Thompson won't rule out drilling for oil... in Florida.

[Eraserhead]

F. Thompson is a confused man.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070918/thompson-everglades/

[TomC]

It's almost like he's trying to blow it. A Republican who won't talk about religion.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Ol' man Thompson is just punting the state to Rudy, I see.

[Person Man]

Drilling in Florida? That's a way to get EVERYONE to hate you. The greenies, the hunters, the scientists, the tropical fruit and sugar cane growers and the people in Miami that depend on having water that is not poisoned.

[they don't love you like i love you]

I only wish this idiot had won the nomination before unveiling the stupidity.

[MODU]

I don't see too much wrong with his answer.  He addressed that he didn't realize there was an oil source there and that he would have to look into it.  He's not saying he will opening up for drilling or deny access to it all together.  Instead of making an uninformed decision on the spot, he was honest and said he didn't have a position on it.  If anything, that's a good thing for any candidate to say.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

He addressed that he didn't realize there was an oil source there and that he would have to look into it.

Honestly, that right there is the most worrying part.  Coastal drilling is a significant issue—and it has been for a while now.

Seriously, this is almost on par with not knowing that there's oil in the ANWR.

[MODU]

He addressed that he didn't realize there was an oil source there and that he would have to look into it.

Honestly, that right there is the most worrying part.  Coastal drilling is a significant issue—and it has been for a while now.

Seriously, this is almost on par with not knowing that there's oil in the ANWR.

Back when Bush blocked access to the oil in Florida, the focus of most of the attention was on ANWAR, so unless you were keenly aware of Florida's oil (either following the events closely, live in Florida, or tied into the oil business), it wouldn't surprise me that someone didn't know about it.  I haven't looked, but I wonder if Florida's sandy ground would support a snorkel so someone could drill horizontally and tap the oil without ever putting the Everglades at risk.  That would be a win-win for everyone.

[Eraserhead]

I don't see too much wrong with his answer.  He addressed that he didn't realize there was an oil source there and that he would have to look into it.  He's not saying he will opening up for drilling or deny access to it all together.  Instead of making an uninformed decision on the spot, he was honest and said he didn't have a position on it.  If anything, that's a good thing for any candidate to say.

The problem is that Fred Thompson doesn't have positions on most things because he clearly doesn't understand the issues.

[MODU]

I don't see too much wrong with his answer.  He addressed that he didn't realize there was an oil source there and that he would have to look into it.  He's not saying he will opening up for drilling or deny access to it all together.  Instead of making an uninformed decision on the spot, he was honest and said he didn't have a position on it.  If anything, that's a good thing for any candidate to say.

The problem is that Fred Thompson doesn't have positions on most things because he clearly doen't understand the issues.

There is a difference between not knowing there is sizable quantities of oil in the Everglades and not knowing the issues.  A clear example was the debate between Allen and Webb at the beginning of the race last year.  Webb didn't know all of the large projects and planning going on in the state which didn't hit the newspapers, and Allen would beat him on those issues each time.  But Webb would respond with an honest answer of "I don't know the details on this, let me get back to you."  It wasn't that he didn't understand the issues, it was he didn't know of everything going on within the state, which would be expected by one who hasn't served in the state.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

He addressed that he didn't realize there was an oil source there and that he would have to look into it.

Honestly, that right there is the most worrying part.  Coastal drilling is a significant issue—and it has been for a while now.

Seriously, this is almost on par with not knowing that there's oil in the ANWR.

Back when Bush blocked access to the oil in Florida, the focus of most of the attention was on ANWAR, so unless you were keenly aware of Florida's oil (either following the events closely, live in Florida, or tied into the oil business), it wouldn't surprise me that someone didn't know about it.  I haven't looked, but I wonder if Florida's sandy ground would support a snorkel so someone could drill horizontally and tap the oil without ever putting the Everglades at risk.  That would be a win-win for everyone.

I know there are sizable oil reserves off the Florida coast, and I know that unless oil gets to $500 a barrel, Florida will never support drilling to get to it.

Now, if *I* know about oil off the coast of Florida, why wouldn't a two-term senator from Tennessee?

[MODU]

I know there are sizable oil reserves off the Florida coast, and I know that unless oil gets to $500 a barrel, Florida will never support drilling to get to it.

Now, if *I* know about oil off the coast of Florida, why wouldn't a two-term senator from Tennessee?

They aren't talking about the coastal regions.  They are talking about the protected areas within the  Everglades.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

I know there are sizable oil reserves off the Florida coast, and I know that unless oil gets to $500 a barrel, Florida will never support drilling to get to it.

Now, if *I* know about oil off the coast of Florida, why wouldn't a two-term senator from Tennessee?

They aren't talking about the coastal regions.  They are talking about the protected areas within the  Everglades.

Ah, okay.  Well, certainly, if you're going to be against one, you're going to be against the other.

[MODU]

Ah, okay.  Well, certainly, if you're going to be against one, you're going to be against the other.

I did a search last night, trying to find where these oil reserves were.  I couldn't find it, but there was a map that shows where the existing drilling rights are.  I'll have to look it up when I get back home.  If the oil reserves in question are near the existing drill sites, I don't see why they can't run a line horizontally/diagonally to tap them.  As far as off-shore drilling goes, there should be a few allotted on the West coast in the protected waters, since the threat of damage by hurricanes would be less there than on the East coast.

[jimrtex]

Ah, okay.  Well, certainly, if you're going to be against one, you're going to be against the other.

I did a search last night, trying to find where these oil reserves were.  I couldn't find it, but there was a map that shows where the existing drilling rights are.  I'll have to look it up when I get back home.  If the oil reserves in question are near the existing drill sites, I don't see why they can't run a line horizontally/diagonally to tap them.  As far as off-shore drilling goes, there should be a few allotted on the West coast in the protected waters, since the threat of damage by hurricanes would be less there than on the East coast.

The Everglades extends outside the area within the Everglades National Park, extending up around Lake Okeechobee.  When an area just north of the Park, the Big Cypress National Preserve, was acquired in 1972, the land owner retained the mineral rights, and has continued to produce oil in the preserve.  In 2002, the land owner proposed exploration on other areas in the preserve, a process which would require permitting by the US Government.  At that time the US Government bought the mineral rights for that area.   There may other similar areas.

If the area had been near the Great Smokey Mountain NP or Graceland, I would expect a Senator from Tennessee to be familiar. 

I doubt that it is really feasible to directionally drill more than a few miles.  The deepest vertical wells are only around 25,000 feet.