Drill, baby, drill
Encyclopedia
"Drill, baby, drill!" was a 2008 Republican
campaign slogan first used at the 2008 Republican National Convention
by former Maryland Lieutenant Governor
Michael Steele
, who was later elected Chairman of the Republican National Committee
. The slogan expressed support for increased drilling for petroleum
as a source of additional energy.
as he called for increasing domestic production of oil, and the phrase proved to be popular among the delegates. Prior to the Republican National Convention, Erik Rush, a conservative blogger and author of The Other Rush blog, had titled his August 28, 2008 sheet "Drill, baby, drill!"
One possible source of the expression "Drill, baby, drill" was a similar three word expression used by Bill Epton
, an African American radical, whose three word statement "Burn, baby, burn" in 1964 led to him being "the first person convicted of criminal anarchy since the Red Scare of 1919
". Another possible explanation of the origin is that Erik Rush or some predecessor modeled the phrase after the title of the 1966 Mario Bava film Operazione paura which was released in the USA under the colorful title Kill, Baby, Kill
and also known as Kill, Baby... Kill! The 1973 Ray Austin film House of the Living Dead also used this same title Kill, Baby, Kill when released in USA video format, although this latter film achieved little of the popularity of the earlier Bava film. Another possibility is that it is a play on the "Burn Baby Burn" lyrics of the song "Disco Inferno
".
between Sarah Palin
and Joe Biden
, "drill, baby, drill" reached a new prominence. Joe Biden, referring to the energy crisis and McCain's 20 votes against funding solar and wind energy, stated that McCain thinks "the only answer is drill, drill, drill. Drill we must, but it will take 10 years for one drop of oil to come out of any of the wells that are going to be drilled." Palin responded by saying, "The chant is 'drill, baby, drill.' And that's what we hear all across this country in our rallies because people are so hungry for those domestic sources of energy to be tapped into."
, a major oil spill
at a BP
offshore drilling rig
in the Gulf of Mexico
. The spill is causing extensive environmental damages and economic losses estimated in the billions of dollars. As a result, some proponents of "Drill, baby, drill" became embarrassed about their previous support. The slogan was parodied as "Spill, baby, spill", and "Kill, baby, Kill". Two senior Republican Senators
, Jon Kyl
and Pat Roberts
, made comments attempting to distance themselves and the Republican Party from the slogan.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
campaign slogan first used at the 2008 Republican National Convention
2008 Republican National Convention
The United States 2008 Republican National Convention took place at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, from September 1, through September 4, 2008...
by former Maryland Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Maryland
The Lieutenant Governor of Maryland is the second highest ranking official in the executive branch of the state government of Maryland in the United States. He or she is elected on the same ticket as the Governor of Maryland and must meet the same qualifications.The current Lieutenant Governor is...
Michael Steele
Michael S. Steele
Michael Stephen Steele is an American politician who served as the first African-American chairman of the Republican National Committee from January 2009 until January 2011. From 2003 to 2007, he was the seventh Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, the first African American elected to statewide...
, who was later elected Chairman of the Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
. The slogan expressed support for increased drilling for petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
as a source of additional energy.
Etymology
Michael Steele used the phrase "Drill, baby, drill" during an address to the 2008 Republican National Convention2008 Republican National Convention
The United States 2008 Republican National Convention took place at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, from September 1, through September 4, 2008...
as he called for increasing domestic production of oil, and the phrase proved to be popular among the delegates. Prior to the Republican National Convention, Erik Rush, a conservative blogger and author of The Other Rush blog, had titled his August 28, 2008 sheet "Drill, baby, drill!"
One possible source of the expression "Drill, baby, drill" was a similar three word expression used by Bill Epton
Bill Epton
William Leo "Bill" Epton Jr. , was a Maoist African-American communist activist. He was Vice Chairman of the Progressive Labor Party until approximately 1970, and chairman of its Harlem branch until that position went null upon Epton's incarceration for incitement to violence in 1964.Epton was "the...
, an African American radical, whose three word statement "Burn, baby, burn" in 1964 led to him being "the first person convicted of criminal anarchy since the Red Scare of 1919
First Red Scare
In American history, the First Red Scare of 1919–1920 was marked by a widespread fear of Bolshevism and anarchism. Concerns over the effects of radical political agitation in American society and alleged spread in the American labor movement fueled the paranoia that defined the period.The First Red...
". Another possible explanation of the origin is that Erik Rush or some predecessor modeled the phrase after the title of the 1966 Mario Bava film Operazione paura which was released in the USA under the colorful title Kill, Baby, Kill
Kill, Baby, Kill
Kill, Baby, Kill is an Italian horror film by director Mario Bava. It is known under many titles including Curse of the Dead, Curse of the Living Dead, Don't Walk in the Park, Kill, Baby.....
and also known as Kill, Baby... Kill! The 1973 Ray Austin film House of the Living Dead also used this same title Kill, Baby, Kill when released in USA video format, although this latter film achieved little of the popularity of the earlier Bava film. Another possibility is that it is a play on the "Burn Baby Burn" lyrics of the song "Disco Inferno
Disco Inferno
Disco Inferno is a song by The Trammps.Disco Inferno can also refer to:* Disco Inferno , a 1976 disco album recorded by The Trammps featuring the song* Disco Inferno , a band formed in the late 1980s...
".
Vice Presidential debate
On October 2, 2008, at the vice-presidential debateUnited States vice-presidential debate, 2008
The 2008 United States vice-presidential debate, took place on October 2, 2008, between U.S. vice-presidential candidates Sarah Palin, the Governor of Alaska, and Joe Biden, the senior Senator for Delaware, at Washington University in St. Louis, and was moderated by Public Broadcasting Service...
between Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
and Joe Biden
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama...
, "drill, baby, drill" reached a new prominence. Joe Biden, referring to the energy crisis and McCain's 20 votes against funding solar and wind energy, stated that McCain thinks "the only answer is drill, drill, drill. Drill we must, but it will take 10 years for one drop of oil to come out of any of the wells that are going to be drilled." Palin responded by saying, "The chant is 'drill, baby, drill.' And that's what we hear all across this country in our rallies because people are so hungry for those domestic sources of energy to be tapped into."
Aftermath of the BP oil spill
Republicans continued to use the slogan after the 2008 election. In 2010, however, the slogan received renewed attention because of the Deepwater Horizon oil spillDeepwater Horizon oil spill
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico which flowed unabated for three months in 2010, and continues to leak fresh oil. It is the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry...
, a major oil spill
Oil spill
An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially marine areas, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is mostly used to describe marine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters...
at a BP
BP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
offshore drilling rig
Drilling rig
A drilling rig is a machine which creates holes or shafts in the ground. Drilling rigs can be massive structures housing equipment used to drill water wells, oil wells, or natural gas extraction wells, or they can be small enough to be moved manually by one person...
in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. The spill is causing extensive environmental damages and economic losses estimated in the billions of dollars. As a result, some proponents of "Drill, baby, drill" became embarrassed about their previous support. The slogan was parodied as "Spill, baby, spill", and "Kill, baby, Kill". Two senior Republican Senators
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, Jon Kyl
Jon Kyl
Jon Llewellyn Kyl is the junior U.S. Senator from Arizona and the Senate Minority Whip, the second-highest position in the Republican Senate leadership. In 2010 he was recognized by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world for his persuasive role in the Senate.The son...
and Pat Roberts
Pat Roberts
Charles Patrick "Pat" Roberts is the senior United States Senator from Kansas. A member of the Republican Party, he has served since 1997...
, made comments attempting to distance themselves and the Republican Party from the slogan.
See also
- Bakken FormationBakken FormationThe Bakken formation, initially described by geologist J.W. Nordquist in 1953,is a rock unit from the Late Devonian to Early Mississippian age occupying about of the subsurface of the Williston Basin, underlying parts of Montana, North Dakota, and Saskatchewan...
- BP oil spill
- Oil discovery
- United States offshore drilling debateUnited States offshore drilling debateThe United States offshore drilling debate is an ongoing debate in the United States on whether or not offshore drilling for new wells off the coast of the U.S. should be allowed....