Kerry Leading Fight Against Alaska Oil Drilling

Kerry pledges to fight Bush on Alaska oil
Senator urges battle for environment against energy plan
- Marc Sandalow, Washington Bureau Chief
Friday, March 11, 2005

Washington -- Sen. John Kerry pledged Thursday to lead the fight against President Bush's proposal to drill for oil in the Alaska wilderness, sounding a call to arms for environmentalists to combat the administration's energy policies.

"The only mandate this administration has is for unity, to find common ground,'' Kerry said in an interview with The Chronicle. "The American people did not vote to drill in ANWR.''

Kerry characterized the president's plan for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as a "phony, absolutely fraudulent offering,'' which vastly overstates the potential to reduce gas prices or the nation's reliance on foreign oil. He called it the "ideological linchpin'' to a broader, more reckless environmental policy.

"They need to be called out on it, and I intend to do it,'' Kerry said.

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