ANWR Oil Still Not an Option for McCain

Amanda Carpenter | June 12, 2008 12:52 PM

Just got off a conference call with Rep. Eric Cantor (R.-Va.) and McCain's senior policy adviser Doug Holtz-Eakin about rising gas prices.

I've been wanting to write about McCain's plans to increase energy exploration so I asked: "Senator McCain has said he does not support drilling in ANWR because the area is too pristine. Could you name me some specific places in the US he would like increase energy exploration?"

Holtz-Eakin said McCain still believes drilling in ANWR "is not wise at this time" and that McCain supports the Louisiana model for energy exploration in the Gulf and the Outer Continental Shelf.

I'll be fleshing out what all this means in an forthcoming story, or video product, early next week.