CARI-BOOYAH!!



Senate Republicans thought they could sneak this one by us while we're all focusing on the war.

They thought wrong!!!

WASHINGTON - The Senate on Wednesday rejected oil drilling in an Alaska wildlife refuge, handing the Bush administration a defeat on one of its top energy priorities.

Despite intense lobbying by pro-drilling senators and the White House in the hours leading up to the vote, Democrats mustered the support needed to remove a refuge drilling provision from a budget resolution expected to be approved later this week.

The vote on an amendment offered by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., to strip away the provision passed 52-48.

Before the vote, senators on both sides predicted it would be extremely close.

Development of the millions of barrels of oil beneath the 100-mile coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Alaska has been a key part of President Bush's energy plan. However, environmentalists contend drilling there would jeopardize a pristine area valued for its wildlife.

All but five Democrats voted against refuge drilling. There were eight Republicans who joined the Democrats in favor of barring oil companies from the refuge.

Yay Barbara Boxer! I could kiss you! Well, no . . . but I could work for your campaign!

And by the way, among those eight Republicans who voted to stop drilling...

The vote appeared to tighten when freshman Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., under intense pressure, signaled he might vote in favor of drilling. But in the end, Coleman, who succeeded the late Sen. Paul Wellstone, an ardent opponent of drilling, sided with the Democrats.

Wow, that little weasel Coleman suddenly grew a conscience. I'm sure he'll quickly stash it away though. ("but they were cheering and chanting at the wellstone funeral!" says the gop, "thus, drilling in alaska is necessary!")