Obama takes heat for thermostat setting

WASHINGTON - While out on the campaign trail in May of 2008, Barack Obama told the audience at a rally in Oregon that the United States must lead by example on energy efficiency and fighting global warming.

"We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK," he said.

When Obama took office, the fact that he was photographed without a jacket made news -- previous president George W. Bush had a strict jacket-required policy in the White House, and eliminating that policy was one of Obama's first acts as president.

Then the New York Times reported that there was an explanation: Obama keeps the White House thermostat cranked. "He’s from Hawaii, OK? He likes it warm," said senior advisor David Axelrod. The revelation prompted cries of foul from conservatives and environmentalists alike.

Conservative blog Hot Air called out Obama for his "hypocrisy" on the heating issue, as did commentator Michelle Malkin and conservative forum Free Republic , among many others.

Environmentalist sites such as Earth First and Treehugger offered advice rather than criticism. Specifically, they suggest that Obama bring back the solar power panels that president Jimmy Carter had installed in 1979 , which Ronald Reagan had removed in 1986. "Putting [the panels] back on the roof of the White House itself would really be leading by example," Treehugger's Matthew McDermott wrote. And a group on Facebook with 1,245 members urges Obama to do the same.