Bill Richardson also predicted it -- or so he says. I have a tendency to believe he has something of a case, based on what he was saying on the Sunday talk shows.

Look Bush's energy bill got caught up in the ANWR provision -- and possibly several other things, but certainly ANWR.

That can be spun by either side looking to make a partisan attack. But the fact is, the bill was blocked because of ANWR.

It seems to me that if action is required right now on the grid, then those provisions should be removed from the overall energy bill and presented seperately.

I doubt many of the legislators who are against drilling in ANWR are going to be cowed into voting for that overall package, even now -- and I hope the Bush administration doesn't try.