Andanh.com

With Sen. Barack Obama on the verge of clinching the Democratic presidential nomination, Sen. Hillary Clinton is telling party officials she's open to becoming part of what many Democrats consider the "dream ticket."

On a conference call with other New York lawmakers, Clinton, a New York senator, said she was willing to become Obama's vice presidential nominee if it would help Democrats win the White House, according to a participant who spoke on condition of anonymity because this person was not authorized to speak for Clinton.

Clinton's remarks came in response to a question from Democratic Rep. Nydia Velazquez, who said she believed the best way for Obama to win key voting blocs, including Hispanics, would be for him to choose Clinton as his running mate.

"I am open to it," Clinton replied, if it would help the party's prospects in November.

Energy firms are beating the drum of optimism to investors about the prospects of Colorado's energy boom. But change the subject to state regulation and the same companies spin a tale of woe unseen outside the Rockies pitching rotation.

Todd Hartman reports:

The message to the corporate and investor world is that Colorado has a bonanza of energy riches that's ready to be harvested. The message to the state and the public is that the proposed rules are so onerous that companies might have to reduce drilling, cut investment, even possibly take their rigs and go elsewhere.

Industry officials see no contradiction; critics see a good deal of spin.

Gas prices have been rising steadily and there's no indication they'll stop.

Still, Americans are hopping in their SUVs and aborbing the hit at the pump as just another cost of the good life.

Columnist Bonnie Erbe says it's time to put the hammer down on gas guzzling vehicles.

This weekend in my own neighborhood I observed one guy driving a Maserati with his top down. I counted three Hummers and I spied one couple pulling a powerboat behind a Cadillac Escalade. Far as I can tell, if Americans had any common sense, such behavior would have been banned years ago. Either that, or taxed into oblivion.