PANETTA: CLIMATE CHANGE HAS ‘DRAMATIC IMPACT ON NATIONAL SECURITY:’ This seems like it could be a great opportunity for Romney to have a little fun with Obama, by issuing a speech saying that if his administration really believes that, they should put the environment where their mouth is, and start campaigning solely via the Internet, ground Air Force One except for national security missions, and slash the president’s enormous, seemingly ever-expanding motorcade.

As the Professor is wont to say, I’ll believe there’s a crisis when the people who tell me that there’s a crisis start to act that way themselves.

UPDATE: Insta-reader Rich Chapman emails:

Then why does Panetta commute “home” on weekends to Monterrey, Calif. aboard his government issue Air Force C-37A (aka Gulfstream V)?

“I’ve gone home because my wife and family are there and because, frankly, I think it’s healthy to get out of Washington periodically just to get your mind straight and your perspective straight.”

Periodically meaning 27 times in less than a year.

So it’s healthy for Washington bigwigs to spew carbon from private jets for weekend getaways. But it’s not healthy for ordinary people. Or it’s healthy, but somehow healthy things for ordinary people are a national security threat, whereas healthy things for the special people are a national security stimulant. Or something.

I’m guessing under the Obamacare, advanced medicine will be healthy for the special people, but a national security threat for the rest of us. Maybe our bureaucrats can relabel the death panels to “national security panels.” All decent Americans would want to support something with a name like that.

Panetta obviously hasn’t taken the Gore Pledge.