In campaign news, Senator Barack Obama visited Lansing, Michigan, Monday, where he unveiled a new energy plan.

Sen. Barack Obama: “If I am president, I will immediately direct the full resources of the federal government and the full energy of the private sector, working with state and local governments, to achieve a single, overarching goal: in ten years, we will eliminate the need for oil from the entire Middle East and Venezuela.”

Obama called on the government to tap the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve and sell 70 million barrels of oil from its stockpiles in an attempt to lower gas prices. The Illinois senator also proposed investing $150 billion over the next decade in clean energy and renewable sources, a move he said would create five million jobs. During his speech, Obama admitted he is no longer opposed to expanding offshore oil drilling if it is part of a broader energy plan.

Sen. Barack Obama: “Like all compromises, this one has its drawbacks. It does include a limited amount of new offshore drilling, and while I still don’t believe that’s a particularly meaningful short-term or long-term solution, what I’ve said is I’m willing to consider it if it’s necessary to actually pass a comprehensive plan.”