WASHINGTON (AP) - If fuel prices keep rising or even stay at their present high levels through Election Day, they could serve as a potent reminder to voters that the U.S. economy is not in such great shape.
And that could pose problems for President Bush just as polls show him narrowing the gap with rival John Kerry on his weakest issue, handling the economy.
Political analysts suggest any sustained oil price shock could undercut those gains and work against Bush's fragile lead in polls over the Massachusetts senator. In the extreme, it could trigger a recession.
Crude oil topped the psychological milestone of $50 per barrel on Tuesday. Instability in Iraq, political unrest in Nigeria and damage to U.S. production from hurricanes were all blamed.
http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20040929/D85D4PPO0.html