Drilled on Oil

Nancy Pelosi is joining Barack in caving in on offshore drilling.

"There are things that Congress can do" to alleviate the energy crisis, Pelosi
said, "but the Republicans and the president have resisted. Instead, they have
this thing that says drill offshore in the protected areas. Well, we can do
that. We can have a vote on that. But it has to be part of something that says
we want to bring immediate relief to the public and not just a hoax on them."

On Larry King Live last night, Pelosi reinforced that the only principle Democrats actually adhere to is doing anything to win.

Asked if she would support an energy package that includes drilling, Pelosi said
she would not, then added: "It depends how the drilling is put forth. But I
don't -- that is not excluded, let me say it that way. It depends how that is
proposed, if the safeguards are there."

Why are the highly principled Democrats taking this tack? Public opinion has them down.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans now put a priority on "finding new sources of energy" over improving conservation -- a significant shift since 2001 -- and majorities support all of the five potential federal initiatives tested in a new ABC News poll.