The Coalition of the Swilling

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February 21, 2009

Pretty Vacant

The Depart of Energy's own website says it better than I ever could

Wile E Chuyote, Super Genius

In the comments to my post yesterday reader "pmp" chides moi for taking a "cheap shot" at Dr. Chu

Y'know, you'd think that with all the genuine mess-ups being committed by this administration on a daily basis, you wouldn't have to resort to cheap shots.

First off, my dear fellow, I like cheap shots. Oh sure, sometimes I pride myself on a skillful parry with a foil or some daring Errol Flynn-esque derring-do with a witty rapier thrust, but heck, sometimes when the softball's been tossed slowly right down Main Street ya' needs to just whack at the damn thing, you know?

But to defend myself against this worrisome charge let's look again at the situation in question. Dr. Chu, aka "Wile E Chuyote, Super Genius," was named to his post on December 15th, 2008, well over a month before President Obama was to be inaugurated. So one would reasonably expect that a Cabinet Member, especially a "Nobel Prize Winner," of an Administration that was pledging to "hit the ground running," especially one who is "charged with helping implement President Obama’s ambitious agenda to invest in alternative and renewable energy, end our addiction to foreign oil, address the global climate crisis and create millions of new jobs" (and to boldly go where no man has gone before!)...I don't know, is it a "cheap shot" to be upset that the Point Man for our Glorious Leader's Ambitious Energy Agenda, the man who is the Official Spokesman for US Energy Policy, after eight weeks of preparation can do no better than this:

At a forum with reporters on Thursday, (Steven Chu) the head of the department that has traditionally taken the lead on global oil-market policy, was asked what message the Obama administration had for the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries at its meeting next month.

"I'm not the administration," the Cabinet secretary replied. "I will be speaking and learning more about this in order to figure out what the U.S. position should be and what the president's position is."

...The day before, reporters asked him about OPEC output levels after a speech to a group of utility regulators. He responded that the issue was "not in my domain."

I'm sorry, that is simply gobsmackingly incompetent. I can not possibly fathom how one could characterize this as "cautious, circumspect, and reassuring." You find it reassuring that after two months the Secretary has no idea what his policy positions are, what his boss's positions are, or even what subjects fall in to his own portfolio? I mean, gosh, "OPEC output levels" might possibly be of concern to the Secretary of Energy? Who could ever have imagined such a thing! Is this some secret right-wing plot?

Yes, it's illustrative/indicative/representative of damn near every other appointment and nearly every decision that Obama has made...which is sadly not surprising for a guy who has zero executive experience.

You're better than that.

Dude, you're talking about a guy who writes posts titled "Sorry Guys: No More Hummers"

No I'm not.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at February 21, 2009 10:26 AM

Comments

Posted by: Gunslinger at February 21, 2009 11:08 AM

Posted by: tree hugging sister at February 21, 2009 11:19 AM

Posted by: JeffS at February 21, 2009 12:05 PM

Posted by: major dad at February 21, 2009 07:10 PM

Posted by: colin at February 22, 2009 10:34 AM

Posted by: Yojimbo at February 22, 2009 05:08 PM

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at February 23, 2009 06:33 AM

Posted by: Eriyukcz at July 13, 2009 05:49 PM