I have writer's block. A few weeks ago I learned that I had been nominated for some award or another and, as such, I needed to write an essay to cement my place as a recipient of said award. After staring at my computer screen for an hour and a half, unable to find the inspiration to write the essay's conclusion, I figured I would watch Sunday's edition of Meet the Press. And, as it happened, the lovely and talented Junior Senator from Illinois, Barack Obama had Tom Brokaw's ear for the duration of this Sunday's program.

Senator Obama did not choose Meet the Press as the venue for any exciting announcements. By and large, he took the opportunity to reiterate his past statements and clear up some lasting ambiguities. I thought the Senator could have handled his response to the Surge questions with a tad more directness and clarity, but, otherwise, Senator Obama continues to improve as an extemporaneous speaker.

About two-thirds of the way through the broadcast, however, Tom Brokaw switched gears turned his questioning toward the United States' economy. Most of what the Senator said made sense. But then Mr. Brokaw brought up this line of questioning:

I wish Senator Obama had agreed, as Tom Brokaw suggested in his question, that the high price of oil — while painful in the short run for the mythical Average American — will eventually serve to benefit not only the nation's well-to-do, but everyone on every rung of the economic ladder. For a professed supporter of the Free Market, Senator Obama seems hesitant to allow the market to work its magic.

The longer the United States takes measures to soften the blow of high gasoline prices — whether by sending taxpayers another stimulus check or by expanding the potential for offshore drilling — the longer it will take for the United States to kick its oil habit.