When a BP hydrogeologist looked at the nightmare of the Deepwater Horizon spill -- that's his voice in the clip -- he saw an event that the Gulf of Mexico would easily recover from. The new House Science and Technology Committee chair, Rep. Ralph Hall (R-Texas) looked past the nightmare entirely, to a vision of the Earth's bounty:

As we saw that thing bubbling out, blossoming out -- all that energy, every minute of every hour of every day of every week -- that was tremendous to me. That we could deliver that kind of energy out there -- even on an explosion.

Hey, it wasn't a disaster! It was oil exploration! And my goodness, there's a lot down there.

Wonkroom/Grist report that the oil state politician has, of course, gotten some oil money -- including some from BP.