Former Gov. Sarah Palin gave her most energy-policy-infused speech yet at Friday's Southern Republican Leadership Conference today in New Orleans.To an adoring crowd she spoke of Obama's "bait and switch" energy policy, which would bankrupt America, about Democrats' "snake oil science" and "this global warming, Gore-gate stuff."

She spent some of her speech talking about alternative energy. But most of it was spent on conventional sources of energy: gas and oil and, of course, nuclear energy.

What she failed to mention in any part of her speech was coal.

Not when calling to gut government regulations and cut the number of permits needed to bring energy to market. Not even for a call to prayer for families of the recent West Virginia Coal mining tragedy, which this week killed at least 25 miners. And she was in the South.

This is no small omission. As John McCain's vice presidential running mate, Palin spent much of her time on the trail accusing Obama of trying to bankrupt the coal industry. Since, she's been a strong advocate of coal. So much so that she was recently asked to visit a West Virginia coal mining operation by a congressional challenger, former state Supreme Court Justice Elliott "Spike" Maynard, who, according to AP, has a long-standing friendship with Don Blankenship, the chief executive of the tragic mine's owner, Massey Energy Co.

Maynard is running against Democratic incumbent Rep. Nick Rahall, whose face appears on Palin's crosshairs as a congressman to kick out of office. Maynard is in part running on Rahall's record of being tough on the coal industry, saying he's part of a left-wing "war on coal miners."

It's not known if Palin answered Maynard's invitation, but he did say that she would be a big hit there. "West Virginians love Sarah because she has the same values we have," Maynard said. "She is against Obamacare and is for smaller government, and she strongly supports coal and all other forms of cheap energy. "

That was reported on April 1, four days before the tragedy.

Much in coal country has changed since then. Coal is now in trouble, as are those who have been calling on lessening government safety regulations on the industry. Now it's a political hot-button, so much that Palin won't even use the word. Not even to ask for a call for silence in remembrance of those who lost their lives just a few days ago, because, as is being reported, the coal mining operation failed to follow all those pesky government regulations.