Well what do my wondering eyes behold? That sterling example of an "Honest Politician," Ted Stevens [R -AK] has given up his quest to increase supertanker traffic in the unprotected Strait of Juan de Fuca. He has been the perennial impetus to force more oil tanker traffic on the inhabitants of this region. He has been fighting a continual battle against Senator Maria Cantwell [D-WA] to increase the flow of supertankers into the straits and she has fought him to a standstill over and over. BTW- the Magnussen Act of 1977 prohibits that type of traffic.
He now states that he has given up, but it wasn't because of Cantwell's efforts. It was because he got a single letter from a Washingtionian who just happens to be her Republican opponent in this year's election [ex SafeCo CEO Mike McGavick]. Wow. Evidently, the pen is mightier than the PAC contribution...
More after the fold
In a
story today in the Seattle Times [written by Eric Prryne] His 'surrender' is explained:
"Yesterday, Stevens handed McGavick a gift. Stevens took to the Senate floor to announce he will withdraw his own bill introduced last November to open up the Puget Sound to more oil tankers at the Cherry Point docks near Bellingham.
In doing so, he credited McGavick for persuading him to undo his legislation. He also gave McGavick an opportunity to claim as his own a corner of Cantwell's election platform of energy and environmental issues.
"I have never in my 38 years in the Senate asked to have any bill I introduced be permanently postponed, but that is my intention now," Stevens said from the Senate floor.
"One letter from a Washingtonian convinced me," he added.
At a press conference later, he identified the letter writer as McGavick. "Mike McGavick came to me and said it ought to be discussed," Stevens said.
Stevens' speech played into McGavick's own announcement about the bill a couple of hours later.
"I'm pretty proud of the role I played in this," McGavick said. "If I can do this as a candidate, imagine what I can do as a senator."
<emphasis mine>
Of course, if we parse the statements of Senator Stevens, we find that he didn't actually state that he would never bring back his legislation. I'm sure that "intentions" are like "gimme's" and only mean what you want them to mean at the time in marbles or politics.
I am certainly impressed with the epistlary ability of Mr. McGavick. One letter and the long standing feud is forgotten! Wow, what power. And his humble but pointed statement, "If I can do this [cut a backroom deal to undercut my opponent] as a candidate, imagine what I can do as a senator. [more benefits for more corporations]." Well, it just brings chills to my spine.
Of course, the fact that Mr. McGavick supports ANWR drilling and Senator Cantwell fought tooth and nail to kill it and succeeded - much to her credit among enviromentalists, has absolutely NOTHING to do with this move by Senator Stevens.
But just in case this is on the level, I've got a few more all-powerful letters he can write since his pen is so mighty.
Choose your favorite: