Palin, McCain's energy on energy is saved for drilling

She didn't mention polar bears. Or shooting wolves from helicopters.

But Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, addressing the environment and energy on Wednesday night, went on and on about Alaska's rich bounty of fossil fuels -- and her state's ability to provide for America's traditional dependence on carbon-emitting fuels -- through pipelines and drilling and tapping that rich reserve.

On Thursday night, when running mate John McCain waxed on the importance of exploring and tapping offshore oil and gas -- "We'll drill them now. We'll drill them now'' -- Palin led the chorus of approbation, shooting to her feet to applaud.

This was the same crowd that repeatedly chanted "Drill, baby drill!!'' during former New York Mayor Rudolph Guiliani's speech the night before. Many delegates on Thursday wore stickers that read: "Drill Alaska. Drill Now. Pay Less"

In her speech, Palin had said: "Our opponents say, again and again, that drilling will not solve all of America's energy problems -- as if we all didn't know that already. But the fact that drilling won't solve every problem is no excuse to do nothing at all.''

Like Palin the night before, McCain moved from gas and oil development to pledge major expansions first in nuclear power and in ''clean coal.'' After that, he mentioned support for solar, wind, tide and hybrid technologies like flex fuel, although he has missed eight votes in Congress to accelerate development of alternate fuels.

While McCain mentioned alternative fuel, as Palin had briefly the night before, the Alaska governor remained seated.

To quote Palin from a night earlier, ''The stakes for our nation could not be higher.''

''The stakes'' she referred to: a $40 billion natural-gas pipeline.