Bush* chastises incumbant for not being tough enough on oil producers

[Toots]

Apr. 24, 2004) With gasoline prices hitting the stratosphere, the presidential candidate chastised the incumbent for not being tough enough on the oil producers.

"I think the President ought to get on the phone with the OPEC cartel and say: 'We expect you to open your spigots.'  The President of the United States must jawbone OPEC members to lower the price," declared Gov. George W. Bush four years ago. He vowed to do just that with the "Saudis" and others who cut oil production.

As Bush prepared to move into the Oval Office in early 2001, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D IL) reminded him of that campaign promise and urged him to jawbone his friends in the energy industry to keep prices down.  Instead, he hired them.
<snip>
With gas prices again soaring, political contributions from the energy industry have been keeping pace. According to Public Citizen's Congress Watch, oil and gas companies have given at least $15.8 million to the 2000 and 2004 Bush campaigns so far, and much more is expected.  

"The Bush administration's handouts to the oil and gas industries have gone beyond a wildcatter's wildest dreams," says Craig Aaron of Congress Watch.
<snip>
At the time Bush made his jawboning vow, oil prices were nearly $28 a barrel; today they're about $10 higher.

The day after the Saudi cutback, the President met with his old pal, Prince Bandar, who said he encountered no presidential jawboning.  The Saudi ambassador emerged to declare the cut stands. Prices at the pump quickly set new records.
<snip>
Adel al-Jubeir, sounding like his talking points were written by White House political guru Karl Rove, said the only problems are American environmental regulations and a shortage of refineries here.

The administration agreed, but it did not demand that the industry invest its record profits -- fueled by rising prices and generous Bush tax breaks -- in new refineries and clear energy technology.

When the administration finally begin jawboning, it agreed with al-Jubeir that the real culprits are right here in Washington. The White House, a self-declared blame-free, mistake-proof zone, said the fault lies in environmental regulations, a Congress that has stalled the President's energy bill and tree huggers who oppose drilling in the Alaska wilderness.  

One giant flaw in that argument was pointed out by Bush's own Energy Information Administration.  The administration's energy bill would actually raise gas prices -- as much as 8.1 cents a gallon over the next decade -- EIA reported, and cuts in imports would come about because rising prices would lower demand, not increase domestic supply

http://www.house.gov/schakowsky/article_4_27_04_Well_Oiled.html

[splat@14]

1. There is so much hypocrisy from this administration, its almost

an hourly event.

Great post, by the way!

[GiovanniC]

2. And That Article Is Old

"At the time Bush made his jawboning vow, oil prices were nearly $28 a barrel; today they're about $10 higher."

TODAY, oil prices are more than double.

http://www.wtrg.com/daily/crudeoilprice.html

[Toots]

3. At that time Republicans were freaking over high gas prices

So Clinton opened Stretegic Reserve to compensate and prices came down immediately and people got through summer vacations with lower gas prices. Where is the same outrage for high gas prices today?

[Inland]

4. I remember Bush making little twisting motions over imaginary spigots.

What a boob. What an idiot.