Last updated on Thursday, August 7, 2008
(ELKHART) - Barack Obama has used a campaign appearance in Elkhart to continue his sparring match with John McCain over energy.
Obama devoted nearly his entire speech at a town hall meeting at Concord High School to energy issues. He ridiculed Republican calls to expand domestic oil drilling -- he says it wouldn't produce a drop of oil for seven years, and contends it wouldn't affect prices at the pump.
Obama maintains a focus on alternative fuels, from wind and solar power to electric cars, which he says could completely eliminate oil imports from the Middle East and Venezuela in 10 years.
Obama says he doesn't fault oil companies for making profits, even though he's calling for a windfall profits tax to finance a $1,000 rebate to consumers.
The Illinois senator says soaring prices have produced record profits unrelated to the companies' own efforts, and says they owe it to their customers to help keep the overall economy afloat.
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