In Maine, Former Governor Angus King Praises Obama, Speaks About Energy

Livermore, Maine -- Former Maine Governor Angus King spoke at the Lewiston Multi-Purpose Center on Wednesday evening, primarily regarding alternative energy. He emphasized his support for presidential candidate Barack Obama and repeatedly voiced skepticism about recent government moves for a bailout of the banking industry. The former governor made opening remarks for a half hour, then took questions during the next forty-five minutes.

King spoke of Maine's dependence upon fossil fuels, pointing out that the portion of Maine family budgets spent on energy had risen from about four to twenty percent in the past ten years. He warned that Maine could become "almost uninhabitable" if some fuel cost projections were to be realized.

The former governor repeatedly referred to Senator Obama's intention to provide more funding for alternative energy development. He also praised Obama's plan to initiate a "windfall profits" tax upon oil companies and use the proceeds to help people afford heating fuel. He contrasted this with Senator McCain's plan to decrease oil company taxes, and called offshore drilling "in no way a solution."

King explained that he had considered supporting either of the major presidential candidates and was involved in the "Unity '08" project. However, he decided to support Obama because of the Senator's energy plan, good judgment, and pragmatism. King highly praised Obama's book, appreciating his sharp intelligence and careful thought process.

Former governor King expressed the belief that oil prices would not decrease in the long term, explaining that foreigners continue to use more and more energy. To emphasize this, he pointed to significant increases in recent Chinese and Indian auto sales. King suggested that some Mainers will have to choose between heat and food this winter.

As part of the solution to these problems, the former governor advocated expanded installation of wind turbines. King stressed the potential benefits of mounting turbines on offshore platforms off the coast of Maine, saying that their manufacture and installation could create more employment.

The former governor also responded to questions from the audience about the financial bailout legislation in Congress. He said the bailout "may be necessary" but he has yet to be convinced of it. King warned that poor Congressional decisions are often made in a hurry, referring to the Gulf of Tonkin resolution which was hastily passed in 1964.

Approximately 100 people attended the event. King, who indicated that he would also help campaign for Obama in other parts of the state, turned the podium over to State Campaign Director Toby McGrath. The director briefly spoke about Obama's campaign, pointing out that door-to-door voter contact increases turnout by an estimated 14%.

Angus King was the Independent governor of Maine from 1995 to 2003. He was known for promoting the distribution of notebook computers to many schoolchildren, a program which even attracted the interest of Singapore's government. According to MPBN.net, he formerly hosted the television program "Maine Watch" and was the subject of a TV documentary. He recently endorsed Senator Obama for president.