Energy Secretary is a Complete Putz

Apparently, qualifying for the Nobel Prize in Physics just ain't what it used to be. If DoE Secretary Steven Chu's recent conversation with the Wall Street Journal is any inkling of his intelligence, he probably rides the short bus around D.C. Here's what he had to say on deals with OPEC (h/t Flopping Aces):

On Wednesday, when approached by reporters after a speech to a group of utility regulators, Mr. Chu declined to offer an opinion on whether OPEC should cut production, saying the issue was "not in my domain." He later told reporters on a conference call that his response to the question reflected "more of my naiveté than anything else."

Mr. Chu said Thursday he feels "like I've been dumped into the deep end of the pool" in confronting questions about oil policy, such as whether the administration would consider delaying scheduled deliveries of oil this spring to the nation's strategic petroleum reserves.

The top guy in charge of energy policy in this country is naive about petroleum. That's inspiring a lot of confidence in his leadership! Jokes on us of course because we elected these people. His excuse for being a bonehead to the press was the following:

"I'm not the administration," Mr. Chu said during a meeting with reporters Thursday. OPEC members are scheduled to meet March 15 to discuss the possibility of production cuts to respond to slumping prices. "I will be speaking and learning more about this in order to figure out what the U.S. position should be and what the president's position is," Mr. Chu said.

If the executive branch isn't "The Administration", I'm not sure who is. Maybe we're waiting on the reincarnation of John Adams in puffy pants to explain OPEC policy to the press pool. Who the hell else would "The Administration" be! That's probably why the WSJ was asking you, Mr. Chu, and not the guy coming over to the house I rent tomorrow to steam clean the carpet. Although, he surely could have come up with a better answer.