Billionaire oilman T. Boone Pickens says energy is a crisis in the U.S. and should be the No. 1 campaign issue for the presidential candidates. Pickens spoke recently at Oil and Gas Investor’s Energy Capital Forum in Houston.

“Energy is not a debate; it’s a crisis for this country,” Pickens said. “We cannot continue down the path we’re on. It’s that desperate. The sad part is I’m not sure how much the candidates understand the problem.”

Watch video of T. Boone Pickens' press conference

The 80-year-old former owner of Mesa ...