and Chinese resistance to doing so. I long ago proposed a "league of democracies" that would join together not only in this issue but in other actions to address the issue of situations such as the Iranian acquisition of nuclear weapons."

Asked about Obama's comment that these tests suggest a failure of diplomacy, and required the opening of channels of communication to avoid provocation and give the Iranians strong incentives to change their behavior:

"We have lots of communications with the Iranians and they are many. We have urged the Iranians under many difference circumstances, including many different packages of incentives, by our European allies to modify Iranian behavior as well. Their behavior has obviously not changed. Their behavior is more and more threatening to the existence of the State of Israel, but far more important, is that leading to a conflict in the Middle East which could draw the United States of America into that conflict and put brave young Americans' lives at risk. So channels of communication have been opened and they will remain open. The time has now come for effective sanctions on Iran, which will then I believe can have a modifying effect on their very aggressive behavior, not only rhetorically, but in their pursuit of nuclear weapons, as well as this missile test. So lines of communication are fine. Action is what's necessary."

What role does diplomacy have? How do you keep sanctions from hurting the people of Iran?:
"Diplomacy plays a key role.  There have been negotiations. There have been discussions. There have been packages of incentives offered to the Iranians, which have been rejected time after time. There has been intense negotiations and diplomacy, and there continues to be a role for it. But history shows us that when nations are embarked on paths that could jeopardize the security of the region and the world, then other action beside diplomacy has to be contemplated and taken. That's why meaningful and impactful sanctions are called for at this time. And again, our European allies are ready to do that. President Sarkozy has indicated that. Prime Minister Brown has indicated that. Chancellor Merkel and others have clearly indicated that they are ready to act. It's time for action, and it's time to make the Iranians understand that this kind of violation of international treaties, this kind of threatening of their neighbors, this kind of continued activity is not without cost. And those cost, I think, can be impactful."

As a pouring ran began, and Cindy McCain moved closer inside the tent, McCain

was then asked whether the budget can be balanced by 2013.

"Sure. Through revenue and economic growth. By keeping taxes low. By reforming social security and medicare. By making sure that we provide jobs and opportunities for all Americans. By free trade. By increasing economic activity, but creating jobs, technology here, right here, at

CONSOL is that's being developed here is capable of creating and will create hundreds of thousands of jobs as we adopt clean coal technology. 700,000 jobs can be created with the construction of 45 new nuclear power plants. By revenue, by increasing revenue, by keeping taxes low,and stimulating our economy. And I am convinced that we can do that. Our economic plan has been supported by 300 economist and five Nobel laureates. Now they have supported our economic plan. There are those who don't agree with it, who don't believe it. Who don't believe our economy can improve, who don't believe that ingenuity and entrepreneurship of American can be unleashed. I do."

The Bloomberg reporter then tried to ask a question, but McCain did not let him finish. He went back to the group of CONSOL employees and signed more pictures and autographs before leaving.