From The Road
March 14, 2008 8:53 PM

Clinton Blames Bush Administration for High Gas Prices

By
Ryan Corsaro
Topics
Hillary Clinton
(CBS)
From CBS News' Ryan Corsaro:

PITTSBURGH -- Hillary Clinton is narrowing her focus on oil prices and the economy as she tries to win the support of voters in Pennsylvania.

Both topics made up the majority of her speech tonight in Pittsburgh, where she covered everything from healthcare for children, college education for teenagers, and veteran care for wounded soldiers.

Leaning heavily on criticism against the Bush administration, she accused Vice President Dick Cheney of touring Middle Eastern countries and "warning them" that they would lose business if they didn't lower their costs a "little bit".

Clinton said she would pledge $50 billion to an energy strategic fund to make America energy independent, insisting to the crowd of nearly 2,000 that she would take tax breaks away from oil companies in order to pay for it.

She also took two quick shots at John McCain and Barack Obama, saying both voted for an energy bill that Vice President Cheney put together, claiming it gave tax subsidies to oil companies.

After introductions from Pittsburgh mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Allegheny County Executive Director David Onorato, Clinton promised the crowd that she would deliver all Americans the option of the same health care packages offered to members of Congress.

"I say if its good enough for Congress, it's good enough for you!" shouted Clinton.

The two biggest applauses Clinton received were for her statements on bringing troops home from the war in Iraq and promising to end the No Child Left Behind education program, something Clinton called an "unnecessary mandate."

Repeating what she read on a sign high in the balcony of the Soldiers and Sailors Hall, she declared "We should leave No Child Left Behind behind!"

Although the event was described as an economic town hall forum, it did not fit the format. Clinton took no questions from the crowd, but stayed for over twenty minutes after finished her speech to shake hands and autograph campaign signs.

Tomorrow she attends St. Patrick's Day parades in Pittsburgh and Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Add a Comment
by mattcat25 March 17, 2008 1:46 PM EDT
Oil prices were under $50.00 per barrel before the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Bush has pushed the price of oil over $100.00 per barrel and desires to see the price go to $200.00 per barrel by launching an attack Iran.

The Cheney Energy Plan was entirely based on the running up the price of oil, this in turn has raised the cost for everything in effect lowering the living standard of every American while increasing profit in the $Billions for the top 1%.

Vote for more GOP in 2008?
You decide.
Reply to this comment
by wolfi101 March 15, 2008 6:46 PM EDT
I suppose, if we hadn''t lost our jobs to Clinton''s NAFTA/China deals, we could pay for the higher gas prices.
Reply to this comment
by missingamerica March 15, 2008 1:08 PM EDT
Hey, Hillary: Did ya forget Bill''s efforts on the demand side of the equation?

If you did, let me refresh your memory: He signed a bunch of inequitable trade treaties that brought another couple billion gasoline consumers online.

Worse, he (and you, apparently, as you were getting your "experience") didn''t even care enough to think about how much faster the one bucket of oil the earth has would be used up.

And worse yet, how much faster it will go when now that it is being burned up in nations without even rudimentary CAFE or pollution laws.
Reply to this comment
by cjmi12 March 15, 2008 12:59 PM EDT
Hillary, I suppose that you are blaming Bush for 911 too. If Bill weren''t so busy defending his many indiscretions, just maybe he would have seen the memo that the United States could be attacked. We had to live thru the "Disgraceful Clinton Morals" once, Why would we want to live through all that again?
Reply to this comment
by blkpresident March 15, 2008 3:27 AM EDT
After PA., Hillary''s pipe dream about a woman becoming president will finally end. Somewhere in NY a lonely kitchen stove is looking forward to her return. And she can then save on her gasoline bill because she won''t have to criss-cross the country, because Obama and McCain will be the last two men standing. God help OLD man McCain though when Obama unleashes the Obama shuffle.
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