Democrat Barack Obama made an odd and unexpected decisions yesterday for tapping the nation’s strategic oil reserves to help drive down gasoline prices. Obama had previously stated that he was opposed to such drilling which McCain had approved. McCain has recently been building “political points” on the energy issue in recent weeks. In this race environmental issues have recently been found to be more important to voters than the war in Iraq. Both candidates appear to be going for the juggler on this one.

This week Obama will be campaigning in the Midwest, searching for new supporters. McCain will be in Pennsylvania and South Dakota spewing venom at Obama’s new oil ideas.

In his speech in Lansing, Obama, tipped his hat to McCain, quoting the Arizona Republican: “Our dangerous dependence on foreign oil has been 30 years in the making and was caused by the failure of politicians in Washington to think long-term about the future of the country,” Obama said.

Obama’s plan would release light oil from the emergency oil stockpile and replace it later with heavier crude. In 2000, President Clinton used a similar tactic to make oil available at a time of rising oil prices.

The Obama plan is similar to efforts by congressional Democrats and is opposed by Republicans and President Bush.

The McCain campaign lost no time in criticizing Obama.

“The strategic oil reserve exists for America’s national security strategy — not Barack Obama’s election strategy. The last release of oil from the strategic reserve came in response to Hurricane Katrina, but the only crisis that has developed since Barack Obama last rejected this idea two months ago is a slide in his poll numbers,” Bounds said.

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