Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has tried to avoid saying he would end fossil fuels if he’s elected president, but that wasn’t the impression he gave during Thursday night’s debate.
“I would transition from the oil industry, yes,” Biden said during the debate. “It’s a big statement because the oil industry pollutes significantly. … It has to be replaced by renewable energy over time.”
As The Daily Wire previously reported, Biden also made confusing remarks about his energy plan after the debate.
“They’re not going to lose their jobs. A lot more jobs are going to be created in other industries,” Biden said at the time. “Eventually we’re going to have to go to all — we’re not going to be able to get rid of fossil fuels, getting rid of the subsidies for fossil fuels. But we’re not going to get rid of fossil fuels for a long time.”
Biden’s deputy campaign manager and communications director Kate Bedingfield attempted to “clarify” what Biden said at the debate to Washington Post reporter Annie Linskey. Linskey reported that Bedingfield said Biden was simply referring to oil subsidies.
Politico reported Friday evening, however, that the damage control didn’t stop there.
“On Friday, his running mate Kamala Harris reaffirmed the ticket’s support for fracking. And two members of Congress from oil- and gas-rich areas immediately distanced themselves from the Democratic nominee,” the outlet reported.
While President Donald Trump used Biden’s remarks to shore up votes in Pennsylvania, Democrats in the state tried to shrug off the problem.
“I don’t think it’s going to be an issue,” said Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D-PA). “I think if you are fundamentally committed to or work in that industry, you’ve already made up your mind.”
Politico explained that the Trump campaign has used Biden’s comments as “an opportunity to pick up more votes in his strongholds in the western and northeastern parts of the state where there are numerous gas wells.”
“In hopes of limiting his losses in those areas, or even flipping some, Biden has typically sought to be extra careful while talking about fracking and energy,” the outlet continued.
At the debate, Trump slammed Biden’s past remarks about fracking, while Biden claimed he has “never said I oppose fracking.”
When Trump says he has it “on tape,” Biden told him to prove it, so Trump tweeted out a compilation of Biden saying he would end fossil fuels and ban new fracking. Here’s the transcript, as previously reported by The Daily Wire.
DANA BASH, CNN HOST: Would there be any place for fossil fuels, including coal and fracking, in a Biden administration?
BIDEN: No, we would work it out. We would make sure it’s eliminated and no more subsidies for either one of those.
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BIDEN TALKING TO YOUNG PERSON: I guarantee you, we’re going to end fossil fuel.
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BIDEN AT MSNBC DEMOCRATIC DEBATE: No more, no new fracking.
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BIDEN DURING CNBC INTERVIEW: I’d gradually move away from fracking.
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KAMALA HARRIS, DEMOCRATIC VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, AT CNN TOWN HALL: And I think it’s critically important on day one that we end any fossil fuel leases on public lands.
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VOTER: But, like, what about, say, stopping fracking and stopping … pipeline and structure…
BIDEN TALKING TO VOTER: Yes. Yes. No pipeline, exactly.
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BIDEN AT RALLY: They want to do the same thing I want to do; they want to phase out fossil fuels and we’re going to phase out fossil fuels.
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HARRIS AT CNN TOWN HALL: There’s no question I’m in favor of banning fracking.