Presumed Republican Presidential Nominee John McCain's willingness to undercut California's coastline standards which prevent offshore oil drilling is not only divisive, but undermines his support to take action to reduce global warming. The veteran politician wants it both ways.

Last week, McCain announced a botched plan that eliminates the 1981 federal moratorium on offshore oil exploration, giving states the right to choose to allow offshore drilling in return for a share of oil and gas royalties.

San Francisco Chronicle reports his plan's likely impact on California:

• If enacted, McCain's proposal would put pressure on governors and legislatures in cash-strapped states to allow drilling as a way to bring in revenue. Lawmakers in several states, including Virginia, Georgia and South Carolina, have expressed interest in drilling if they could get a share of the royalties.
  
  California lawmakers say the plan would effectively end the federal protections for the state's coastline. State officials say even if California blocked drilling, the state's coastline could be in jeopardy if a neighboring state, say Oregon, allowed oil rigs off its shores.

This plan would potentially pit the interests of protecting our vast coastal beach communities and tourist industries against oil companies setting up shop in Oregon.
We need a president who will unite the country around a renewable energy resource, not pitting one state against another over the almighty dollar.

In one of the unlikeliest of twists, Hummer driving (though he hasn't been spotted in one lately) Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is not in favor of his party leader's plan.

The San Diego Union Tribune reports Schwarzenegger's response:

• Get out. He said he was willing to hear new ideas to ease the energy crunch, but lifting the offshore drilling ban wasn't among them.
  
  Schwarzenegger made his remarks moments after delivering a keynote speech at the BIO International Convention at the San Diego Convention Center in which he touted California's place as a world leader in the biotech industry.
  
  The governor used the biotech gathering of scientific minds and venture capitalists to insist that America needed to look for new answers to the long-standing problem of providing affordable energy, including finding "the will to push Detroit and say, 'You make better cars (that can meet) better standards.'
  
  "It's not about going back; it's about going forward. I'm looking for the new deal," he said.

Wow, I like that Governor Schwarzenegger, he sounds like a progressive public servant who wants to push new energy development and major industry to be more responsible to the needs of our environment and our economic interests.

McCain, on the other hands wants to say he supports efforts to reduce global warming and yet, expand big oil operations at the same time.

Mr. McCain you cannot effectively and safely do both and we the people will not be fooled.