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Obama: Rivals Support of Gas Tax Holiday a 'Gimmick'
May 01, 2008 12:29 PM
ABC News' Sunlen Miller Reports: Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., likened Senators John McCain, R-Ariz., and Hillary Clinton's, D-N.Y., support of the gas tax holiday to the "Mission Accomplished" sign behind President Bush 5 years ago today, calling it nothing more than a political "gimmick" that pretends progress is being made.
Obama, who does not support the gas tax holiday, explained to seniors at a retirement home in Indiana that he believes savings would not translate into money in the pockets of drivers because gas companies would boost their prices.
"For us to pretend like we're solving the problem by giving people 30 cents a day, for a grand total of $28, and that's it. That's our plan to deal with gas prices and energy?” Obama questioned of his two opponents, lumping them together and dubbing it the "McCain-Clinton" proposal.
Obama compared the plan to the now (in)famous "Mission Accomplished" banner which hung behind President Bush after he landed on a Navy jet on an aircraft carrier off the California coast and declared the end of major combat in Iraq, a moment that has come to symbolize the administration's missteps and miscalculations with regard to the war.
"But that's how Washington works," Obama making a parallel with his opponents' support of the gas tax holiday, "People are more concerned about looking good for the cameras and for politics than they are at actually solving problems. You remember when George Bush five years ago put up a big sign in front of an aircraft carrier saying 'Mission Accomplished in Iraq. I’m sure they thought that was good politics. Except five years later we're still in this war in Iraq."
Obama said Clinton supports the plan because she thought it would poll well, and referenced a Washington Post article which quoted Clinton aides speaking of her support for the plan.
"You know what really burns me up is that we just read yesterday in the newspaper that Clinton's own advisers admitted that this wouldn't really work, this wasn't really gonna help lower gas prices, but they said it was good politics, because they said 'Obama was opposed to it - it might make him look bad.' But that's how Washington works."
Obama, who is hawking a more economic message in his campaign events leading up to the Indiana and North Carolina primary next week is using his dissension on the gas tax holiday as an example of his campaign theme against conventional Washington.
"Time we stop using gimmicks in Washington to make it look like we're doing something," Obama concluded.
May 1, 2008 in Kucinich, Dennis | Permalink | User Comments (123)
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Becky -- Why don't you outilne for us what specifically doesn't make sense? Trying to push universal health care 15 years ago shows that she was progressive then. She has learned a lot about what will and won't work and has put forth a truly universal plan for health care. Women suffrage didn't happen the first time around either.
What is it that makes Obama's plan superior?
Posted by: LOM | May 1, 2008 1:13:19 PM
Hillary's short fix solution for this is crazy, what's going to happen when that tax break is over? she's not thinking what will happen after that...
Posted by: Jack | May 1, 2008 1:13:47 PM
Why the bother? The nomination is over!
Posted by: Aston | May 1, 2008 1:14:40 PM
Lazy - right, 4,000 miles, if you don't drive through any caucus states.
Posted by: Paul | May 1, 2008 1:14:46 PM
Tell a trucker that the tax holiday is a bad idea. Then, run like hell!
Posted by: Aston | May 1, 2008 1:16:25 PM
so you think this is a serious proposal on Clinton and McCain's part? For this summer?
Ask yourself why their senate offices aren't working up the legislation, then, because the next president won't be president until January.
Posted by: Paul | May 1, 2008 1:17:44 PM
lazy- get a map - you sound like Mis Jr South Carolina! The point is that oil companies will raise their prices by the same amount that the tax takes off- it quickly adds more to their already bulging profits! I suppose you support the oil companies ridiculous billion dollar profits.
Posted by: jozy | May 1, 2008 1:18:00 PM
Throw the dog a bone and keep quiet for an hour, Hillary is not giving any solutions, just saying what you want to hear...
Posted by: Jack | May 1, 2008 1:18:06 PM
If Hillary's plan is such a good idea, then why has she (or McCain) not submitted legislation to the Senate to make it happend, oh that's right, she would rather pander to us common folks rather than submit a stupid idea to congress... a plan? it is just a smoke screen.
Posted by: donald rar | May 1, 2008 1:20:21 PM
jozy - I support taxing the hell out of the rich, educated elitists, and the oil companies whose profits were partially benefited by the Cheney bill that Obama supports.
Posted by: lazy to think | May 1, 2008 1:21:13 PM
Hillary's got do better than 30 cents a day if she wants to buy my vote.
But apparently this is not the case for alotta people posting on da board.
Posted by: The Commander Guy | May 1, 2008 1:21:35 PM
donald rar
Where, exactly, is Obama's plan in the legislative flow?
Posted by: Aston | May 1, 2008 1:22:32 PM
At least Hillary Clinton is bridging the gap between the Dems and Repubs. What is obama doing? He is running away hiding behind Caroline Kennedy that's what he is doing. Obama is a coward and a coward is not what the USA needs as a president. obama cannot even fight his own battles, it takes a woman to put on the gloves for him. Sure vote obama - the first threat that he receives from a foreign nation, will make him run for the nearest bomb shelter, in hot pursuit by the Reverend Wright, who will just happen to have permanent residence in the White House. You obama supporters must be nuts.
I watched Hillary and O'Reilly last night and she did very well. She has guts and she can take anything that the Repubs throw at her. She will look you directly in the eye and answer you. Obama cannot look you directly in the eye - ever notice that? Obama is a LIAR and he doesn't have the guts to go on O'Reilly because O'Reilly will ask obama questions that obama is afraid to answer. what a brazen piece of arrogance - running for the distinguished job of President of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The USA - something that his friend and mentor, Jeremiah Wright and obama's white hating wife are so against. Sure vote for obama and get the Middle East cleaning out America.
Posted by: Lou | May 1, 2008 1:23:10 PM
Anyone want to discuss whether we should re-instate the national 55 mph limit?
I read an article that said most cars start losing gas mileage over 60 mph. Its different car by car - each has its own sweet spot. I tried it, for the last four tank fulls.
My Corolla was getting 32 mpg on average. I have about 12 miles each way on a highway while commuting. Instead of my usual 70, I've kept it 58 mph. I've averaged 35 mpg for the last four tanks. That's close to 10 percent. I'll keep watching, but so far, I'm a believer.
Posted by: Paul | May 1, 2008 1:24:34 PM
Obama is proposing to reduce the cost of driving by suspending purchases for the country's Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Over the long term he would also tax windfall oil profits and cap carbon emissions to provide rebates for low-income Americans and money to invest in renewable-energy research.
No its not going to put $30 in your pocket but it is not going to take 300,000 jobs away from people who them. Plus take away from our roads..ect.
Did I not hear HIllary also say something to the effect that American people then can buy war bonds to fix the roads? If we can't afford the gas how are we going to afford the war bonds??
Posted by: Becky | May 1, 2008 1:24:44 PM
Hey isn't this MISSION ACCOMPLISHED day times 5?
Today is one of the days a year when we look back on GWB's decision, which was facilitated and enabled by Hillary, to invade Irak.
Wonder where the Gas Prices would be without this blunder?
Heckuva Job Bushie!
Heckuva Job Hillary!!!
Posted by: The Commander Guy | May 1, 2008 1:27:15 PM
A - The "bitter" middle class voters are always optimistic, and fighting for what they believe in, even it's against odds.
If there is hope, they do not stop.
Hope? Does that sound strange to you, apparently a BO supporter?
Posted by: lazy to think | May 1, 2008 1:28:54 PM
Obama is just amazing. He wants to be president? Anyone can complian about some elses plan that easy .Just as normal the man has no pla of his own!!!! WAKE UP PEOPLE!!! JUST ANOTHER JIMMY CARTER IN THE MAKING!!!
Posted by: Billof missouri | May 1, 2008 1:30:42 PM
LOM: On CNN this weekend they had experts on about the Health Care Policies of all 3 candidates. To be honest, none of them will work. They said it should just be a flat rate we all pay in order for the US to have fair Universal Health Care plan that will work. Like your school taxes, or gas taxes, a flat rate tax that is taken from your check.
Posted by: Becky | May 1, 2008 1:32:36 PM
It will only save you $25-$30 over the entire summer. Plus it will increase demand causes the prices to go even higher in the end. We need a real fix to this problem not a temporary one. Obama 08
Posted by: Tiffany | May 1, 2008 1:34:48 PM
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