Begich to Palin: McCain's Your Senator Now

Politico reports:

Sen. Mark Begich is turning a deaf ear to Sarah Palin's demand that he make drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge a condition for his vote to approve raising the nation's debt ceiling.

"She's not really on my radar screen to take advice from," the Alaska Democrat told reporters Tuesday.

"Let me put it this way. It's always interesting to read what she has to say," Begich said. But, he added, "Someone who quit Alaska is not someone I look for to get Alaska policy decisions on."

In discussing the debt ceiling vote on "Fox News Sunday," Palin said: "How about people like Sen. Begich, a Democrat from Alaska. He better get ANWR in this bill, opening another domestic source of energy up there in Alaska when he votes yes for increasing the debt ceiling."

Begich, a supporter of drilling in ANWR and the Chukchi Sea, suggested that Palin look to persuade her fellow running mate Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to open ANWR to drilling.