One Confused Politician

Original Link: http://www.marylandrieu.com/news/press_releases?id=0019

Despite Kennedy's repeated attacks, he can't get the facts straight.

"Sen. Landrieu has been fighting for a smart, comprehensive solution to America's energy challenges since she was elected to the Senate," Landrieu campaign spokesman Scott Schneider said. "She wrote and passed the bill that opened portions of the outer continental shelf to oil and gas exploration for the first time in 25 years. Because of her bill, Louisiana stands to receive as much as $40 billion for coastal restoration and hurricane protection projects."

Kennedy has continued his baseless and relentless attacks on Sen. Landrieu despite her leadership in the Senate for increased exploration. He is focused much more on politics than policy, as illustrated by his use of the popular, user-edited website Wikipedia.com to get his facts. Recently, it has become clear that his knowledge on the issue is not as impressive as he would have us believe. In describing how much oil is available in oil shale, he has been all over the map:

Date Oil Shale, according to Kennedy

July 9th "We have over two trillion barrels, I didn't misspeak, over two trillion barrels of oil in oil shale in Colorado and Wyoming." (John Kennedy, Monroe Campaign Kickoff Event, 7/9/08)

July 10th "I've seen estimates that we have as much as one trillion barrels of oil in that oil shale." (John Kennedy, Rosepine Campaign Kickoff Event, 7/10/08)

July 10th "I have seen studies showing that, that they have deposits of oil the size of two trillion barrels [in the oil shale]." (John Kennedy, Lake Charles Campaign Kickoff, 7/10/08)

July 24th "And I've seen studies that show as much as a trillion barrels of oil in oil shale out in Colorado." (John Kennedy, Castner & Walensky, WRNO Radio 99.5 FM, 7/24/08)

July 25th "Republican candidate John Kennedy said unlocking the energy source from oil shale -- as much as 800 billion barrels of oil locked in underground rock in Colorado, Wyoming and Utah -- could shrink the nation's dependence on foreign oil and could help ease prices at the pump." (AP, 7/25/08)

July 29th "They say that they're for more drilling for oil, but when the time comes to take a tough vote for example, to allow us to extract that 500 billion barrels of oil from the oil shale in Colorado, they vote no..." (John Kennedy, John Osterlind Show, WRNO Radio 99.5 FM, 7/29/08)

This is not the first time Kennedy has had problems with numbers. Earlier this month, John Kennedy announced four different fundraising totals for the second quarter of 2008.

July 7, 2008: "Today, the Kennedy for U.S. Senate campaign released the following fundraising numbers for the Second Quarter of 2008: Second Quarter Total Receipts: $1.48 Million" (Kennedy Release, 7/7/08)

July 11, 2008: "[John Kennedy's] campaign states that his finance report due out next week will show him raising an impressive $1.51 million in the second quarter and having $2.8 million in the bank." (LAPolitics Weekly, 7/11/08)

July 15, 2008: "Kennedy pulled in about $1.546 million... according to campaign reports due this week with the Federal Election Commission." (Times-Picayune, 7/16/08)

July 15, 2008: "Kennedy's Federal Elections Commission report sets the three-month total at $1.45 million, according to forms submitted to the Senate and reviewed Thursday by The Associated Press." (AP, 7/17/08)

"This is becoming an alarming trend," Schneider said. "He's our state treasurer, but he can't do the most important part of the job: math. He changes his numbers as often as he changes which office he is running for."

John Kennedy's has run for the following offices:

1991 -- Ran For Attorney General, Lost;
1995 -- Dropped Out Of Race For Attorney General, Could Not Raise Enough Money;
2003 -- Ran For Governor, Quit;
2004 -- Ran For U.S. Senate as a liberal Democrat, Lost;
2007 -- Considered Running For Attorney General;
2007 -- Switched Parties, Announced Another Run For U.S. Senate.