Romney Campaign Press Release - Barack Obama: More of the Same on Gas Prices

"After nearly four years of broken promises and job-destroying energy policies, President Obama's credibility is running on empty. It's going to take more than a press conference to convince Americans that this President has any idea how to implement a pro-growth energy plan that will lower prices at the pump and create new American jobs." —Andrea Saul, Romney Campaign Spokesperson

Yesterday, President Obama Claimed Yesterday That He Wants "Gas Prices Lower" And Called High Gas Prices "Not Good For The Overall Economy":

President Obama: "I Want Gas Prices Lower Because They Hurt Families ... And It's Not Good For The Overall Economy." OBAMA: "Do you think the President of the United States going into a re-election wants gas prices to go up higher? ... I want gas prices lower because they hurt families. ... And it's not good for the overall economy because when gas prices go up, consumer spending often times pulls back, and we're in the midst right now of a recovery that is starting to build up steam and we do not want to reverse it." (President Barack Obama, Press Conference, 3/6/12)

But President Obama's Own Advisors Have Claimed Lowering Gas Prices Is Not The Administration's Goal:

Last Week, Energy Secretary Chu Claimed Lowering Gas Prices Was Not The "Overall Goal" Of The Administration. "High gasoline prices will make research into such alternatives more urgent, Chu said. 'But is the overall goal to get our price —', asked Nunnelee, who didn't finish the sentence. 'No, the overall goal is to decrease our dependency on oil, to build and strengthen our economy,' Chu replied." (Alex Guillen, "Chu: DOE Working To Wean U.S. Off Oil," Politico, 2/28/12)

In 2008, Secretary Chu Said "Somehow We Have To Figure Out How To Boost The Price Of Gasoline To The Levels In Europe." "In a sign of one major internal difference, Mr. Chu has called for gradually ramping up gasoline taxes over 15 years to coax consumers into buying more-efficient cars and living in neighborhoods closer to work. 'Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe,' Mr. Chu, who directs the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal in September." (Neil King Jr. and Stephen Power, "Times Tough For Energy Overhaul," The Wall Street Journal, 12/12/08)

Obama Adviser David Axelrod, In 2011: "I Think People Have Gotten The Message That The Era Of Cheap Gas Is Over." "Axelrod appeared on a panel at the Aspen Ideas Festival June 28. 2011, when the moderator asked him, 'When is Barack going to tell the American people the era of cheap gasoline is over?' Axelrod took the bait and answered, 'Well, first of all, I think people have gotten the message that the era of cheap gasoline is over. I filled up my tank the other day, people seemed to get it.'" (Paul Bedard, "Obama Replay: No More Cheap Gas For You!" The Washington Examiner, 3/6/12)

President Obama Has Been Making Empty Promises On Gas Prices For The Last Four Years:

Candidate Obama In 2008: "As President, I Will Work To Solve This Energy Crisis Once And For All." OBAMA: "And as President, I will work to solve this energy crisis once and for all. We'll invest $150 billion over the next ten years in establishing a green energy sector that will create up to 5 million new jobs - and those are jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced. We'll invest in clean energies like solar, wind, and biodiesel. And we'll help make sure that the fuel we're using is more efficient." (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks in Indianapolis, IN, 4/25/08)

Obama, Four Years Ago: "I Want To Invest That Money ... So That We're Not Talking About High Fuel Prices Next Summer Or The Next Summer After That, Or The Summer After That." OBAMA: "I want to invest that money in clean, affordable, renewable energy sources like wind power, and solar power, and biofuels, so that we're not talking about high fuel prices next summer or the next summer after that, or the summer after that." (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks in Winston-Salem, NC, 4/29/08)