Obama ‘jokingly’ accuses reporter of being a “McCain proxy” for asking a tough question

Ed Morrissey details via transcript and video an exchange between Obama and a Las Vegas reporter who asked him what the differences were between him McCain on energy policy, as well as asking him why he’s (Obama’s) tried to tie McCain to the oil industry when it was Obama who voted for the Cheney energy bill that McCain voted against.

It’s a humorous exhange, and shows (once again) how much Obama doesn’t like being called out on his duplicity. Shannen Coffin puts it in context:

Obama’s criticism [of McCain] implies that the report of the National Energy Policy Development Group, a Presidentially-appointed working group led by the Vice President, was all drill and no renewable energy. A look at the report itself, which devotes a full chapter to renewable resources, belies that criticism. Indeed, Obama voted for the Bush White House’s energy legislation that stemmed from the report’s recommendations in 2005 — a vote that could be viewed as endearing if he hadn’t more recently flipped on it as well. And as the Hot Air link provided by the inestimable Jim Geraghty at Campaign Spot notes, Obama explained in a Las Vegas TV interview this week that his vote on that bill was motivated by the fact that “this was the largest investment in alternative energy in history.”

So which is it Senator? Is Obama’s complaint about the NEPDG merely grousing about process (a process complaint that led to wasteful federal litigation in which the Vice President ultimately prevailed)? Or is Obama-wan Kenobi playing gutter political games, trying to tar McCain with guilt by association with Cheney? (An association that isn’t particularly supported by the record and with which, by the way, I would be more than happy to be “tarred.”) Either way, it doesn’t jibe with his “the One” narrative.

Indeed.