Gas prices again lead weekly addresses
March 17th, 2012
06:00 AM ET
8 years ago

Gas prices again lead weekly addresses

Washington (CNN) - Sparring about gas prices spilled over from the campaign trail to the Democratic and Republican weekly addresses on Saturday, with each side arguing that their opponents are responsible for the pinch at the pump.

Energy dominated the addresses for the fourth straight week and split along familiar lines: President Barack Obama maintained that drilling alone is an unsustainable path, and Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Colorado, said the "Obama administration has consistently slowed or shut down domestic energy production."

- Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker

Obama said there is little the White House can do to directly impact oil and gas prices, as "the price of gas depends on a lot of factors that are often beyond our control."

"It's easy to promise a quick fix when it comes to gas prices. There just isn't one," he said, before referencing the gas-price platform of GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich. "Anyone who tells you otherwise - any career politician who promises some three-point plan for $2 gas - they're not looking for a solution. They're just looking for your vote."

Obama touted his efforts "to go after fraud and to prevent traders from manipulating the market," as well as fuel efficiency standards which would save consumers at the pump.
Gardner said he was encouraged by some of the president's statements, but accused Obama of not following through.

"Right now, there are at least seven bipartisan, House-passed energy bills sitting in the Democratic Senate, waiting on a vote," he said.

Gardner said Obama is not doing enough on energy taxes, pipeline projects and domestic drilling.


Energy will remain on the agenda next week, as the president makes stops in Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Ohio to showcase his energy agenda, including a visit to a solar power facility and an oil production field. The Republican presidential hopefuls can be expected to address the topic ahead of contests in Puerto Rico, Illinois and Louisiana.

Also see:

Rush Limbaugh joins Twitter

New DNC video pits Romney against women

With or without Adelson, Gingrich aims for Tampa

Filed under: 2012 • Energy • President Obama
soundoff (11 Responses)
  1. J.V.Hodgson

    So the almighty US president, not the free market economy, is responsible for gas prices at the pump!?
    Give us all a break media and start talking sense not drama. US oil production is up from 3/4 years ago, more drilling permits have been granted and Not utilised by oil companies; and the Canadian oil pipeline even if approved then most is going to be exported to other markets.
    Too many speculators in the market making money and forcing prices up beyond realistic levels.
    Reducing dependency on Oil is a far more effective long term strategy to lower pump prices and stabilise the US economy.

    March 17, 2012 06:19 am at 6:19 am |
  2. cisco4

    Free market Repubicans and their corp lots of new autos in china and india..

  3. Living in the REAL world

    Obama is such a complete fraud in this matter. He takes credit for reduced demand which his doing in a perverse sort of way. He has kept the unemployment rate so high for so long there are millions fewer people commuting to jobs due to unemployment or just giving up and going on social security or disability.

    As for the increase in production, Obama is a blatant liar. Oil and gas production are DOWN on federal lands, which his administration controls. Oil and gas production on state and private land are UP. And the lead time to get these resources to market are several years (5-10) which means ANY increase is to the credit of the BUSH administration, not Obama.

    This instance is yet another example of Obama lying to Americans. Obamacare has turned out to be one massive pile of lies that get disclosed a few at a time. Now estimated to cost twice as much, but probably will be 3-4 times more, further adding to the massive debt this country has accumulated.

    This country simply cannot afford 4 more years of these lies.

    March 17, 2012 08:09 am at 8:09 am |
  4. diridi

    Only alternative is Nationalize Oil companies, price comes down. Or else, Get Oil Speculators, Price comes down, then push more Energy-Efficiency Cars on the roads at cheaper prices. This is the only alternative, meanwhile, push for more "Public Transportation". Good luck. Obama2012.

    March 17, 2012 08:24 am at 8:24 am |
  5. Bystander

    Gas price goes up and down like the stock market, it is all at the mercy of the wild swing of supply and demand. Do the politicians understand that?

    March 17, 2012 08:55 am at 8:55 am |
  6. Chuck Anaheim, Ca

    Enough of the BS that the President can control gas prices! Do yourself a favor and watch billo the clown has to say on gas prices on 6-17-2008, it's available on You-Tube, and then see what the same bunch of clueless idiots say today. It's a global market folks and the USA does NOT set gas prices anymore china and india do. We are now a net exporter of energy so therefore any additional oil that is produced here will be sold on the open market at the price that china and india will pay.

    March 17, 2012 09:27 am at 9:27 am |
  7. Charles W. Skinner

    President Obama is LYING to the American people. The President could do HUGE amounts to lower gas prices (and believe me, if they get above $4.15 right before election day, Obama WILL move heaven and earth to lower them temporarily so that it doesn't hurt his re-election campaign).

    Here are FIVE things that the President could do that would IMMEDIATELY lower gas prices:
    1.) Approve Keystone XL – Just because it will take a while to build doesn't mean that it won't have an effect. Increased likelihood of future larger supply caches reduces prices now (supply-demand elasticity curve).
    2.) Override State requirements for "Fuel Blends" and "Ethanol" use (reduces the "changeover" time for refineries from fuel oil to the state custom "blends," thus creating faster production).
    3.) Reopen the closed Continental Shelf areas (he's closed HUGE amounts of areas in off-shore drilling opened under the Bush administration). See #1.
    4. Reopen the closed Federal Lands (he's closed off MILLIONS of acres of Federal lands to drilling. See #1.
    5. Get the EPA out of the way of the development of Oil Shale. While oil shale isn't necessarily good for gasoline production, it is GREAT for some of the heavier petroleum products, which frees up lighter oil for gasoline use.


    These people must really think the American people are stupid. We know where the high price is coming from and we will show you in Dem landslide in Nov!!!

    March 17, 2012 09:39 am at 9:39 am |
  9. geg

    the oil company,s lean republican,speculators republican–every body new gas prices would shoot threw the roof in a election year, its the way the republicans punish the middle class for not putting there guy in the white house

    March 17, 2012 09:44 am at 9:44 am |
  10. sensible

    I notice he couldn't NAME any 'roadblocks' that President Obama put in the way of entrepreneurs!...
    It is a fact that there is more production and less dependancy on foreign oil today than at any time in the last 10 years.(The republicans actually like high prices, because their buddies make more profit and they think it will hurt President Obama.) The 'drill baby drill' people do not understand that a well takes years to realize and will not help us today! Also the 'wonderful' pipeline, that is to solve all our problems, is really for export! Not only would it take years to complete, thus not helping our 'price problem', but the crude refined will go onto a ship destined for China. We will be risking our water supplies to benefit China!(All the intellectually challenged people screaming to enact these 'remedies' do not understand the simple facts.)
    The real solutions is to stop the 'drumbeat' of war with Iran from the right(who love to send other people's children to fight) and to severely restrict the actions of the speculators, who are holding up vast amounts of crude to make a profit! It wouldn't hurt to tax the 'patriotic' oil companies, who are exporting record amounts of gasoline, also inflating prices!

    March 17, 2012 10:01 am at 10:01 am |
  11. sensible

    It's the republicans who are putting roadblocks in the way of entrepreneurs who are trying to develop solar, wind, and other forms of alternate energy. I feel it is to benefit their buddies in the oil industry.
    The oil industry has a history of blocking any development that would reduce our dependence on their product. They had a hand in destroying the 'first' electric car. They have lobbied for restrictions on LP and hydrogen powered vehicles. They don't care about us, they only care about their profits!
    We need to totally get off oil!

    March 17, 2012 10:11 am at 10:11 am |