" 'Over 26 years, Sen. McCain voted 23 times against alternative energy like solar and wind and bio-diesel,' Obama said.

"McCain dismissed Obama's statement as if it were an absurd claim. 'No one in Arizona is against solar,' McCain retorted.

"Moments later, Obama sought to make another point about McCain and Arizona. The Arizona senator interrupted the Democratic presidential nominee to make a sweeping assertion about his unwavering support for alternative energy development: "I have voted for alternate fuel all of my time," McCain said, "and no one can be opposed to alternate energy."

"McCain's legislative record shows otherwise.

"Michael Neary, president of the Arizona Solar Energy Industries Association, a non-profit trade association, said McCain frequently says he supports renewable energy development, but his deeds do not match his words. McCain, Neary said, has skipped many important votes or voted against measures that would spur alternative sources like solar and wind.

" 'If he was truly an ally of alternative energy, he would have taken the time to get out there and vote and maybe rally some of the troops on the Republican side to get [measures] passed,' Neary said. "That's something he hasn't done, and this is extremely important to Arizona."

"McCain's underwhelming support of alternative energy is well known to Arizona's solar industry leaders, several of whom were surprised to hear the GOP presidential candidate proclaim his strong support for solar during the first debate. McCain's campaign and Senate office did not return numerous phone calls and emails seeking comment.

"Vivian Harte, chairwoman of the Arizona Solar Energy Assn., a statewide solar-advocacy group, said McCain's backing was needed last winter when a renewable energy tax-incentive bill came within one vote of clearing the Senate. McCain, however, failed to go to the Senate floor and cast a vote” though he was in the Washington area.

"Harte said her ears perked up during the debate when McCain declared that no one in Arizona is against solar. 'I was surprised to hear that,' she said, 'because he has voted against incentives in the past.'

"McCain's resistance to passing tax incentives threatens to derail Arizona's solar industry just as it is poised to become one of the biggest players in the world. The state, experts say, has the potential to provide a significant share of the nation's electricity supply. But so far, there has been relatively little interest in developing Arizona's most plentiful natural resource” sunshine.

"Rather than supporting renewable energy, McCain has made expansion of nuclear energy the centerpiece of his energy policy. During the Sept. 26 debate, he said construction of 45 nuclear power plants would create 700,000 jobs and help the U.S. reduce reliance on foreign energy.

"McCain's call for more nuclear energy has triggered concern in northern Arizona, where widespread radiation contamination from the postwar uranium mining boom, whicht continued until the 1970s, harmed the health of thousands of people.

"Harte, of the Arizona Solar Energy Assn., said she doesn't expect McCain to do much for renewable energy if elected president. 'He talks with passion about nuclear power,'she said. 'That's really where his focus is.' "

McNasty, the liar, has been and continues to be about his history and his record on Capitol Hill.

And Pinocchio Palin lies about and exaggerates her energy expertise. 

Laura McGann at The Washington Independent writes:

"As governor, Palin said, she faced off with big oil, ultimately raising industry taxes in Alaska. She stated that a $40 billion natural gas pipeline was well underway, thanks to her leadership” referring to a plan to subsidize a Canadian company with a half-billion dollars to explore such a project. These decisions, Palin argued, would allow her to lead the United States to "energy independence" ” important not only for the economy, but for national security.

"A close examination of Palin's energy background, however, reveals that the GOP vice presidential candidate has only a relatively short history of studying and working on this issue. Palin served as chairwoman of a state energy board, a position reserved for a private citizen, for 11 months. A year before running for governor, Palin joined a group of other Republicans in TV ads advocating an all-Alaska gas pipeline route, though she eventually didn't support this in office. As governor, Palin made a series of distinctly populist energy decisions that yielded short-term political gains, rather than policies designed for the long-term benefit of Alaska.

"In more than a dozen interviews over the course of a month with Alaska insiders and close observers of state politics, most say Palin does not have a deep understanding of energy policy as she has claimed on the presidential campaign trail. In fact, she's regularly described, even by those who support her policies, as having little expertise in the area.

"During the 2006 campaign, Palin was asked by the Anchorage Daily News if she supported Murkowski's new "net tax" policy. Palin said in a written response that she supported the old "gross" tax plan, along with a credit system that would encourage oil companies to invest in more production.

"Once in office, Palin quickly changed her mind. She held a special legislative session that resulted in an increase to the net profits tax rate put in place by Murkowski.

" 'The tax that she instituted was just a higher rate version that had been put in place the year before she took office,' Goldsmith said. 'It was a change in the direction of how taxes are calculated on the industry. I don't think she can be credited with that. That had been put in place before her time. '

"Even Palin's explicit national policy “or mantra“ "drill baby, drill," is contentious.

"During the vice presidential debate, Palin insisted that her experience in Alaska can help the United States move toward energy independence.

"Palin implied that her most successful drilling project is well underway in Alaska. 'And we're building a nearly $40 billion natural gas pipeline,' Palin said, 'which is North America's largest and most expensive infrastructure project ever to flow those sources of energy into hungry markets.'

"The only problem is: the project is at least a decade away from completion."

Pinocchio Palin is just like her soulmate running mate, Sid McNasty, lies and half truths wrapped in right wing rhetoric.