Barack Obama’s comments to the Chron’s editorial board in January — during which he promised to bankrupt the coal industry and implement policies that would cause electric rates to “skyrocket” — are making news on the eve of the election.

Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh are asking why the comments have only surfaced now after audio of the Chron’s editorial board meeting was posted anonymously on YouTube.

Chron editorial page editor John Diaz said in this morning’s Chron that both audio and video of the interview has been posted at SFGate.com since the interview took place in Jan. 17. Above is a photo after the interview with Phil Bronstein on the left and Diaz on the right.

However, the Chron’s stories about the interview didn’t mention Obama’s comments about bankrupting the coal industry or letting energy rates skyrocket. The only way a reader would learn about that is by listening to the entire 48-minute editorial board meeting.

Neither the story today quoting Diaz nor an online commentary by political reporter Carla Marinucci explains why the newspaper didn’t report on the candidate’s intention to bankrupt the coal industry.

Links:

• A search on SFGate for the terms “obama” “coal” and “bankrupt” in the days following the Jan. 17 editorial board meeting. • Stories the Chron wrote about the interview (none of which mention Obama’s comments on the coal industry or allowing electric rates to skyrocket): Barack Obama, in S.F., takes on the Clintons (Jan. 17); Obama Hails Court Victory, Raps Clinton Campaign (Jan. 17); An interview with Sen. Barack Obama (Jan. 17); Reader’s question: How to talk about race? (Jan. 19); Obama’s straight-ahead style (Jan. 20); Last week’s interview with Obama (Jan. 21).

(Photo credit: Andrew S. Ross, Chron)