U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe predicted Thursday American voters will elect Sen. John McCain as the nation’s next president on Nov. 4.
Republican Inhofe was in Ardmore Thursday for a speaking engagement with the Southern Oklahoma Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America.
“If you take the presidential race, you have never had a more committed liberal than (Sen. Barack) Obama,” he said.
Inhofe also took a swipe at Democrat Andrew Rice, who is opposing him in the upcoming senatorial race. Several groups have identified Inhofe as one of the most conservative senators in the nation. Inhofe said Rice has been labeled one of most liberal members of the Oklahoma Legislature.
“We have two philosophies that could not be farther apart,” he said.
Inhofe said with the credit crisis affecting financial markets worldwide, the economy has become the number one issue on voters’ minds. He said he voted against the Wall Street bailout because he had major concerns about exactly how the plan would be administered and how the money would be spent. Although the plan passed both houses of Congress and was signed by President Bush on Oct. 3, the economy has yet to show much improvement. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has dropped nearly 20 percent since the start of October.
If McCain defeats Obama, Inhofe would be in line to chair the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee. The Oklahoma senator said American forces are making significant progress in Iraq, but additional American troops are needed in Afghanistan.
Inhofe was asked if the voters could expect more bipartisan responses to the nation’s problems in the future.
“It depends on the issue. That was demonstrated clearly on the bailout, but I think they chose the wrong one.”
Inhofe, a ranking member of the Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee, said it will be extremely difficult to secure bipartisan agreement on national energy policy. He said
Democratic members of the Senate who receive financial backing from “far left” environmentalists are unwilling to support the Bush administration’s plan to increase domestic oil and gas production.
Inhofe has been a long-time supporter of the oil and gas industry and a proponent for increased funding for the military and infrastructure improvements within the state.
Steve Biehn, 221-6546
steve.biehn@ardmoreite.com
