Obama meets oilman who funded '04 attacks on Kerry

By Jeff Mason

RENO, Nevada (Reuters) - White House hopeful Barack Obama talked energy policy on Sunday with T. Boone Pickens, a billionaire oil investor who funded the "Swift Boat" attacks on Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry in 2004.

Pickens, a lifelong Republican, has endorsed neither his party's candidate, Arizona Sen. John McCain, nor Democrat Obama in the November 4 election and wants to make energy a top campaign issue.

He has advocated a plan to cut U.S. oil use by converting cars to run on natural gas.

Pickens funded efforts in 2004 by a group called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which sought to discredit Kerry's military service in Vietnam. The Massachusetts senator's initially tepid response to the attacks was partially blamed for his loss to President George W. Bush.

Obama brushed off Pickens' past at the start of a meeting the Texas energy tycoon requested on Sunday.

"You know, he's got a lot longer track record than that," the Illinois senator told reporters when asked how it felt to meet with someone who tore down his Democratic predecessor in 2004.

"He's a legendary entrepreneur and, you know, one of the things that I think we have to unify the country around is having an intelligent energy policy," Obama said.

Both Obama and McCain advocate increasing the use of wind, solar and other renewable energy sources to help curb U.S. dependence on foreign oil.