Pelosi’s new prerogative

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi seems to have changed her tune a bit on the prospect of offshore drilling—an oil-production method she has long opposed.

During an appearance last week on Meet the Press, the California Democrat said drilling in federal waters could be an option if it’s proven as a viable way to solve the United States’ energy crisis. Pelosi added that big oil should in turn be required to spend a portion of the resulting profits to develop new sources of clean energy.

Despite the apparent about face, Pelosi acknowledged she doesn’t believe drilling will produce an immediate or long-term solution to energy costs and criticized President Bush for touting it as such.