THe story that NASA is talking to Halliburton et al on drilling technology seems legit -- the source is a short, 3 year old article in Petroleum News.

http://www.petroleumnews.com/pnarch/010228-49.html

BUT, despite even my own cynicism it's nuts to think the Mars project is about helping oil companies. It only makes sense to talk to the people who have experience making deep holes in rocks. But even a $100 million drill order to Halliburton would be tiny potatoes. Much more direct ways to funnel money to them if that was your goal.

Now, is one goal boosting NASA and aerospace contractor employment in Texas and Florida? Sure, that's no secret -- according to news stories, Karl Rove himself has mentioned that.