Is this a waffle or a flip-flop?
Kerry Assails Bush on OilIn mid-April Kerry was scandalized that Bush and the Royal Saudi family might have a "sweetheart" deal to lower prices before the election. How dare Bush make arragments to lower oil prices during an election campaign (the fact that ahrd-hit voters would benefit is secondary).
Kerry urges relief from gasoline pricesPORTLAND, Ore. -- With the average gasoline price surging past the $2-a-gallon mark, Sen. John Kerry on Tuesday accused the Bush administration of doing virtually nothing to bring relief to consumers and urged the White House to divert oil bound for the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve into the marketplace instead.
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"Where's the president who, when he was campaigning for president, said in New Hampshire, said what we need is a president who jawbones OPEC to lower those gas prices? Well, I haven't seen any jawboning, have you? All I read about are sweetheart deals with Saudi Arabia."
Not only is he confused as to whether Bush should or shouldn't talk to the Saudi's, he totally reverses his 2000 position on the Strategic Oil Reserves and lowering gas taxes.
Kerry Opposed Using Oil Reserve:
In February 2000, Kerry Said Release Of Oil From Strategic Petroleum Reserve Would Not Be “Relevant.” “Without being specific, Kerry, a key member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, suggested the US could retaliate economically in other trade areas. He also said he does not want a release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. A release ‘is not relevant. It would take months for the oil to get to the market,’ he said.” (Cathy Landry, “US Energy Chief Warns Of Gasoline Crisis,” Platt’s Oilgram News, 2/17/00)
4 years ago, Kerry Said It Would Be “Mistake” To Roll Back 4.3-Cent Increase.“Although OPEC members today signaled their intention to increase crude oil production by 1.7 million barrels a day, the Senate GOP is still pushing a suspension of the federal gasoline tax. ‘OPEC’s decision is not going to impact our process,’ said John Czwartacki, spokesman for Majority Leader Trent Lott, Miss. Lott has proposed legislation (S 2285) to suspend from April 15 through Jan. 1, 2001, a 4.3-cents-a-gallon portion of the gas tax. If the price of gasoline reaches $2 a gallon, the bill would suspend the remainder of the 18.4-cents-a-gallon tax. … Democrats say the measure is hasty and its financing is risky. “It would be a mistake,” said John Kerry, D-Mass.” (“Midday Update,” Congressional Quarterly Daily Monitor, 3/28/00)
In 2000, Kerry Voted Against Suspending 18.4 Cent Gas Tax For 150 Days. (H.R. 8, CQ Vote #183: Motion Rejected 40-59: R 40-15; D 0-44, 7/13/00, Kerry Voted Nay)
These are the words of a candidate desperate to gain traction at any price. It matters not a whit that we are at war and an attack on the Texas oil coast would necessitate the use of the SOR to keep basic services, such as public utilities, hospitals and food supplies up and running.
We must wake the American voter from the media induced stupor of scandal overload and negativity. Together we can prevent the media's partisan nightmare from becoming reality.
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