$4.25 a Gallon? Gas Prices Could Be Trouble for Obama

Republicans plan to make it a big issue
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 18, 2012 8:00 AM CST
Updated Feb 18, 2012 1:07 PM CST
$4.25 a Gallon? Gas Prices Could Be Trouble for Obama
Gas prices are going up, up, up.   (AP Photo/Pat Wellenbach)

The AP is out with stats that will not be welcome news at the White House: Gas is at $3.53 a gallon, up 25 cents from Jan. 1. Worse, one forecast sees $4.25 a gallon by May. And as the New York Times reports, the GOP can't wait to make this a campaign issue. “This debate is a debate we want to have,” John Boehner told House Republicans this week, according to an anonymous aide. "Certainly, this summer will see the highest gas prices in years. Your constituents saw those reports, and they’ll be talking about it.”

In fact, the issue already is showing up on the campaign trail, with Rick Santorum faulting President Obama's "radical agenda" on energy and Newt Gingrich tweeting yesterday that "gasoline prices are unacceptable." The Obama team is bracing for the onslaught, and the president is expected to go on the offensive by citing his push to increase fuel efficiency and to open up more areas for natural gas and oil exploration, notes the Times. Republicans, on the other hand, plan to remind voters that Obama rejected (at least for now) the Keystone pipeline. (More gas prices stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X