Gulf spill could swing Obama's power play on energy policy

A bill that would do both has been stalled before Congress for months, as Republicans and even some Democrats claim it would raise energy costs and lead to lost jobs. But outrage over the black tendrils of oil spewing from BP’s broken well in the Gulf is creating new opportunities for the once moribund legislation.

A new poll from the Pew Research Center shows widespread public support for more renewable energy, tougher energy efficiency standards, and climate policies that would limit the harmful greenhouse gas emissions that are the source of global warming — even if such action would raise the price of energy. Surprisingly, a majority of Republicans in the poll supported taking steps to reduce climate change and protect the environment.

That’s the kind of support that Congress may find hard to ignore — and that President Obama is hoping to exploit.

In his June 15 Oval Office speech, the president made an impassioned plea to finally end America’s addiction to fossil fuel. “The tragedy unfolding on our coast is the most painful and powerful reminder yet that the time to embrace a clean energy future is now,” he said. The next day Obama followed up, calling key senators such as John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) to begin a push for legislation to reduce America’s dependence on oil. The president also summoned Scott Brown (R-Mass.) to the White House in a bid for bipartisan support.

There’s plenty of reason for skepticism — presidents have been making such promises for decades. So much so, in fact, that Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart did a skit Wednesday mocking the fact that every president since Richard Nixon has proclaimed the need for energy independence — in virtually identical terms.