Maybe there is something in the Dallas water that makes Big D billionaires want to save the country from itself.
Today, T. Boone Pickens launched his campaign — Pickensplan.com — to wean the U.S. from foreign oil. Last month, Ross Perot gave us Perotcharts.com to warn about impending doom from massive government budget deficits. On their Web sites, both go on camera to sell their ideas.
Hint: Click in map to explore connectionsStory continues below interactive map 
Pickens, essentially, wants to use more wind to generate electricity, thereby freeing natural gas to use as a transportation fuel. He has business interests in both wind and natural gas vehicle fuels.
He says the energy switchover can be accomplished with the right leadership. Neither presidential candidate has addressed the problem yet, he says. He intends to put the topic in play.
He ran full-page ads in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and other newspapers today, touting his plan. Bloomberg reported that he has spent $10 million on the campaign launch.
USA Today said Pickens’ effort “will be the biggest public policy ad campaign ever.” A Pickens’ aide told the paper that Pickens will be on TV this fall almost as much as Barack Obama and John McCain.
Pickens told The Dallas Morning News that his effort is not about personal gain, but about patriotism and getting something done that needs to be done.
“I’m 80 years old,” he said. “I’m worth $4 billion. I don’t need to make any more money.”
Pickens and Perot live less than two miles apart in Dallas.
Click here to sign up for the Muckety Newsletter