Pete "The Drill" Domenici

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is holding his ground on not allowing offshore drilling.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Monday that he would not allow a vote on an amendment giving states new authority to seek oil off their coasts when he brings a Democratic energy bill to the floor later this month.

In a sign of escalating tensions, one senior GOP senator called Reid a “chicken” for deciding not to allow amendments on energy production, prompting a Reid spokesman to say that “name calling won't lower the price of oil and gasoline.”

The Senator that called Reid chicken is Pete Domenici. This is the same Pete Domenici that is not seeking re-election because of his role in the U.S. Attorneys scandal.

"Does it seem to you like it does to me like Harry Reid is either scared chicken to have a vote, or has decided that he's going to dictate to the United States Senate?" the ranking Republican on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee said, turning to Alexander at a GOP press conference. "I don't know if you'll use the word 'chicken,' but I will because that's what he's saying: He's saying, 'I'm frightened by the idea that we're going to actually have a vote on a new plan for this huge, huge, reserve of gas and oil that belongs to none other than the people of the United States.' "

Rodell Mollineau, a Reid spokesman, shot back at Domenici.

“Sticks and stones may break our bones, but name calling won't lower the price of oil and gasoline,” Mollineau said. “This is the U.S. Senate, not a schoolyard. If Republicans are serious about solving our energy crisis they will work with us this month to rein in greedy speculators, pass renewable tax credits and pressure oil companies to drill on the 68 million acres they already have.”

"Chicken" and "sticks and stones may break our bones." Was someone holding back on "liar, liar pants on fire" as the knockout shot? This is so asinine.

As for Domenici, the Republicans for Environmental Protection gave him a zero rating. The REP report listed Domenici has having the worst environmental voting record of any Republican Senator during the 2006 session. Domenici's desire to drill for oil cost him points.

I find it funny that Domenici judges a person's manhood by putting a drill in the ground. The Freudian implications are endless.