That must be some crystal ball Reuters reporters Jeremy Pelofsky and Tom Doggett have.
They somehow know that George W. Bush's Executive Order lifting an Executive Branch ban on offshore drilling will work out to be "largely symbolic" -- even though Congress's ban will expire on September 30 unless it's proactively renewed.
Further, Pelofsky and Doggett seem to almost know that since Barack Obama opposes any additional offshore drilling, not enough of his fellow party members will defect from that position between now and the Congressional ban's expiration, regardless of whether he remains competitive or sinks in the polls in the meantime.
Here's what the pair had to say on those two topics in their "objective" report (bold is mine):
President George W. Bush on Monday lifted a White House ban on offshore drilling to try to drive down soaring energy prices, a largely symbolic bid unlikely to have any short-term impact on high gasoline costs.
..... "Today, I've taken every step within my power to allow offshore exploration," Bush told reporters. "This means the only thing standing between the American people and these vast oil resources is action from the U.S. Congress."
Congress too has a ban on offshore drilling and while it expires on September 30, it could be renewed. Plus, federal officials say it would take years for any oil to be produced in those areas, together making Bush's move largely symbolic.
..... Democratic White House hopeful Sen. Barack Obama's campaign also criticized Bush's move. "It would merely prolong the failed energy policies we have seen from Washington for 30 years," spokesman Bill Burton said.
Even if more Democrats in Congress backed lifting the legislative ban, it would be unlikely that they would buck their presidential candidate ahead of the November election.
Really?
What the two Reuters reporters, and perhaps Obama, fail to realize is that not everyone on earth is willing to throw himself or herself under the bus to advance the presumptive Democratic nominee's political ambitions.
Does anyone really think that your average career-politician congressperson will fall on his or her sword for Obama if it appears that enough constituents plan on taking their wrath at high energy prices out at the polls on anyone voting to extend the Congressional ban?
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
