Out-Of-Touch Alert: McCain Doesn't Know Cost of Gasoline
June 27, 2008
Just about everyone's already exhausted from the daily political finger-pointing about who's responsible for the cost of gasoline.
But the interplay of politics and gas prices achieves a new and comical aspect today with The Huffington Post's sarcastic replay of a conversation earlier this week between Republican presidential nominee John McCain and a reporter from California's Orange County Register. In that interview, reports Huffington, McCain admitted he had no idea how much a gallon of gas currently costs.
When asked when he last pumped his own gas and how much a gallon costs, The Huffinington Post reports McCain said, "Oh, I don't remember. Now, there's Secret Service protection."
Not pumping your own is one thing - after all, nobody truly expects important people and celebs to grasp the same grimy nozzles as the hoi polloi - and recalls the infamous tale of former Chrysler Corp. top dog Lee Iacocca supposedly being unaware that self-serve gas stations had pretty much replaced the "clean your windshield, sir?" full-serve stations of Andy Griffith America.
But to have no clue as to how much gas currently costs? McCain went on to say, "I don't recall, and frankly, I don't see how it matters."
Hmm - this is hardly one of those semi-obtuse "gotcha" questions that used to trip up President Bush, or the how-much-does-a-dozen-eggs-cost query that always exposes the detached elite. The cost of a gallon of gasoline is the seminal economic and political issue of the moment - yet the Republican presidential nominee can't hazard a guess?
Mr. McCain, we have the answer. If you can't trust your people to fill you in with some little details about the issues, there's another way: maybe glance out the window of the limo when it stops at the red light?
Then again, McCain probably can't remember the last time he had to stop for a red light, either.
Posted by Bill Visnic at 2:24 PM under Analysis , Commentary , In the Media , News , Personalities | Comments (3) | digg this | Seed Newsvine
So, Obama thinks there are 57 states. At least gas prices change daily. The number of US states hasn't changed in what? 50 years? Everyone paying attention knows the media will do anything to get him into the White House, but I never thought I'd have to deal with it on a car website. Don't forget, Obama, along with the rest of his party, would like nothing better than to destroy the domestic auto industry and put thousands out of jobs. Maybe that could be reported on.
Posted by: stovt001 | June 28, 2008 at 11:10 AM
Slanted much? That's a critical mistake, and even though I don't wholly support Obama either, it shows that McCain is ignoring the #1 worry on the minds of Americans right now. Gas prices have even effectively distracted us from the War. He could have at least said $4, that definitely would have been enough.
Posted by: mozzz77788 | June 30, 2008 at 9:03 AM
Or, you're buying into an out of context characterization being pushed by partisan hacks...
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WICKSOL: When was the last time you pumped your own gas and how much did it cost?
MCCAIN: Oh, I don’t remember. Now there’s Secret Service protection. But I’ve done it for many, many years. I don’t recall and frankly, I don’t see how it matters.
Later in the interview, McCain says:
MCCAIN: I’ve been on the campaign trail for so long I don’t remember when I last filled up my own gas tank, but I certainly did for many, many, many years and I understand the difficulties and challenges that it poses for the people of California and my home state of Arizona.
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McCain was answering the first part of the question about when was the last time he pumped gas. Considering he's been on the campaign trail for over a year as well as Obama I doubt either know accurately.
This has been seriously debunked including a quote a few weeks earlier where McCain knew the price of gas.
from here:http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jun2008/2008-06-18-01.asp
"The price of a gallon of gas in America stands at more than four dollars. Yesterday, a barrel of oil cost about 134 dollarsm" said McCain. "And various oil ministers and investment firms have confidently informed us that soon we can expect to pay 200 dollars for every barrel, and as much as seven dollars for every gallon of gas."
Posted by: keith_indy | June 30, 2008 at 12:40 PM