Sheya at PalinTV has combined all the clips from Sarah and Todd Palin’s recent ANWR interview with Greta, including the web extras at Gretawire, into a 74-minute documentary. Enjoy!
Video courtesy of PalinTV.
Posted by Dr. Fay on August 20, 2010
Sheya at PalinTV has combined all the clips from Sarah and Todd Palin’s recent ANWR interview with Greta, including the web extras at Gretawire, into a 74-minute documentary. Enjoy!
Video courtesy of PalinTV.
Posted in Alaska's oil resources, ANWR, Governor Sarah Palin, Greta von Susteren, Todd Palin | 1 Comment »
Posted by Denise Spencer on May 28, 2010
Here we go again. A tragic situation has turned into a politic event. I find it difficult to understand why it has taken so long to stop the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico and why the President feels all Americans should be punished by stopping all drilling offshore. As I pondered the President’s remarks on the BP oil spill yesterday, I decided to take a look at the time line of events since the explosion of the oil rig on April 20.
Detailed time lines can be found here and here. An animated map showing the locations of the oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico for each day since April 25, when the slick was first measured can be found here.
Time line:
April 20: The Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico exploded and caught fire. Of the 126 people on board, 17 were injured and 11 are still missing (presumed dead).2
April 22: The Deepwater Horizon sank.
April 24: Officials discovered that the underwater “riser” structure used to connect the rig to the well was damaged and was leaking oil into the ocean. 2
April 26: Search and rescue operations ended with 11 people still unaccounted for. Officials also stated that it would take months to fix the leak even with the use of “sophisticated” underwater robots. 2
April 28: The United States Coast Guard considered setting fire to the oil in the hope of keeping some of it form reaching sensitive ecological area on the shores of the Gulf. 2
April 29: Officials announced that approximately 5,000 barrels of oil per day was leaking and not the originally estimated 1,000 barrels a day.
April 30: The oil slick was estimated to cover 6,000 square miles.
May 1: A small not for profit group, SkyTruth, analyzed satellite imagery and radar images to estimate that the oil was leaking much faster than the original estimates from the officials.
May 3: BP tried to install a shutoff valve on one o the three leaks underwater but was not successful. 2
May 5: BP stated that they were able to plug one of the leaks.
May 5: Plan to use a containment dome to stop one of the leaks failed.
May 11: Secretary Salazar announced that he will be restructuring the Minerals Managements Service in the hopes of establishing a separate and independent safety and environmental enforcement committee. 1
May12: Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu traveled to Houston to attend meetings with DOE and national lab staff, and others to discuss solutions to cap the leak and contain the spill.
May 14: Pres. Obama announced he had order Sec. Salazar to conduct a “top to bottom” review of the Minerals Management Service. 1
May 15: Sec. Napolitano and Sec. Salazar sent a letter to BP CEO stating the BP is accountable to the American Public for the complete costs of the cleanup of the spill as well as the economic losses related to the oil spill.
May 16: A riser insertion tube tool was inserted into the riser that was leaking. An estimated 2,000 barrels per day were captured by the tool.
May 17: A second drill rig started drilling a second well for relief.
May 19: Sec. Salazar signed an order leading to the fundamental restructuring of the Minerals Management Service. Energy and Environment Subcomittee Chairman Edward Markey asked that BP make public its live video feed of the leak point.
May 20: Sec. Napolitano announced that Coast Guard Adm. Allen would stay as the national incident commander for the Administration’s “continued, coordinated response to the spill” even after he stepped down from his position as Coast Guard Commandant. 1
May 22: Pres. Obama signed an order that established the bipartisan National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling. This new commission will recommend how to prevent and mitigate the impact of any spills in the future. 1
May 23: A containment boom was deployed. Approximately 10.2 million gallons of water-oil mix had been recovered.
May 24: An estimated 65.6 miles of the Louisiana coast had been impacted by the oil. Secretary of Commerce Locke declared a disaster for both commercial and recreational fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico. 1
May 25: BP began the use of “top killing” the leak by filling the leaks with mud.
May 27: Pres. Obama announced that he is extending the moratorium on new deepwater drilling permits and canceled plans for Virginia while stopping drilling in Alaska.
After researching this tragic situation, I found it very frustrating that the government is punishing the rest of the country because the officials at BP did not do their jobs. By stopping current drilling and canceling plans for future leases, Pres. Obama is locking down our chances of economic recovery as well as opening us to being less secure as we buy more and more oil from other countries. Gov. Palin addressed these issued in her Facebook note on May 24:
The Obama administration claims that it “will not rest until we get this situation under control,” but in practice it’s evident that it must do more to stop a potential environmental disaster from happening. U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen probably summed it up best when he described the Obama Administration’s approach to this crisis as “keeping a close watch” while BP is tackling the problem – at the company’s own pace. While the Administration watches from the sidelines, the Gulf Coast states face some potential disaster. This raises serious questions. Should it really take nine whole days before the Administration asked the Department of Defense for help in deploying equipment needed for the extreme depth spill site? Why is Governor Jindal still waiting, 35 days later, for material needed to tackle the oil spill to protect the coast’s environment and for federal approval to build offshore sand barriers to protect his state’s coast line? Is it correct that the Coast Guard was initially unwilling to burn off the oil for fear of causing air pollution (which would have been far less harmful than the current water pollution)?These questions all require answers. In the meantime, let me make a constructive suggestion to help the White House out of its current impasse. They should reach out to the best oil and gas team in the nation and tap into its expertise. I know just the team: Alaska’s Department of Natural Resources, led by Commissioner Tom Irwin. Having worked with Tom and his DNR team as Governor, I can vouch for their expertise and their integrity in dealing with Big Oil and overseeing its developments.
Please visit Gov. Palin’s Facebook page to read her complete statements.
I do believe that Pres. Obama was successful in garnering bipartisan support, but I don’t think he got it in the way he was planning. Sen. Mark Begich spoke with Neil Cavuto on May 27, 2010. Sen. Begich (D-AK) talked adamantly about how Alaska is falling victim to the failures of BP. He criticized the president’s move to restrict drilling in the Arctic. You can watch the video here. Virginia Sen. Mark Warner (D) also stated in an article by MSNBC that he believes the president’s annoucement might affect the Commonwealth financially.
Gov. Bob McDonnell (R-VA) and Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA) are also concerned with the economic fallout from Pres. Obama’s decision. Gov. McDonnell issued a statement yesterday:
The environmental disaster still unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico is unprecedented and devastating. The full attention of the federal government, as well as state and local governments and the private sector companies involved should appropriately be focused on permanently capping this leak and cleaning up the oil that has been spilled. The images from Louisiana and around the Gulf are stunning, and it will take significant time and resources to fully recover from this tragedy. The Commonwealth of Virginia is prepared to assist in those efforts, should our services be required or useful. I have previously called Governor Bobby Jindal to inform him of our willingness to help. He is doing excellent work in leading his state’s response.
Similarly, it will take significant time to fully investigate and evaluate what took place at the Deepwater Horizon rig on April 20th and in the ensuing weeks. This accident must lead to necessary improvements in offshore exploration and drilling technology and safety, and the implementation of new safeguards and regulations moving forward. This process will make it difficult to move forward with the lease sale currently scheduled off the coast of Virginia in 2012. Thus, I understand the decision the President has made today. While I respect his decision, and the need for delay and investigation, I do not believe outright cancellation was the only alternative given the fact that this sale was not due to occur until two years from now, and actual drilling would likely take place years after that. The two-year environmental impact statement already underway would provide ample information about the wisdom of proceeding on to an actual lease sale.
Read Gov. McDonnell’s complete statement here.
Along the same lines, Congressman Wittman issued a strong statement:
My visit to the Gulf, and this week’s Natural Resources Committee hearings have made clear to me that the federal government must focus 100% on stopping the Gulf oil spill and cleaning up the impacted coastlines. It is increasingly frustrating that 38 days into this crisis, industry and the federal government have not been able to stop the spill.
The President’s announcement today to significantly curtail further offshore energy production, including canceling a planned lease sale off the coast of Virginia, while well intentioned may set a precedent that weakens our national security and increases our reliance on imported foreign energy.
It is appropriate to carefully review and ensure that offshore energy production is appropriately regulated and conducted in a safe and environmentally sensitive manner. However, it is also critical that we promote responsible American made energy, including oil, natural gas, nuclear, coal, and renewable energy.
Click here to visit Congressman Wittman’s website.
As a concerned citizen, I feel that our government has dropped the ball here. Instead of looking for scapegoats and placing blame, they need to listen to the people with experience to stop this current leak and to continue to drill in a responsible manner.
Gov. Palin was the top executive of the nation’s largest oil producing state and I will trust her when she says in her April 30, 2010 Facebook note:
All responsible energy development must be accompanied by strict oversight, but even with the strictest oversight in the world, accidents still happen. No human endeavor is ever without risk – whether it’s sending a man to the moon or extracting the necessary resources to fuel our civilization. I repeat the slogan “drill here, drill now” not out of naiveté or disregard for the tragic consequences of oil spills – my family and my state and I know firsthand those consequences. How could I still believe in drilling America’s domestic supply of energy after having seen the devastation of the Exxon-Valdez spill? I continue to believe in it because increased domestic oil production will make us a more secure, prosperous, and peaceful nation.
On one final note, I give you a time line of a different sort. Below is the time line of posts to twitter by both Gov. Palin and the White House in the days after the explosion in the Gulf.
Tweets from @SarahPalinUSA
May 27 “I never say drill,baby,drill” Ahh, that’s much of the problem,Mr.President;Drill ANWR&unlock land for safe onshore devlpmnt/energy security
Passing The Buck Doesn’t “Plug the D#*! Hole” http://fb.me/AO2fPdT2
Deep offshore moratorium? Then correspondingly allow more onshore drilling, incl ANWR reserves. Domestic oil’s still required in US industry
Fri, President may put down the golf clubs & fundraiser fork 40 days into Gulf gusher to finally grasp this tragedy?Carville’s right on this
May 24 Big Oil: Learning from Alaska’s Experience http://fb.me/yvJYjTA1
May 23 Mr. Gibbs, Obama is the top recipient of BP PAC & individual money over the past 20 years. http://u.nu/5vpia Dispute these facts. 1:10 PM May 23rd via web
Mr. Gibbs, BP gave over $3.5mill to federal candidates over the past 20 years, with with the largest amount going to Obama http://u.nu/5vpia
May 13 Oil spill states:FIGHT that 150-yr-old,irrelevant maritime law thats used as claim to NOT apply remedy to innocent injured people;Alaska did
May 5 Gulf: learn from Alaska’s lesson w/foreign oil co’s: don’t naively trust- VERIFY. Livelihood affected by spill?Don’t sign away remedy rights
April 30 Domestic Drilling: Why We Can Still Believe http://fb.me/tgHWkTSB
Having worked/lived thru Exxon oil spill,my family&I understand Gulf residents’ fears.Our prayers r w/u.All industry efforts must b employed
April 25 Prayers for everyone impacted by the terrible oil rig disaster off the coast of Louisiana, especially families of the missing workers.
Tweets from @whitehouse
May 27 Starting soon: Obama speaks to the press on BP & more. http://wh.gov/live (or on your WH iPhone app as always)
On tap: 12:45 Obama speaks to the press at length on BP & other issues. http://wh.gov/live
May 26 Obama heading to Gulf Friday. Latest on Administration-wide response to BP oil spill here: http://bit.ly/9iGNNT
May 22 Weekly Address: Obama names co-chairs of independent oil spill commission, accountability for BP, govt http://bit.ly/9UzIna
May 14 Obama pledges ongoing full response on spill, calls BP/Halliburton finger-pointing “ridiculous spectacle” http://bit.ly/91UnJV
Starting momentarily: Obama gives an update on BP spill response efforts, watch live http://wh.gov/live
May 10 A busy day here, but the President has not taken his eye off the BP spill http://bit.ly/90NYXy
May 5 Detailed, thorough timeline from Day 1: The Ongoing Administration-Wide Response to the BP Oil Spill http://bit.ly/aYOIA3
May 4 “Holding BP Accountable”: Pfeiffer posts on ensuring BP pays, WH support for raising damages cap http://bit.ly/dctrx6
May 2 New photo gallery: The President in the Gulf Coast http://bit.ly/9Fwty3
Transcript: Gibbs press briefing on BP oil spill aboard AF1 en route to Louisiana with Obama http://bit.ly/bwRRgb
May 1 Gibbs: Update on response to the BP spill http://bit.ly/ahevm9
April 30 Gibbs post: The Response to the Oil Spill So Far http://tiny.cc/cv46n
There are many who feel Gov. Palin is unintelligent, has no experience, doesn’t know what she is talking about. Well, I disagree. If she were in the White House, she would have responded to this crisis on day one. As you can see by the twitter time line. The current administration was late by 7 days! You be the judge.
Footnotes:
1. http://beforeitsnews.com/news/50/386/Timeline_of_Events_in_BP_Oil_Spill:_Day_by_Day,_April_20_to_May_26.html
Posted in 2010, Alaska, ANWR, BP Oil | Tagged: Sarah Palin; Pres. Obama; Gulf oil spill | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Sarah Palin Web Brigade on May 25, 2009
National Review Online
Published August 01, 2008
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has exactly the high energy, political toughness, and conservative reform message that would boost Sen. John McCain’s presidential run if Big Mac were to put her on the ticket. In an interview last evening on CNBC, Palin was very clear on her drill, drill, drill message for Alaska and the rest of the U.S., along with her strong supply-side tax-cutting and free-market economic views. She did not shirk from questions about an investigation of her firing the state’s safety commissioner. She told us she has nothing to hide — let them bring it on.Kudlow: All right, now we’re pleased to welcome back to the program the much talked about rising Republican star Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin. Welcome back Governor.
Palin is dealing with Alaska’s culture of corruption by supporting all manner of reform and investigation. She basically dissed Ted Stevens, calling him a distraction. She then talked about cleansing the Republican party of all the pork-barrel corruption that cost it the congressional election of November 2006.
Palin’s response to all the vice-presidential talk is fascinating. It was a point of view I have never heard before and it underscored her independence. I have interviewed all the veep prospects, and I still have Gov. Palin at the top of my list.
I hope readers will enjoy this interview:
Palin: Thank you so much Larry.
Kudlow: Here’s the bad news. The Congress is going to take their summer recess without a vote — not even a vote — on rolling back the moratorium on drilling onshore and offshore. Not even a vote. Nothing on ANWR. Nothing on shale. Nothing on the Outer Continental Shelf. What’s your reaction to this?
Palin: Well with all due respect to Congress, it’s pretty pathetic, that action they’ve taken. I appreciate the President’s call to lift the moratorium. I appreciate the President’s call to drill in ANWR, to do all those things for American production opportunities. Very, very disappointed in Congress though.
Kudlow: You know we talked about a month ago, or last time you were on the program, you told me you were going to persuade Senator McCain to drill in ANWR. Now actually, McCain’s come a long way on drilling Outer Continental Shelf. Have you yet talked him into ANWR?
Palin: I have not talked him into ANWR yet. But yeah, aren’t you appreciative though that his mind has evolved into being open enough to say yes to that offshore? Obama certainly hasn’t gone there. So, you know, for me it’s all the more reason to support the Republican ticket heading into the next era in American economy here. We certainly need this. We need it for American security, for energy independence. All those things we talked about last time. I think we need McCain in that White House despite, still, the close-mindedness on ANWR. I think he’s going to get there though.
Kudlow: All right, well we need you to persuade him. Now you’re fighting a battle in the state. You want to get a new natural gas pipeline, as I understand it. You’ve got to get it through your state legislature. You’re going to run that up from the North Slope down through Canada and eventually to the lower forty-eight. What’s the state of play on that? Are you winning or losing on your new gas pipeline?
Palin: We’re winning and I’m glad that you asked that question. It’s so timely because it could be today that our lawmakers vote yay or nay on the TransCanada pipeline, natural gas pipeline being built 1,700 miles. This is North America’s largest, most expensive, private sector infrastructure project in our history. It’s $30 to $40 billion dollars to deal with the energy crisis—get this safe, stable, clean domestic supply of energy and natural gas flowing from our rich reserves up in Prudhoe Bay on the North Slope of Alaska, into the hungry markets in the Midwest especially.
Kudlow: Now you’re fighting with the legislature. You may get a vote this evening. Have you gone out and done a poll? Have you talked to the polar bears, and the caribou, and the large black flies? Are you sure? I want everyone on board here.
Palin: Well we do want everyone on board there. And as for the wildlife, you know, they’re doing just fine under the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline of course that has been up and running for thirty years in Alaska. So we think that even they will be on our side also, as we build this next economic lifeline for Alaska and for the rest of the U.S.
Kudlow: All right, let me go to some tougher issues up in Alaska, the so-called culture of corruption, this energy services company Veco, buying favors for state and federal contracts. I guess people linked to Veco, a couple of state legislators have been convicted, a couple more investigations, a couple more being indicted, and Senator Ted Stevens has now been caught in that loop. What can you tell us about Senator Stevens? Have you spoken to him since his seven criminal charges?
Palin: No, I haven’t spoken to him yet. And you know, it was very dismaying. It was like an earthquake that hit up here in Alaska the other day with that indictment. Very sad. Hopefully though, this won’t be a distraction and get people’s minds off what has to be done in the grand scheme of things here. And it’s like what you’re talking about all the time Larry, it is energy independence that is needed for this country. And we need folks in Congress, in the Senate, who understand that we do have to drill, that we have to unlock the lands here in Alaska, and allow, through competition, entities competing for the right to tap these resources and flow energy sources into hungry markets.
So hopefully, the Ted Stevens issues won’t be a distraction. But yeah, lots and lots of damage has been done by this oil industry service company, Veco. You know we have some local lawmakers who are serving prison time right now for their undue influence, their corruption, their bribery that was involved in this oil services company. Now Ted Stevens, as you mentioned, is embroiled in this also. Not good for Alaska. But hopefully…
Kudlow: Well what about the Republican Party in general? I mean, it seems to me the GOP has just got to cleanse itself of all the pork barrel corruption, lobbying, cash-for-favors that cost them the Congress back in November 2006. And for better or worse, Mr. Stevens has served for a very long time, I’m not here to judge him. I’m merely here to report the fact that he’s in a heap of trouble. I mean, shouldn’t he resign for example? Shouldn’t leaders like yourself and elsewhere just say, “Senator, all right, clean break, please resign?”
Palin: Well, I thought that it would be my job as governor working on the state level with those who were indicted for the corruption and bribery, to call for their stepping down. And that’s what I did. And for the most part they have stepped down. And again, some of them are facing prison terms now and are in prison. But as for Senator Stevens, still not knowing enough about that indictment yet. I think that two days later it would be premature for me to chime in and say whether he has to step down or not.
But you’re absolutely right on the cleansing that’s needed in our party, in the Republican Party. And you know I think Senator McCain is on the right track with the earmark reform that he is so adamant about. I’m right there with him. We for instance here in Alaska, our administration, we cancelled that Bridge to Nowhere. You know, we know that that earmark was not in Alaska’s, it wasn’t in the nation’s best interest. So we’re going to be a part of that reform also. It’s absolutely necessary, or the Republican agenda, which I do believe is the right agenda for Alaska and for…
[Technical disruption]
Kudlow: …Governor Palin you’re back. Okay. You see that? I’m going to call it divine intervention, trumping the technological difficulties. I appreciate your comments on Senator Stevens and the rest. Let me ask you this. Wall Street Journal today is running a story about yourself. The possibility of a state probe, “Alaska’s Palin Faces Probe.” It’s I guess an independent prosecutor. You [allegedly] tried to get your former brother-in-law fired as a state trooper. Now the legislature is trying to come after you. What’s this about? What can you tell us here?
Palin: Well, a couple of lawmakers who were pretty angry with me for replacing… [Technical disruption]…at-will political appointment who was serving in my cabinet which every governor does, a couple lawmakers who were not happy with that decision certainly are looking at me as a kind of target right now, and wanting to probe and find out why I did replace this cabinet member. And it’s cool. I want them to ask me the questions. I don’t have anything to hide. And I didn’t do anything wrong there. And it is a governor’s prerogative, a right, to fill that cabinet with members whom she or he believes will do best for the people whom we are serving. So I look forward to any kind of investigation or questions being asked because I’ve got nothing to hide.
Kudlow: Governor Palin, people want to know why you did fire your police commissioner, or public safety commissioner Monegan. And is it because he stopped you from getting rid of your brother-in-law or what? People want to know if this is an ethical lapse on your part.
Palin: I’m glad that you’re asking, because I never tried to fire a former brother-in-law who’s been divorced from my sister for quite some time. No, it was the commissioner, that we were seeking more results, more action, to fill vacant trooper positions to deal with bootlegging and alcohol abuse problems in our rural villages especially. We just needed some new direction, a lot of new energy in that position. That is why the replacement took place there of the commissioner of public safety. It had nothing to do with an estranged former brother-in-law, a divorce that had happened some years ago.
Kudlow: All right. You have a legion of fans who want you to become Senator McCain’s vice-presidential candidate. In fact, on the world’s largest pay-to-play prediction market, betting parlor, called InTrade, you are in third place with a 20 percent support probability behind former Governor Romney and present Governor of Minnesota Pawlenty. Is this police flap, state investigation, going to disqualify you from becoming Senator McCain’s vice-presidential candidate?
Palin: Well it shouldn’t disqualify me from anything, including progressing the state’s agenda here towards more energy production so we can contribute more to the U.S. Nor should it dissuade any kind of agenda progress in any arena because again, I haven’t done anything wrong. And through an investigation of our lawmakers who are kind of looking at me as a target, we invite those questions so that we can truthfully answer the questions.
But as for that VP talk all the time, I’ll tell you, I still can’t answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the VP does everyday? I’m used to being very productive and working real hard in an administration. We want to make sure that that VP slot would be a fruitful type of position, especially for Alaskans and for the things that we’re trying to accomplish up here for the rest of the U.S., before I can even start addressing that question.
Kudlow: Well I worked in the White House during President Reagan’s first term, let me assure you, and I’ve spent a lot of time in the Bush White House as a journalist in meetings with interviews. It’s a pretty big job, Madame Governor. It’s a real big job. You’d be surprised by how big the veep job is these days!
Palin: Well this is a pretty cool job here too though as Governor of Alaska—the wealthiest state in the union in consideration of the natural resources that we have. Again, and we being in a position ready, willing and able to tap these resources, flow them into hungry markets across the U.S. to lead towards a more secure nation; to lead towards a more peaceful nation also and energy independence. All those things that Alaska should be contributing. I think that I can help do that as Governor of Alaska.
Kudlow: All right, last one. McCain is ahead in Alaska, but it’s only 45-40 over Obama. It’s a traditional Republican state. Why isn’t this a bigger lead for Mac? What’s he got to do up there to make sure you carry Alaska?
Palin: That’s a good question. And you did your homework, Larry. That’s impressive. Usually yes, such a red state up here. It’s a no-brainer that the “R” is going to take the cake up here. But this is a little bit different situation now with Obama’s message resonating, even with Alaskans. That being change, a desire for no embracing of the status quo and politics as usual. But something different, something dynamic and charismatic. That does resonate well, that message of Obama’s. I still do believe of course McCain will take Alaska because he’s right on so many of the issues when it comes to — in my opinion — he’s right on war, he’s right on with energy independence measures that need to be taken. Wrong on ANWR, but we’re still working on that one.
Kudlow: Governor Sarah Palin, terrific stuff. We know you’re busy. Good luck on the pipeline vote coming up this evening. We appreciate your visiting with us very much.
Palin: Thank you so much sir.
http://kudlow.nationalreview.com/post/?q=Nzc0NzA2N2M5ZTM2ZDI3ZTBiNDM2YTcwNzU4MGFiYTM=
Unofficial transcript of the June 25, 2008 interview found at: http://www.cnbc.com/id/25394468/
Videoclip of the interview is found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ys4HGbiONY
Posted in Alaska, ANWR, Energy, Energy Independence, Governor Sarah Palin, Larry Kudlow, natural gas, Sarah Palin | Leave a Comment »