Obama goes on offensive as gasoline prices soar
US President Barack Obama tried to head off Republican criticism over
rising gasoline prices Thursday, ridiculing their responses as
bumper-sticker policies designed to win an election, not to solve the
problem. Visiting the hard-hit election battleground of Florida, a
feisty Obama responded to a barrage of Republican criticism that has
accompanied a 13 percent increase in gasoline prices over the last year.
"There are no quick fixes to this problem," a jacketless Obama told
supporters at the University of Miami. "There is no silver bullet."
Accusing Republicans of trying to profit from higher prices at the pump,
Obama lamented: "Some politicians always see this as a political
opportunity.
Only in politics do people greet bad news so enthusiastically."
"Since it's an election year, they're already dusting off their
three-point plans for two dollar gas. I'll save you the suspense: Step
one is drill, step two is drill, and step three is keep drilling," he
said. AFP |