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WHOSE PAIN AT THE PUMP?
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James Rosen discusses pain at the pump with Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger.
- Duration 8:47
- Date Apr 20, 2012
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Think about our -- addiction.
And finally raise fuel efficiency standards on cars.
With the agreement of the auto industry by the next by the middle the next decade we will be driving American made cars.
Never -- get 55 miles to a gallon that's.
8009.
Dollars a the quote.
Helps them.
Emboldened.
-- That was President Obama campaigning at the Henry Ford museum in Dearborn Michigan yesterday this is power play for Friday April 20.
2012 I James Rosen sitting in for Chris our -- thanks for logging on and -- -- Great day here in Washington DC today it's beautiful and gorgeous spring day break -- -- to take a drive.
But perhaps you're among the twelve point seven million were unemployed today or the 23 million -- -- underemployed which means you don't have a job.
We're only working part time and you want to work full time.
Or perhaps you're just troubled by the price of gas and don't wanna take that drive the AAA average national price for regular gasoline today stands at three dollars 89 cents a gallon.
For premium gas it stands at 416 per gallon.
So who's taking the blame for the pain at the pump there is pain at the pump.
Whose -- exactly would be in November.
We're joined from Chicago right now live via satellite by representative Adam accusing her first term Republican from Illinois -- can hear me all right congressman.
I can James -- All right thanks for making it in -- that split second air force pilot -- And you're -- and -- nick of time.
Yeah we appreciate your being here you certainly energy and commerce committee.
Was raising fuel spot efficiency standards that we just heard President Obama talking about was that a good move by the president.
You know look I mean ultimately what you do when you raise the standards and you have a government mandate.
You have no idea what comes out on the other -- we're seeing cars that are lighter in some cases more dangerous.
It's finally you know it's great when it went car companies want to invest in better technology for fuel efficiency.
And guess what the market's gonna drive that -- people are gonna want to drive fuel efficient cars.
For more government mandates and to say that.
This is the answer to the energy problem it's not the answer is supply and demand.
We have supply that's sitting under the ground and there's a lot of demand what's -- that -- that's how we're gonna see energy prices come down.
And with technology in time in the free market we're gonna get ourselves to a point where someday we can get off of having to use oil in the first place.
All right.
Historically it's been the unemployment rate that in a presidential election year.
Sort of governance people's answers -- that famous question are you better off than you were four years ago.
Republicans currently in the house and elsewhere -- trying to make gas prices a kind of a barometer for how people are feeling about the economy and -- about the president.
That -- You know I think it's going to be part of what we want to talk about in November I mean obviously unemployment still way too high you look at.
The stimulus basically promise that today we have a 5% unemployment rate that's much higher.
But when it comes to energy I think it's endemic and it shows that that this administration has been attitude.
This administration has said from the very beginning.
What the answer is you know rainbow power and stand poppy smiles and that's how we're gonna power our vehicles.
The fact -- it's not gonna work in the real world today we need energy we need oil we need gasoline.
In this administration has turned a tin -- to the fact that we have to -- the house Republicans in the energy and commerce committee.
Has been working very hard to access energy -- -- home.
Including the Keystone Pipeline we've been joined by Democrats frankly in all these propositions all these bills.
The American people are demanding more energy in the presence just not listening so I think it shows in general a bigger a bigger theme of his administration which is that it's out of how much.
-- let's remember to save room for sports and weather.
I had -- -- heard the president make reference to -- smiles and rainbows but continuing on with this question of whether or not -- be President Obama for whom voters.
-- -- blame where gas prices are concerned let's take a look at a poll that we have this is a Fox News poll.
Conducted just in recent days.
Where people were asked.
Who or what do you think is most to blame.
For rising gasoline prices you probably can't see congressman.
But -- number one answer 19%.
Was domestic oil producers and big oil companies.
Coming in at 15% and -- within the margin of error statistically tied.
The president and the Obama administration -- you dip -- see a single digits from there the federal government OPEC in the Middle East Wall Street and speculators and it goes on from there into the low single digits of it is not a given.
It seems to me from our polling data.
That President Obama is going to bear the blame for high gas prices from voters what he said and.
Well I think that just goes to prove that you know both as house Republicans as people that are pro energy.
And in general we have to do a better job of getting our message out that -- that we have not done a great job of this here.
Talking about the Keystone Pipeline in this administration holding back on that.
You know the reality is though we've got to would pass the president's rhetoric he's in for Election Day mode right now.
There when he says things like we have to punish oil companies.
For high gas prices as if somehow punishing companies is gonna bring gas prices down it doesn't make sense.
Okay Eric 34 is -- a -- for a -- thirty seconds left with you congressman.
All of this keystone issue there were reports the Democrats and it looks just from the the tallies on the house floor that Democrats are.
Are increasingly drawn to keystone on these votes what are you hearing from democratic colleagues on that subject.
Yeah I'm here -- a lot of them say that they wish they didn't have to take a stand on this they're ready to get to Keystone Pipeline built they're ready to move on.
We saw a huge number of Democrats vote with us the other day.
And I think we're getting to where we have a veto proof majority at some point soon and they were any of that Keystone Pipeline bill finally.
All right and I hope by that situation if your car downstairs is also worked out swiftly.
Thanks I get erroneous.
First through it OK congressman -- -- here joining us live.
From Chicago.
We're joined now live in our studio by our two -- sure -- -- who is a politics reporter for roll call.
And also by Bob Cusack who is the managing editor of the hill.
If there were -- evidence in this polarized time that we can all get along.
The presence of these two competing newspaper reporters.
Would would show us that are your thoughts on this question issue of whether President Obama can be held liable for gas prices in November.
Well I'm so glad fox -- the school I think it's really indicative of basically American voters have no idea record gas prices are high -- just the way to breakdown of the numbers it says to me that voters are probably confused but -- -- the president is getting some blame for it.
But we've seen -- try to do this before we've seen do press conference after press conference.
Either attacking oil a couple of subsidies for oil companies or -- for fuel -- fuel efficient cars and it hasn't stopped yet we haven't seen his argument.
For more energy efficient cars and bringing down gas prices stick.
Bob Cusack.
This is substitution by Republicans of the gas prices.
For the unemployment rate is that don't stick well I.
I think is what the congressman said is -- any part of their message because they don't -- -- too much from Johnson 2008 gas prices in the fall of 2008.
Went down so they can't let all the eggs -- that nasty and angry this year is that.
Obama is is throwing everything at the -- seamless sticks here because he first tried to say well oil production is 20% higher.
It doesn't really matter to people that are pumping 506080.
Dollars.
I guess into their car they want lower prices so now he's shifted.
Again and this is gonna be a liability for the -- -- you know Mitt Romney's not comment Lexus so Obama does get all the blame to get some of them.
I don't think -- Mitt Romney for gas prices -- I just say this is good timing for house Republicans because summer travel season is around the corner and gas prices are just gonna go up over the next three months of house Republicans congressional Republicans are Smart to jump on this issue right now at least politically.
We have about thirty seconds I want you both to -- -- very quickly eight point 2% unemployment rate right now assuming that's the status quo on Election Day.
Does that -- to reach the threshold by which an incumbent president.
It usually goes down to defeat.
I think it's it's decent news for the president because it used to be over 9% so that.
That the trend is downward only took over it was about seven point 8% just a little bit higher but the trend is down and ask -- for Obama.
-- -- -- -- -- very quickly very quickly is that the threshold for an incumbent president to go down to -- -- point 2% mean historically no I think it needs to be a little bit -- still not great for the -- him all right we'll be right back with our panel stay tuned for discussion.
A Secret Service agents.
Prostitutes.
GSA officials run -- will be right back on.
