Remember this from last week?
In the wake of the Gulf oil spill, Florida voters oppose 51 - 42 percent increasing the amount of offshore oil drilling, a 48-point swing from the 66 - 27 percent support for drilling in an April 19 survey by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University.
That was an amazing number -- one out of every four voters in Florida had changed their minds on offshore drilling in a mere two months.
Teabagger wunderkind Marco Rubio doesn't give a shit.
"In the long term, offshore drilling has to be part of our overall energy strategy," Rubio said. "Other countries are going to do it, and if they have an accident, that's going to impact [the U.S.] just the same."
Of course, that's more of an argument for clean, renewable energy, than an argument for more drilling off the coast of Florida, but does Rubio really think a spill off the coast of Russia has the same effect on Florida as the BP spill has had on its beaches?
Rubio said he supports drilling "so long as it can be done safely," citing the "severe economic costs" of ending drilling.
Rubio also said he opposes congressional action to prevent BP from paying dividends.
"I've never been in favor of interfering in the markets," he said.
Rubio would rather BP's empty its coffers on behalf of its shareholders, than on behalf of the people whose lives have been ruined by this disaster.
The battle lines are clear, and while Democratic candidate Kendrick Meek has long opposed offshore drilling, Independent Gov. Charlie Crist has recently shoehorned himself (with much fanfare) into the anti-offshore drilling camp, creating a clear contrast between the two frontrunners.