The Kilgore twins pounded the Democratic ticket of Sens. Barack Obama and Joseph R. Biden Jr. yesterday for what they called "double speak" on coal.
Former Attorney General Jerry W. Kilgore and his identical twin brother, Del. Terry G. Kilgore, R-Scott County, said Biden said he did not want any more clean coal plants in the United States only days before he touted the benefits of coal during an appearance in Southwest Virginia.
The Republican ticket of Sen. John McCain and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, looking for an edge in a Virginia contest that appears to be too close to call, has taken out a radio ad in Virginia and three other battleground states saying that the Democrats' position would cost Virginia thousands of jobs.
Gail Gitcho, a spokeswoman for the McCain campaign, said the ad is running in Southwest Virginia and Roanoke. Southwest Virginia employs thousands of people in the coal-mining industry.
The area generally votes Republican in presidential elections, but Obama and Biden have made visits to that area, hoping at least to cut into GOP margins there.
"No coal plants in America? No jobs in Virginia? No energy independence for America?," the ad asks.
At a campaign appearance in Ohio, Biden, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, was shown on a video telling a coal protester: "No coal plants here in America. We're not supporting clean coal."
Clark Stevens, a spokesman for Obama, noted that Obama has received the endorsement of the United Mine Workers of America.
"Barack Obama's record of support for coal as an important step in our path to energy independence is clear and unequivocal," he said.
"As president, he's going to invest $150 billion over 10 years in clean energy initiatives, and that includes money to help speed the development of clean coal technology."
Contact Tyler Whitley at (804) 649-6780 or twhitley@timesdispatch.com.
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