Obama transition team head: Don't drill here, don't drill now

Barack Obama must want to serve just one term. Barack Obama was expected to lift the President Bush's executive order on stem cell research, but any hope that the Democrats "got religion" when Americans screamed in anger over high gasoline prices this summer appears to be dashed.

President-elect Obama plans to use his executive powers to make an immediate impact when he takes office, perhaps reversing Bush administration policies on stem cell research and domestic drilling for oil and natural gas.

John Podesta, Obama's transition chief, said Sunday Obama is reviewing President Bush's executive orders on those issues and others as he works to undo policies enacted during eight years of Republican rule. He said the president can use such orders to move quickly on his own.

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On drilling, the federal Bureau of Land Management is opening about 360,000 acres of public land in Utah to oil and gas drilling. Bush administration officials argue that the drilling will not harm sensitive areas; environmentalists oppose it.

"They want to have oil and gas drilling in some of the most sensitive, fragile lands in Utah," Podesta said. "I think that's a mistake."

What part of our planet, Mr. Podesta, is not sensitive or fragile?

My guess is that Obama is considering reinstating the executive order banning new offshore oil drilling, with Congress putting its own ban back in place as well.

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