| "> | | | | President Bush, when queried about Chavez's position, |
| President Chavez of Venezuela, responding to the | | | | said, "As you know, I have been a champion of |
| Chevron discovery of new oil reserves in the deep | | | | American oil independence, and it's a poor loser like |
| waters of the Gulf of Mexico, which more than double | | | | Chavez who makes me advocate it. Here's what I |
| America's known reserves, stated, "What do these | | | | say back." |
| gringos mean - new oil reserves? These oil reserves | | | | At this point, he reached into a presidential pocket and |
| are the result of an oil leak from Venezuela." | | | | pulled out an American-made oil-pressure gauge. "I |
| A reporter asked, "How have you been able to | | | | have my little measuring device, too, and I have |
| determine that, President Chavez?" | | | | determined that all the oil pressure in Venezuela is |
| "No problem," Chavez said, reaching into his pocket. "I | | | | actually the result of a leak from the Gulf of Mexico. |
| have an oil-pressure gauge that I carry with me at all | | | | So I demand that Chavez plug the wells in his own |
| times, and I check the pressure in Venezuela's oil wells | | | | country and start to buy oil from us. I also demand a |
| every single day." | | | | complete refund for all the oil we bought from |
| He held up the implement. "See, an oil-pressure gauge. | | | | Venezuela before we found out it came from |
| So one day last week, I noticed a drop. Next thing I | | | | America." |
| know, Chevron reports a big find. I demand that the | | | | How will the high-pressure debate work out? We are, |
| imperialist US plug the leak or I'll say even more nice | | | | it seems, at the mercy of time and the highly |
| things about Castro." | | | | competitive effort of drilling for dollars. |