The nation’s capitol is about to be abuzz with fresh blood. It won’t stay that way. As a former Washington-based correspondent, I know how the town works. The mainstream press there thrives on controversy. Point here is that President-elect Obama and company will enjoy the typical reprieve from their sharp pens. But no one should be disillusioned when that honeymoon comes to an abrupt end.

Constructive critiques are one thing. Bottom feeding is another. It’s simply too difficult for some national reporters who are pulled in several different topical directions to become expert in real policy matters. By default, they focus on politics over substance. It’s far more tantalizing for them to talk about Obama’s tentative ties to the embattled Illinois governor than to get into much depth on Obama’s energy plan.

No problem. Energy Central and others like it will happily fill the void. Our readers don’t really care about who is up and who is down. They care about the issues – about how Washington’s policies will affect their lives. Certainly, politics will invariably contribute to the ultimate outcome of legislation. And we’ll be there for that too. But our coverage will be far more incisive and meaningful than some others. Stay tuned.

The EnergyBiz Leadership Forum, to be held March 8 to 10 in Washington, D.C., will tackle this and other issues related to national security, the economic downturn, new administration policy, technology innovation, environmental concerns and consumer demand – the key drivers in our looming energy crisis. You, too, can join such luminaries as T. Boone Pickens, Dan Reicher and James E. Rogers in a series of keynotes, presentations and roundtables to discuss today’s energy realities and the role national policy should play in facilitating energy independence. For details, or to register, see http://www.energybizforum.com