Linking security and energy

We said earlier that you can’t talk about national security without mentioning a topic inextricably linked to it: energy independence.

And sure enough... at tonight's debate, Barack Obama said that we "have to have an energy policy to deal with not just Russia" but other politically volatile and/or unfriendly nations. He mentioned that using American coal can help us become less dependent on foreign energy sources.

To be sure, John McCain agrees. As we're proud to mention, both candidates know that coal is abundant, affordable and increasingly clean.