McCain Endorses End to Mountaintop Removal Mining (Updated)

The Charleston Gazette cites (and posts) video from a recent campaign stop by John McCain in Florida to report that the GOP presidential nominee said "I do" when asked whether he supports "eliminating mountaintop removal mining and the practices like that."

"McCain went on to say that he's 'seen a dramatic improvement in the behavior of the coal companies,'" the article also said.

Update: Public Broadcasting has a story, with audio. It also reports that "Now, his campaign won’t say whether McCain stands by his statement supporting an end to that controversial mining practice."

"McCain’s stance on mountaintop removal mining has been a mystery for most of this campaign," that report said. Ditto that of Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama: "Tuesday, a woman at the Obama headquarters in Charleston declined to say what his position is on the practice."

Update II: The Gazette expands its article, and reports that a McCain spokeswoman "confirmed McCain's support for ending the practice" while also touting his support "of coal and that clean coal is a vital part of his energy policy."

An Obama spokesman told The Gazette that "the Illinois senator has said publicly that he does not support mountaintop removal," adding that he "comes from a coal state and understands its importance to our economy."

Update III: U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, tells MetroNews that McCain's response "caught me off guard," and said "such a stance could hurt McCain in West Virginia."