As ordinary citizens and politicians yell and scream about the huge oil spill that continues to spew in the Gulf of Mexico, the most outspoken backer of drilling seems to have gone quiet. Aside from a few subdued blurbs and a comical jab at Obama for being tied to big oil companies, Sarah Palin seems to have finally stepped out of the limelight and into the crude, dark, oily shadows.
All through the McCain/Palin campaign for the White House, we were treated to her and her elder running mate's comments about oil drilling. In fact, it was Palin who coined the phrase "Drill Baby, Drill," during her political tour across the country. It became one of her many catchy, yet fairly hollow, phrases.
As gas prices at the pump climbed, many political insiders believe McCain hired Palin not only for her youthful energy and gender, but because she was an "energy expert." She immediately hit the trail demanding our vote because she and her partner would greatly lower the cost of gas by drilling everywhere we could - the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, off the coast of California, and off the coast of Florida.
She also drilled into us all that it was - and is - completely harmless to do so. "You even called environmentally friendly drilling offshore as 'raping' the outer continental shelf," she retorted to Joe Biden during the vice presidential debate. "With new technology and tiny footprints on land, it's safe to drill and we need to do more of that."
While rape may be a strong word - "pillage" is more apropos - I think it's safe to say Mr. Biden won that talking point. It may almost be two years later, but he sure nailed it on the head when he raised concern for the safety of offshore drilling.
After all, in this day and age of technology, it is a simple cracked pipe that continues to be the cause of the worst oil spill in US history. Twenty-five thousand gallons of crude oil continues to flow into the Gulf of Mexico every day, all because of a so-called simple plumbing problem. Flora and fauna of the entire region are starting to die off, all due to "environmentally safe" drilling.
As BP, the government, and everyone in between scramble to find ways to stop this horrendous toxic spill, the rest of us are left wondering where the technology is that Mrs. Palin was talking about. If we don't find it soon, we may have to cover up the leak with her big mouth.
Article comments
1 - Victor Lana
Well, for her mouth to be of any assistance, she would first have to find a way to extract that big foot.
2 - Mooja
In response I submit these facts:
Oil has been "spilling" into the oceans for 50 million years or more.
Homo Sapiens have existed for approx 100 thousand years. When a human spills oil it's a toxic disaster, otherwise it's natural.
Oil is a product of the Earth and Sun. It is as natural as black dirt and artesian wells.
Countless millions of fish, birds, reptiles, mammals and plant life die from drowning or floods each year which is normal and natural. Several thousand die from oil spills which is an environmental disaster.
You are using the internet which was researched and developed using cheap energy resources such as oil and powered by coal. If you exist outside of a cave you are part of the problem. Should a rapist lecture other rapists on their moral lapses?
3 - Joanne Huspek
I think she is busy building a fence around her property.
Also, Mooja has a point.
4 - Baronius
"Drill baby drill" was coined by Michael Steele.
5 - Clavos
I think she is busy building a fence around her property.
She oughta plant Claymores in her yard, too.
6 - Victor Lana
Is that fence meant to block the view of Russia from her windows? Just asking.
7 - Clavos
No, just the view of the creepy Peeping Tom next door.
8 - DK
"Drill, baby, drill" was not coined by Palin.
“In other words: Drill, baby, drill! And drill now!,” Steele said.
9 - Baronius
Palin also didn't say that she could see Russia from her house. Kinda weird that most of the insults thrown at her aren't factual.
10 - roger nowosielski
I suppose you could from some parts of Alaska, no?
11 - Baronius
Yup. That's why she said you could.
12 - Dr Dreadful
Mmm, yes, technically you can.
The Bering Strait is about 50 miles wide, so I suppose on a really, really clear day you might be able to see Siberia from the Alaskan shore.
The Diomede Islands, which sit in the middle of the strait, are divided between Alaska and Russia, and at their closest the American and Russian bits are only a couple of miles apart.
13 - roger nowosielski
90 kilometers, the shortest distance from Alaska.
14 - zingzing
but even if russia is relatively close to alaska, is that relevant to her level (or lack) of foreign policy experience? it was a terrible answer that got even worse in the impersonations. maybe that's not her fault, but it does show the gaps in her political acumen, which were exploited to devastating effect in the election.
15 - Baronius
It sure was a terrible answer, Zing. She could have made it about trade issues, or the unique military presence in Alaska, or something, but she didn't. She just left it there and it sounded stupid.
I've just got a thing against making fun of people for things they didn't do.
16 - zingzing
yeah, well, palin does enough stupid stuff already. but in the end, you're right. although it must be said that that kind of stuff is used as ammo by both sides with alarming frequency.
17 - Mango
The oil people will not quit until they have sucked every last drop out, regardless of the consequences, and gotten their money for it. Sarah Palin is clearly the new oil candidate, following George Bush. She has been picked by them.
BP now says well, this won't stop deep sea drilling - now BP will be at the forefront of it, since they know the most! And Palin and other oily sleazebags are saying See, this is why we need to drill on land in the ANWR!
They never give up. As long as the money is flowing into their corrupt pockets, they'll keep pushing for oil.
18 - John Wilson
It is quite stupid for the USA to drill more oil because 3/4 of the oil will go to foreigners, like China and India. That is especially bad because todays prices are very low. We threaten to exhaust our oil resources at bargain prices on behalf of foreign consumers and foreign oil companies.
More drilling of US oil under these circumstances is anti-american.
19 - Mike
One of the few things I dislike more than Palin is lazy journalism. Palin didn't coin the phrase and it takes little more than a wikipedia search to figure that out.
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