I Kid You Not Dept: Jack Coleman of EnergyNorthAmerica tells Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) that the spill is a fair price to pay protecting BP's contractual rights:



What Would We Do Without Her?: The former governor of Alaska, who quit after less than two years on the job to concentrate on lucrative speaking engagements, claims that President Obama's lack of executive experience caused him to commit the grievous error of not telephoning Tony Hayward, BP's lying CEO. According to Palin, who would give Hayward the benefit of the doubt, regular phone calls would be the best way for the president -- who we all know has a Ph. D. in Petroleum Engineering -- to "verify what BP reports." Um, Sarah, there is no "verify:" BP has less credibility than you. As the president says, why would he waste time meeting with someone who would "say all the right things" no matter what the truth of the matter?

Palin went on to brag about a compliance agency created on her watch, an agency that Pamela Miller, arctic program director for the Northern Alaska Environmental Center, says has yet to show "any tangible results in the oil fields" and that claims to the contrary are "hollow." Anyway, Miller added, "She walked. So how is she holding that entity accountable? What kind of executive experience is that?" Of course, Miller is likely an extremist greenie who opposes drilling in the proven and safe ANWR...

John Dickerson isn't my favorite Slate columnist, but he makes some good points here about the contradictory demands and unrealistic expectations put on a president during an emergency. He also gives short shrift to Palin's phone call nonsense...

"I will paint the Macinaw Bridge red with the blood of you and your family members." Joe Kresch, a 73-year Michigander who enjoys the benefits of Social Security and Medicare but who despises socialized medicine, sent this charming missive to Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI). Among other things, Kresch advised Stupak to follow "the footsteps of your son, Bart, Jr.," who committed suicide.  Good man that he is, Kresch doesn't object to the president because "he is half black or half white." Although "not a racist," he opposes President Obama's "...belief of what our country should look like..." and the president's "...hidden black agenda..." As for the teabaggers, Kresch writes confidentially that "I am not a Tea Partier, although that does have some appeal." Indeed...

Arizona's former state attorney general worries that his state may be getting a reputation as intolerant. Gee, I wonder why? Meanwhile state Chamber of Commerce spokesman Garrick Taylor expressed irritation at boycotts of Arizona, opining that "If they were truly invested in the immigration issue, they'd be pressing Washington for comprehensive immigration reform." Apparently, Taylor believes that Sonic Youth should feel more soft-hearted concern Arizona business climate and less moral nausea over the Papers Please law...

Rolling Stone's Tim Dickinson has written an embarrassing article article about the administration's response to the spill that illustrates why a magazine that specializes in puff pieces about rock stars should leave the in-depth political reporting to publications that do in-depth political reporting. The first part of the article would be impressive had it been written before the spill; now, it's hindsight. The entire piece is devoid of political context except for a couple of paragraphs at the end, and even they are narrow in scope. Reading it, one would think that all Obama had to when he took office was straighten out MMS, and that there was no financial crisis, no mortgage crisis, no rapidly rising unemployment, no wars, and no health care legislation. And, naturally, it repeats the bogus assumption that the government could have stopped the spill by taking over, but -- as with everyone else who claims  this -- never says how...