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During Thursday’s debate, Joe Biden was pressured by the president on the future of the American oil industry. The Democrat later responded that he would “phase out” oil if elected.
Shortly after the debate, Biden tried to soften the statement.
“We are not getting rid of fossil fuels,” Biden told a meeting of reporters.
– We get rid of fossil fuel subsidies, but we won’t get rid of fossil fuels for a long time.
It became ammunition for the Republicans
Biden has been careful to mention the campaign’s plans to phase out fossil fuels in favor of climate-friendly alternatives. This is because the oil industry is important in states like Pennsylvania, Texas, and Ohio.
After the debate, representatives of the Democrats have made statements that the coal and oil industry will not disappear.
At the same time, Republican campaign ads are now rolling on the issue in Maine. They are being used as ammunition against Democrat Sara Gideon, who is running for reelection to the state House of Representatives.
“Biden went straight into the Republican trap by promising to withdraw federal subsidies for the oil industry,” he told The Hill.
The expert: “Understood you made a mistake”
Various political experts believe that Biden’s words may have prompted voters in oil states to turn to Trump.
– I think even Biden understood that he had made a mistake. You could see how he tried to back down, Charlie Gerow, a Republican political expert, tells Politico.
Pennsylvania Senator John Yudichak, a former Democrat but now an independent, agrees:
– The comment about ending oil and gas development in the near future really hurts your chances of securing the votes of the working class in Northeast Pennsylvania and all of Pennsylvania.
“It won’t hurt that much”
Other experts say Biden’s statement won’t do much harm because it doesn’t affect his constituency.
“It will probably hurt the states that Trump will continue to win,” Democratic pundit Steve Jarding told The Hill, continuing:
– But it won’t hurt as much as you think.
Bush was criticized for being arrogant and disinterested.
