\nof the Gulf oil spill continues as emergency teams plan
\nto set fire<\/a> to the surface slick in hopes of keeping it away from the
\ncoast.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The political fallout
\ncontinues as well:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
More bad news for the Senate climate and energy bill<\/strong>, as coastal-state senators with key votes voiced concerns about drilling provisions in a potential bill. They include Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.); Frank R. Lautenberg (D-N.J.); Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.); Mark Warner (D-Vir.); Kay Hagan (D-N.C.); and George LeMieux (D-Fla.), according to The New York Times<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Even more bad news for the Senate bill<\/strong>, as BP, who was leasing the drilling rig, planned to join Shell Oil and ConocoPhillips in endorsing the bill and appearing at the rollout announcement this week (which was scuttled because of Senate drama<\/a>). At this point, BP’s endorsement might be a kiss of death.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Charlie Crist dropped his support<\/strong> for offshore drilling today after <\/p>\n Sens. Lautenberg, Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.)<\/strong> called for a safety <\/p>\n “The explosion, ensuing <\/p>\n Investigation and litigation<\/strong>. Every branch of the government is now <\/p>\n Obama is sticking with his plan<\/strong> to ramp <\/p>\n That response doesn’t seem In a time of crisis, you don’t continue to promote that <\/p>\n Related Links:<\/strong><\/p>\n On the Graham-Reid flustercluck<\/a><\/p>\n Oil burn operation begins in Gulf of Mexico<\/a><\/p>\n Cape Wind offshore project approved by Obama admin after nine-year battle<\/a><\/p>\n
\nflying above<\/a> the slick that is spreading not far from his home state. “If
\nthis doesn’t give somebody pause, there’s something wrong,” said the Republican
\nFlorida governor, who is running for Senate as an independent. “This is, as I
\nunderstand it, a pretty new rig with modern technology. As I’ve always said, it
\nwould need to be far enough, clean enough and safe enough. I’m not sure this
\nwas far enough. I’m pretty sure it was not clean enough. And it doesn’t sound
\nlike it was safe enough.”<\/p>\n
\ninvestigation in a letter to Senate leaders. The trio, all strong opponents of offshore drilling in the past, call
\nthe disaster<\/a> “a sobering reminder of the real risk from oil drilling.”<\/p>\n
\nfire, and continuing spill raise serious concerns about the industry’s claims
\nthat their operations and technology are safe enough to put rigs in areas that
\nare environmentally sensitive or are critical to tourism or fishing industries,” they wrote. “This may be the worst disaster in recent years, but it’s
\ncertainly not an isolated incident.”<\/p>\n
\ninvolved in investigating the disaster, as Brad
\nJohnson notes<\/a>. In the House, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), chair of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, are investigating<\/a> the companies’ emergency plans; the Coast Guard and Minerals Management Service
\nare looking<\/a> into the causes; and in federal court, the wife of one of the victims has
\nsued<\/a> BP, Transocean, and Halliburton for negligence.<\/p>\n
\nup offshore drilling<\/a>, says<\/a> Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. He’s making sure things are investigated, though.
\n(Phew. We were worried there for a minute.) “We need the increased
\nproduction. The president still continues to believe the great majority of that
\ncan be done safely, securely and without any harm to the environment.”<\/p>\n
\nto jibe with Rahm Emanuel’s famous advice<\/a> to
\nnever let a serious crisis go to waste. If this isn’t a good occasion to talk
\nto Americans about the problems posed by fossil
\nfuels, well, here’s how “Turkana” at The Left Coaster puts it<\/a>:<\/p>\n
\nwhich is causing the crisis. You teach people how it is causing the crisis and
\nwhy we have to stop it. You change the very nature of the conversation. You use
\nthe science. You use every political skill and opportunity you have. You teach
\npeople that we have to change the nature of our behavior. You teach people that
\nwe have to change the nature of our economy. You teach people that we don’t
\nhave time to waste.<\/p>\n