THE COST OF OIL DEPENDENCY:

As Oil Hits Gulf Shore, White House Moves to Dampen Political Danger (David A. Graham, 4/30/10, Newsweek)

As the spill emerges as one of the worst environmental disasters in recent decades—and the feared words "Exxon Valdez" are bandied about—the Obama administration is on the defensive. The White House announced earlier this month that it would open up coastal waters for oil drilling, a decision that won plaudits from energy hawks but annoyed environmental advocates. The White House has already announced that all offshore drilling projects will be frozen until the government has had a chance to investigate the Gulf spill. It has also released a fact sheet detailing its efforts to respond to the spill and protect the gulf environment since a fire broke out on the rig eight days ago. Officials are eager to prove that the government has been engaged and avoid the criticism levied against the Bush administration after Hurricane Katrina.

Poor guy even panders poorly.

Posted by Orrin Judd at April 30, 2010 2:25 PM