McCain, Schwarzenegger forget differences during Santa Barbara event

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and U.S. Sen John McCain: Getty Images PhotoFollowing a high-profile flap last week between Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and GOP presumptive presidential nominee U.S. Sen. John McCain over whether the moratorium on offshore oil drilling off California should be lifted, the two politicians met in Santa Barbara Tuesday and acted like the disagreement never happened.

Schwarzenegger instead praised the Arizona senator for his proposals to create a meaningful "green" energy policy for the country. The fact that the two men sharply disagree over the offshore oil drilling moratorium was downplayed.

"I'm very excited the senator is talking about using these (green policies and technologies) that we have here in California on the national level," said the governor who has formally endorsed McCain for president.

For his part, McCain said that it will be a priority to erase the gridlock in Washington and focus on developing policies that will help the nation become far more energy efficient and less dependent on the importation of foreign oil. He specifically mentioned that as president he would direct that the federal government's auto fleet be shifted over to flex-fuel vehicles. He said a McCain Administration would also vigorously endorse the construction of energy efficient buildings.

Less than 24 hours earlier however, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Greenbrae) and U.S. Rep. Lois Capps, (D-San Luis Obispo) held a conference call to lace into the idea of lifting the drilling moratorium as proposed by McCain and recently endorsed by President Bush.

Boxer said to lift the moratorium would be to chance "despoiling this gift from God," referring to the natural beauty and fragile ecology of the California coastline. She added that the relatively small amount of oil that could be recovered by new drilling was insignificant compared to the risks posed to the natural environment.

"This is a gimmick -- just like the gas tax holiday idea," Boxer said of McCain's proposal. "It's nothing but a phony answer to a real problem."