Crist Changes Offshore Drilling Position

After the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Gov. Charlie Crist his backtracking from his support of offshore drilling.

After a 90-minute plane flight Tuesday above the spill, which was spreading in an 80-mile by 42-mile blob, Crist said, "Clearly it could be devastating to Florida if something like that were to occur. It's the last thing in the world I would want to see happen in our beautiful state.''

He said there is no question now that lawmakers should give up on the idea of drilling off Florida's coast this year and in coming years. He has said previously he would support drilling if it was far enough from shore, safe enough and clean enough. He said the spill is proof that's not possible.

"Clearly that one isn't far enough and that's about 50 to 60 miles out, it's clearly not clean enough after we saw what we saw today — that's horrific — and it certainly isn't safe enough. It's the opposite of safe," Crist said.

House Speaker Dean Cannon is sending a moderate message on offshore drilling. Considering that Cannon has been the biggest legislative cheerleader for offshore drilling, I don't believe Cannon to be sincere.