Paris Hilton and The Gang of Ten

We all giggled. Little did we know the US Senate was doing just as she suggested. CS Monitor has the story:

Barack wants to focus on new technologies to cut foreign-oil dependency, and McCain wants offshore drilling. Well, why don’t we do a hybrid of both candidates’ ideas? We can do limited offshore drilling with strict environmental oversight, while creating tax incentives to get Detroit making hybrid and electric cars. That way, the offshore drilling carries us until the new technologies kick in, which will then create new jobs and energy independence. Energy crisis solved.

The comments thread is great fun. (Dood I dont even like her but I am so voting for her… that idea is HOT... Ah. Now if only the press would pay this much attention to legitimate “third-party” candidates... Finally, Barak has the perfect running mate. She is attractive, articulate, fits well into the rock-star mold, and her resume doesn’t outshine his... If Paris Hilton became President, wouldn’t we have the opposite problem we had with Bill Clinton? Of coruse, she’d never lie about it. In fact, she’d most likley provide video evidence.).

CNN reports with a straight face:

A group of Republican and Democratic senators dubbed the "Gang of 10" has put forth a compromise to break the stalemate on energy legislation.

The senators say their plan will lower gas prices, reduce the dependence on foreign oil and strengthen the U.S. economy.

[snip]
The "Gang of 10" includes [Kent] Conrad, D-North Dakota; Saxby Chambliss, R-Georgia; John Thune, R-South Dakota; Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina; Blanche Lincoln, D-Arkansas; Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana; Johnny Isakson, R-Georgia; Bob Corker, R-Tennessee; Mark Pryor, D-Arkansas; and Ben Nelson, D-Nebraska.

FiveThirtyEight jumped on it this morning, ticking off the political benefits of Obama's changing his endorsement of the plan from lukewarm to hot... er, I mean enthusiastic.

- Would take the drilling issue off the table.

- Would make Obama look bipartisan.

- Would make McCain look obstructionist. .

- Would highlight McCain's loyalty to Big Oil.

- Would recast 'flip-flops' as 'compromises'.

- Would help Obama in electorally significant states.

- Would distance Obama from Pelosi and Reid.

- Preempts a non-compromise drilling bill from passing.

- Preempts McCain from doing the same.

This election is more fun than any has been for a long time.