The American Spectator

Note how Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter avoids the question from Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe (YouTube embedded at Michelle Malkin’s site):

Inhofe: …are you here supporting Waxman-Markey today?

(Insignificant exchange)

Ritter: Here’s what I support. I support a national energy policy that is married to a national climate policy. It gets at these goals that we have for greenhouse gas reductions. And I believe that if you do that, that there will be some vehicle that looks not exactly like Waxman-Markey, particularly after the Senate finishes its work, but I very much support climate legislation that is joined with a national energy policy to get us to the greenhouse gas emission reduction goals that are set for 2050.

A whole lot of talk without saying anything, with it clear that Ritter won’t publicly acknowledge he supports Waxman-Markey. That’s because as Inhofe set up his question, he outlined how Colorado oil shale deposits would be put off limits by the bill (therefore severe economic consequences for the state, and political consequences for the governor), and he also detailed how W-M would harm farmers in eastern Colorado.

Curiously also, “green” Governor Ritter has failed to take the step of joining his enviro-left colleagues as members of the Western Climate Initiative, the regional cap-and-trade initiative, despite going to great lengths during his term to hone his global warming credentials. After noting Wyoming Democrat Gov. Dave Freudenthal’s position yesterday, that now makes two of the party’s governors holding their noses over Waxman-Markey.

When you hold their feet to the fire over the implications for their states, the big talkers on greenhouse gas emissions reduction cave.

Hat tip: Club for Growth’s Andy Roth (via Facebook)