On Tuesday, John McCain announced that a pillar of his energy plan is to lift the ban on offshore drilling.

Sen. John McCain on Tuesday proposed lifting the ban on offshore drilling as part of his plan to reduce dependence on foreign oil and help combat rising gas prices. Sen. John McCain says it's time for the federal government "to put our own reserves to use."

"The stakes are high for our citizens and for our economy," McCain, the presumed Republican nominee for president, said at a press conference Tuesday in Houston, Texas.

This announcement represents a shift in policy of just about 180 degrees from his prior position, a flip flop that did not go unnoticed by Barack Obama.

"John McCain's support of the moratorium on offshore drilling during his first presidential campaign was certainly laudable, but his decision to completely change his position and tell a group of Houston oil executives exactly what they wanted to hear today was the same Washington politics that has prevented us from achieving energy independence for decades," he said. "It's another example of short-term political posturing from Washington, not the long-term leadership we need to solve our dependence on oil," he said.

Hell, even CNN called McCain out. Check out this piece from The Situation Room that frames McCain's entire energy policy as one big flip flop after another.

As Dana Bash says:

"What really came across in John McCain's speech [on energy] is how challenging it is for him to find his way...what you get are some contradictions."

Seriously, it makes you wonder if McCain is losing his base. Watch it:

Of course, one key point CNN misses is just how tied to big oil John McCain actually is. Brave New Films has a great new video in their Real McCain series that reveals exactly what big oil's $1 million+ worth of donations they've made to McCain has gotten them in return: his refusal to require oil companies to use their profits to invest in alternative energy.

But I think my favorite part about McCain's blatant pandering yesterday was that despite his ongoing efforts to distance himself from Bush, McCain just can't seem to catch a break. Guess what Mr. 28% is going to be doing today:

Hours [after McCain's speech], White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said President Bush on Wednesday will ask Congress to lift the ban on offshore drilling.

Hilarious.