Nonsense. The people are already telling everyone, including the President, what side they're on. Bush is too dense to listen to the people and do what's right and lead, for a change. This "I'll do what's right if the Congress does" attitude is childish and displays his weakness.
Another major opportunity missed.
What the Prez is doing is very smart. Charlie Rangel is desperate to get this issue off the table, because it is poison for the Dems in November. If drilling is up to them (and it is), they have to vote against it and have most of them lose their seats to enraged gasoline buyers; or for it, and have their Stalinist, anti-American backers de-fund their campaigns.
Don't forget, Rangel is the master of proposing solutions he wouldn't actually vote for. Remember his proposal to bring back the military draft? He voted against it himself.
Notice that Obama has no room to move on this one, protesting weakly that "We can't drill our way out of trouble." If this issue won't go away, there goes the election for the Dems, from the top of the ticket to the bottom.