Big Oil Extracts First Blood

David Hayes, Obama's pick to be number two at Interior, became the Party of No's first victim, as his nomination was defeated simply to send a message to the Obama administration on behalf of the oil and gas interests who underwrite the campaigns of some powerful Western Republicans. Proving once again they are unwilling to acknowledge their 2008 defeat, the empty rhetoric of last year's GOP campaign chant, "Drill, Baby, Drill!" echoes across the barren wasteland that is the Republican Party.