Posted on 05/18/2004 10:29:28 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
PORTLAND, Ore. -
Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry (news - web sites) on Tuesday accused President Bush (news - web sites) of breaking a campaign promise to pressure oil-producing nations to increase production in an effort to help control soaring gasoline prices.
"Where is the president?" Kerry asked in Portland, where gasoline is selling for as much as $2.31 a gallon. "We need a president who is fighting for the American worker, the American family at the fuel pump."
Kerry said rising prices for daily necessities have hammered working families, yet Bush has provided little help.
"It's time we had a president who will lead in a way that benefits you," Kerry said during a visit to a training center. "We know that a strong economy and a strong middle class are the key to building a stronger America. That is why when we win back the White House, we will offer real relief to working families, so they have the opportunity to save and get ahead."
Kerry warned that soaring gasoline prices coupled with growing health care costs have left the American worker struggling. He heard stories from workers who have lost their jobs as companies shifted operations overseas.
"These are real people, each and every one of them," he said. "I'm going to be a president who enforces a trade agreement. If you give American workers a fair playing field, they can compete."
Kerry accused Bush of slashing programs, including the job training site where he appeared, even as the need for such programs grew.
For the second straight day, Kerry appeared with former rival Howard Dean (news - web sites). His full-throated support for Kerry was a clear signal to any of his backers who might be tempted by the maverick campaign of Ralph Nader (news - web sites).
"The number of high-paying jobs is going down and the number of low-paying jobs is going up," Dean said. "I think jobs is the number one issue in the country today."
The Kerry campaign contended that Bush "stubbornly refuses to offer help" even as higher gasoline prices will cost the average Oregon family an extra $1,006 a year and squeeze family budgets already hurt by a weak job market and higher costs for college.
Unemployment in Oregon was 6.7 percent in April, down from 7.2 percent in March. Families in the state are paying nearly 50 percent more for health care than they did three years ago, the Kerry campaign said.
The Bush campaign criticized Kerry for supporting higher gas taxes in the past. "Kerry has obstructed efforts to enact a comprehensive energy policy that would ensure a reliable energy supply, key to lowering gas prices," Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt said.
Democratic Party Chairman Terry McAuliffe told the Democratic National Committee (news - web sites) on Tuesday that the president "hasn't lifted a finger" to hold down gas prices because of administration ties to the oil industry.
"They're so deep in the pocket of big oil we'll need to drill down to find them," McAuliffe said.
The White House resisted calls from Senate Democrats to release resources from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, a Louisiana facility that is receiving 170,000 barrels a day.
The Senate Democrats want the administration to release 1 million barrels of oil a day for 30 days to ease prices. Kerry wants to stop filling the reserve temporarily, but the White House rejected both calls for having only a negligible impact on pump prices.
Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham (news - web sites) accused those who called for the release of emergency government oil — most of them Democrats — of "playing games" with the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which he said exists to protect against a severe disruption of supply.
"The reserve is not there to simply try to change prices," said Abraham, who called on Congress to pass comprehensive energy legislation.
Kerry received a rousing boost Monday night from Dean, who built a substantial following in Oregon during his failed bid for the nomination. Dean said he was confident that as commander in chief Kerry would send troops into harm's way only after "telling the truth to the American people about why they're going."
Dean can play an important role for Kerry in swing states like Oregon. Its seven electoral votes are considered up for grabs in this year's election. In 2000, Democrat Al Gore (news - web sites) carried the state by just 6,765 votes.
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On the Net:
Kerry campaign: http://www.johnkerry.com
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites), D-Mass., left, stands under a large American flag and acknowledges the crowd after arriving at Pioneer Courthouse Square with former Democratic presidential primary candidate Howard Dean (news - web sites) at a rally in Portland, Ore., Monday, May 17, 2004, on the eve of the state's primary election.(AP Photo/Don Ryan)
Well, I know of one oil-producing nation that he pressured hard to increase production, but that nation's Senate wouldn't go along with it.
sounds like Kerry has struck a deal with OPEC - jack up prices, reduce output, to hurt Bush during the campaign, with a pledge to reduce prices and boost output upon Kerry's election.
Is OPEC the "foreign leaders" Kerry used to bruit about?
Hey Kerry how about drilling in Alaska!! But NOOOOOOOOO you dems shot that down pretty fast!
The 'french-looking' kerry will never betray those who have place their trust in him...namely the euro-wheenies & the unidentified people with foreign accents he met while dining in ny!
This war is about oil, hey where is our oil? Freggin unreal. Appease terrorism, oh let`s have a commission to find out why it was appeased. We must have better intel, hey leave those prisoners alone. After 911: We must put a stop to terrorism, Now: Hey why are you putting a stop to terrorism? FLip flop flip flop...The whole freggin democ-rat party is one big flip flop.
This war was cooked up in Texas by evil oil companies. But all of a sudden John Kerry demands lots and lots of oil, which I suppose he can pull out of where?
Democratic Party Chairman Terry McAuliffe told the Democratic National Committee (news - web sites) on Tuesday that the president "hasn't lifted a finger" to hold down gas prices because of administration ties to the oil industry.
Perception is reality unless we are told otherwise! It is time for Bush to speak on the price and put pressure on those companies who are making record profits at the expence of the general public by keep the supply of refined products at a minimun. We have never seen such a high spike like this before! The pres. needs to start using his pulpit to speak on this issue that can possibly put us back in a recession insted of trying to keep all of the information secret from his and the v.ps energy summit. No action by this administration is the same as putting the stamp of approval on what is going on, all at the cost of our fragile economy!
Uuuummmmm, isn't Mr. Kerry the guy who just missed a key vote to extend umemployment benefits? Too bad Kerry wasn't doing his job or the bill might have passed seeing it failed by ONE vote.
ROTFLMAO! Coming from the guy that wants a fifty cent per gallon tax on gas?
May I suggest a moment of silence right now? Spend the time thanking God the Democrats were forced to go with John F Kerry, who is making a valiant attempt to show Mondale, Dukakis, and McGovern were not the worst Dem candidates for President since WWII ended.
Toss in the Kerry / Heintz families penchant for private jets, and multiple SUV's....and its very hard not to laugh at himm
Uuuummmmm, isn't Mr. Kerry the guy who just missed a key vote to extend umemployment benefits? Too bad Kerry wasn't doing his job or the bill might have passed seeing it failed by ONE vote.
this has nothing to do with the cost of gas- smokescreen -
That's exactly what I thought... just a few weeks ago, Kerry is attacking some "secret deal" to lower oil prices... now he's carping that the President isn't doing enough. Talk about hard to please!
The funny thing is, it wasn't but a week or two ago the Democrats were all complaining that Bush was using his friends in Sadia Arabia to keep gas prices low. They were all pissed off that Bush was using his connections to win an election. Now it is just the opposite. Go figure.
Amazing. Simply amazing.
I'm forced to ask the obvious question here:
Is the Democratic Party now redefining their political agenda to mirror the failures of John Forbes Kerry?
I mean, I'm sure we can all agree that the DemoncRATS have never really had a decent agenda (none that I can think of - except maybe under the REAL JFK) but are they now adopting the classic Kerry flip-flopping stance as well?
So, the war started over oil...but, increased prices at the pump (some dastardly deed no doubt!) are because we aren't obtaining enough..oil..to steady the costs? </sarcasm>
But wait - they say - he's pumping into the reserve (an ABSOLUTE necessity in times of war - especially THIS war)and they want us to start using that? Whatever.
Meanwhile, the DNC still can't define "is" and has added a new word to their list: "torture". If the "Abu Ghraib Prison Scandal" shows how terrible and cruel the U.S. forces are to the terrorist scum prisoners, then I'm living in the wrong world. No wonder, even as I sit here in a MA state college (punishment in itself), Fraternity's on campus are weak shadows of what "Revenge of the Nerds 1-3" has taught me. Liberals have succeeded in turning everything around them into pansies, candycanes and rainbows and it saddens me. Oh well, I guess.
Corey
Long Live the Republic
Hey F'in; let's really hammer 'em by passing YOUR proposed 50 cents/gallon Federal Gasoline Tax increase; you hypocritical POS!
And also, you pompous, arrogant, bastard, you keep mentioning "working families." How about retired people? We're living on a fixed income. But income has never been a problem for you since you're married to a wealthy woman.
Mr. Kerry, a Democrat, is for a massive federal income tax cut??
"Hey Kerry how about drilling in Alaska!! But NOOOOOOOOO you dems shot that down pretty fast!"
Didn't sKerry tell the union bosses that he'd be willing to drill "all over Alaska", in order to get their endorsement?
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