Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said Thursday during the final presidential debate that he has never said he opposes fracking, but his previous statements say otherwise.
“I have never said I oppose fracking,” Biden said Thursday.
President Donald Trump then shot back “you said it on tape!” before Biden demanded Trump “show the tape!”
BIDEN: “I. have. never. said. I. oppose. fracking.”
TRUMP: “You said it on tape!”
BIDEN: “Show the tape!” pic.twitter.com/BvjAzHGtqs
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) October 23, 2020
Following the debate Trump tweeted a compilation of times Biden said he’d get rid of fracking.
As per your request, Joe… https://t.co/78mzcfLEsF pic.twitter.com/AalVkSfHFi
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 23, 2020
During the July, 2019 Democratic primary debate, Biden said there would be no place for fossil fuel.
“We would work it out. We would make sure it’s eliminated and no more subsidies for either one of those – any fossil fuel.”
Months later Biden was asked if he would “be willing to sacrifice some of” the economic growth that has occurred partly due to gas and oil production.
“The answer is yes,” Biden said. “The answer is yes, because the opportunity, the opportunity for those workers to transition to high paying jobs, as Tom [Steyer] said, is real. We’re the only country that’s taken great crises and turned them into enormous opportunities.” (RELATED: Is Biden’s Climate Plan Another Version Of The Green New Deal? Here’s How The Two Stack Up)
Biden repeated a similar claim during the March Democratic debate, promising to stop new fracking projects.
Biden also suggested he could transition the country away from fossil fuel-powered transportation and toward “high speed rail, taking millions of automobiles off the road. Making sure we move in a direction where no more drilling on federal lands.”
Biden’s running mate, Democratic California Sen. Kamala Harris was also on board to ban fracking.
“There is no question I’m in favor of banning fracking,” Harris said during a CNN presidential town hall.
Kamala Harris:
“There is no question I’m in favor of banning fracking.”
cc: Pennsylvania
pic.twitter.com/TOx4UFzSiA— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) August 12, 2020
More recently Biden has backtracked on his stance, saying in August that he will not ban fracking.
Biden discusses his energy plan: “I am not banning fracking. Let me say that again: I am not banning fracking. No matter how many times Donald Trump lies about me.” https://t.co/LBywpukq9G pic.twitter.com/B5QXkBoQbt
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 31, 2020