As Senator Akaka says, we have been looking at this for some time, and I just thought particularly for maybe some of the people here from the media to remind them that this program started back in 1956.

Well, that's at the heart of the question. Because when the 30-day report came out by the president's scientific experts, the report's final conclusion led people to believe that it was the scientists themselves who recommended the…

Well, no, and in fact the inspector general's report confirms that the decision to impose this drilling moratorium was based on manipulated data by the administration.

Well, and I appreciate that they're going to take the administration at their word, but it's not our job to take the administration at their word when there are real documents that are out there that they haven't released yet.

I want to see is the administration come clean. Because Anderson, the administration has acknowledged over 12,000 people have lost their jobs due to this moratorium.

I think they're going to probably invoke the Cheney doctrine here. But you know, again, I think questions are fair to ask here.

I think questions are fair to ask here. I mean, it was a decision that had severe impact on the people in my state.

the decision to impose this drilling moratorium was based on manipulated data by the administration.

Well, of course it is. I mean, look, there's going to be a lot more. It's -- it's -- it's -- this is what happens. You have an election, and everybody is going to come in as an outsider and they are going to change Washington, and they…

Well, I think that -- I think the House Democrats made them transparent. I think they changed the rules, if -- if -- to -- my memory serves me correctly. And, you know, they -- they come in, and spending is the big thing. Well, we're going…

I think -- I think he makes an eminently fair point. So, January the 4th, two months, when they come back, let them specify the $100 billion cuts out of $477 billion. I think that's an eminently reasonable proposal that Mr. Card has made.

But they have pledged to cut $100 billion -- 20 percent.

We do have some guidance from the Republicans in the Pledge to America, which was a campaign document in which they pledged to cut $100 billion out of the $477 billion in discretionary spending.

It's early, but it's later than you think.

Yes. If we were a parliamentary government, the government would have failed after Katrina. But we're not a parliamentary government. We're a constitutional government.

If I were Sarah Palin's political adviser, that I'd say, 'Governor, we shouldn't go for this.' That poll gives me more of a green light than anything.

Because you can't do it. There's not -- you can't cut $100 billion from $477 billion of some of the most essential parts of the federal government. But they have pledged to do it, so let's see if they can do it.

This was a tough night for the president, the public -- public expressing pretty serious reservations here.