Alaska’s economic well-being — sustained by oil and federal spending — has allowed Sarah Palin to avoid some of the tough budgetary choices vexing other governors. That raises questions about how much Ms. Palin’s experience is relevant to the rest of the nation and how much she can relate to struggling blue-collar voters.

With his choice of Sarah Palin — the Alaska governor who has advocated drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and does not believe in man-made climate change — for vice president, John McCain has completed his makeover from the greenest Republican to run for president to just another representative of big oil.

Compared with his slightly hysterical opponent, Senator Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee, had been making good sense on energy questions, and his recent speeches had included a menu of proposals for energy efficiency, conservation, alternative fuels and new technologies.

The industry is concerned that the Government’s proposed emissions trading scheme makes no provision for emissions from the more than $60billion of proposed new natural gas projects, putting that investment in doubt, even though gas usually replaces far dirtier fossil fuels in the countries to which it is exported.

In comments carried by Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency, the head of the Revolutionary Guards, General Mohammad Ali Jafari, said Iran was capable of imposing “unlimited controls” at the Strait of Hormuz, the entrance to the Persian Gulf and an important oil route.

While focusing on alternative energy production, Senator Obama has veered in recent days toward increasing access to fossil fuels, both in seeking to tap the strategic oil reserve and in softening his opposition to offshore oil drilling.

The political theater in the Senate has diverted the nation from the intellectually rigorous debate over energy policy it needs to have (and should have) in an election year, while sparing lawmakers from developing serious policies that could help set the country on a more energy-efficient and environmentally sound course.

Senator McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, had earlier dropped his own opposition to offshore drilling, saying that soaring gas prices demanded new approaches. A bipartisan proposal currently before Congress would include more subsidies for alternative energy sources as well as authorization for limited offshore drilling.

Senator Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee, has until now opposed any expansion of lands for offshore drilling. But at a news conference in Florida, he noted that there had been “very constructive” talks between Senate Republicans and Democrats on the issue in recent days.