Barack Obama in Beckley

Beth Vorhees reporting on WV Public Broadcast: (audio)

On questions like this and another one on mountaintop removal mining Obama didn’t take firm positions. instead he discussed how he approaches controversial issues.

Obama:

My job as President and one of the keys of the Federal Government is to listen to and work with local and state officials who are knowledgeable about these issues whether its a Governor or the mayor or Senators so that we can make this work properly. One thing I can promise you I won’t do though, is I’m not just going to take a bunch of contributions from the coal industry and then just do their bidding, anymore than I would just listen to the environmentalists. I want to listen to everybody, get everybody’s point of view, and then make the best decision for the people of West Virginia.

Also, Larry Gibson of Kayford Mountain was able to ask Obama a question about MTR and the Clean Water Protection Act. Obama mentioned Bush’s weakening of the Clean Water Act, and committed to strengthening the Clean Water Act.

About JW Randolph

Raised on the banks of the Tennessee River, JW's work to create progress in his home state and throughout Appalachia has been featured on the Rachel Maddow Show, The Daily Kos and Grist. He served first as Appalachian Voices’ Legislative Associate and then Tennessee director until leaving to pursue a career in medicine in 2012.