Begich on oil

When Channel 11 reporter Matt Felling spoke with Sen. Mark Begich this week, their conversation focused on oil spill politics.

Begich distanced himself from the Democrats howling for BP's blood, while still underlining the importance of pressing the company on its safety standards. "I'm a Democrat from an oil and gas state that understands oil and gas and how to develop it in the right way," Begich said. "And if you look at a list of those Democrats, they don't like oil and gas, period."

Felling and Begich also touched on the oil spill liability cap and the safety difference between deep and shallow wells.

The conversation was a part of Felling's "View from the Hill," the reporter's weekly interview with one of Alaska's representatives in Washington, D.C. While the interviews will continue, the name will not: The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry (no joke) asked Felling to stop using the title. Apparently the national agricultural organization has used the name for at least some of its 143 years, and it didn't feel like sharing with an Alaskan.

In an email, Felling said "As soon as I received the letter from the National Grange's attorney, I sent an email to their President in Washington, D.C. I told him as the son of a Missouri dairy farmer, I would make the change without delay -- and that, actually, we could've saved some billable hours by chatting about it directly."

Felling is on the lookout for a new name, so if you've got a hot idea send it his way.