Ebbie, I came on-site wanting to have a word about this event and ya beat me to it!

Regardless of my views as stated above and in other threads, the ham-handed way that the Alaska delegation has gone about pressing its case has been disappointing. With all the subtlety of a brick, Sen.
Stevens has either talked of or tried attaching ANWR development to Katrina relief package and now defense package. Reminds me of a snatch of dialog between Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect:

Arthur: "On Earth we have a word-"
Ford: "HAD a word."
Arthur: "Called 'tact'"