by Rick Pearson
INDIANAPOLIS -- Sen. Barack Obama today labeled federal gas-tax holiday proposals offered by rival Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton and Republican John McCain as typical Washington "political stunts" to garner public support but said most Americans are on his side--"the side of the truth."
Speaking to reporters at a downtown news conference this morning, the Illinois senator also said he believes his campaign controls its own fate toward winning the Democratic nomination and acknowledges the controversy over his former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, will be a factor in voters' minds in Tuesday's primaries in Indiana and North Carolina.
In recent contests, Obama has watched Clinton gain support among white, blue-collar workers as the New York senator has tuned up a populist themed message in Ohio and Pennsylvania. In Indiana, the core of her campaign revolves around her plan to suspend the 18.4 cent per gallon federal gasoline tax in the summer months and replacing revenue lost from the highway construction fund with a tax on oil company profits.
McCain, the Arizona senator and presumptive Republican nominee, was the first candidate to propose a gas-tax holiday and would use general federal revenues to replace lost highway construction trust fund dollars.
Both Clinton and McCain have hammered away at Obama's opposition, with the New York Democrat contending those who criticize her plan are demonstrating an elitism that is out of touch with the challenges facing the middle class.
Clinton's campaign responded to Obama with a statement saying that he wants motorists "to pay the gas tax this summer but Sen. Clinton thinks Big Oil should." The Clinton and McCain campaigns noted Obama, as a state senator, voted to suspend the Illinois state sales tax on gasoline.
Obama has countered that the gas tax suspension would mean little in savings for motorists--a statement buttressed with a new TV ad the campaign launched today--and would do nothing to prevent oil companies from raising prices or reduce U.S. consumption and dependence on foreign oil.
"It's time to stop the political stunts and start offering some real solutions," Obama said, contending that Clinton has one vote in Congress for her plan--from McCain, because both "are reading from the same political playbook."
In a statement, McCain's campaign questioned why Obama "has offered no plan for summertime gas prices and he appears not to understand why working people are hurting and need immediate action."
Even as Obama criticized his Democratic rival on the gas-tax issue, he said that when his campaign starts "getting drawn into a 'tit-for-tat, look what he said, look what she said' argument, then we lose focus from what this campaign should be about, which is how we're going to get people jobs and how we're going to lower gas prices."
Obama acknowledged his campaign has been through "a rough couple of weeks" due to the controversy over Wright, his former pastor at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, as well as remarks that surfaced in which the Illinois senator ascribed small town bitterness as a reason people cling to guns and religion. Obama publicly broke with Wright over recent comments that included Wright's belief that the U.S. government may have played a role in the development of AIDS.
"I don't think that what happened with Rev. Wright is helpful. I don't think there's any denying that," Obama said.
"But what I also am struck by is how sensible the people of Indiana, the people of North Carolina, the people of the country are, which is, they're upset by very offensive language by my former pastor. They were legitimately upset by it. But they're also upset by economic policies that are hurting them. And so, this will be something that they factor into the mix. How it plays itself out, I can't tell," he said.
Obama sidestepped questions of whether Clinton, facing a daunting task toward the nomination by trailing in convention delegates and the popular vote, should drop from the race. Instead, he said he wants to "make sure I'm finishing strong" on a policy-based discussion.
"If we do that, over the next month, regardless of where the polls go, regardless of the outcomes of any particular contests, then I think we'll end up with the nomination," he said. "So, I really do believe that we control our own fate in this situation."
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Comments
That is all Senators McCain and Clinton are capable of, are gimmicks and stunts!!! Their playbooks are filled with Swiftboaters tactics. They have nothing else, except maybe, a hundred years in Iraq or sniperfire in Bosnia?!!!
Vote for a winner, vote for Senator Obama for President!!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | May 2, 2008 12:19 PM
Obama has not room to accuse anyone of stunts. His denouncement of Rev. Wright was the largest polital stunt yet..Everyone knows he was only posturing for the media and to get votes...Low blow for Obama...
Posted by: kaye m. | May 2, 2008 12:43 PM
no matter what you think of the gas tax holiday - you MUST admit it is a short-term solution (at best)
we have had enough short-term solutions in the last 16 years -- that is why things are so bad now
for any candidate to pretend that this is anything more than a temporary fix shows they are out of touch with REALITY
do we want a leader who only panders and throws mud or do we want long-term solutions ??
long-term solutions = true change
more short-term pandering and more negative pile-on campaigning = same ole same ole
Posted by: donnatello | May 2, 2008 12:48 PM
There is nothing in Obama's background and record to back up the vague sloganeering about "uniting", "hope", "a new beginning". It's all just so much rhetorical manure.
The guy is a run-of-the-mill corrupt Cook County, Chicago political hack with a thin record and timid positions (or "present") on the important issues.
Look at where his money comes from: He's very cozily in bed with big oil, big agribusiness, pharmeceuticals, mining, banking... This is change?
His sole claim to fame is his tepid speech against the war in 2002 which he perpetually waves as evidence of his sound judgement... and yet he admitted that he's not certain how he would have voted were he in the US Senate then... and he has voted for every war funding bill since then.
And he has the gall to talk about others political "stunts"? As opposed to what? Feel-good bumper sticker slogans and an endorsement by Oprah.
"Change we can believe in". Who can? Not Indiana, God bless 'em.
Posted by: MJ | May 2, 2008 12:51 PM
Obama has won a long term battle by opposing the gas tax holiday.
It would be a horrible economic decision that, even with Clinton's plan, drain money from the taxation of oil companies that would otherwise be spent on developing alternative energy.
In fact, her plan is perhaps even more moronic than McCain's. She is taxing the oil companies and pumping the money into a gas tax holiday even though there would be nothing to prevent the oil companies from jacking up the price to make up for whatever losses they're being taxed by.
Then once, the gas tax holiday is over, gas prices become even more painful because of the inflated demand for oil over the Summer.
Clinton has to stand by the line she has drawn, and it has been poorly chosen. The tripple whammy of media coverage, economists and the Obama campaign saying she is pandering will take its toll on her and accelerate the shift in focus away from Reverend Wright and towards actual issues.
Posted by: Falcon | May 2, 2008 12:54 PM
OVER THE TIME,WE'VE SEEN BILLARY BIG SUPPORTERS AND FUND RAISERS,even super delegates,SWITCH TO OBAMA SIDE......HOW COME NO ONE IS SWITCHING FROM OBAMA TO BILLARY ?????
THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE......THE AMERICANS ARE NOT STUPID.BILLARY+McSAME=BUSHsame
Posted by: kay | May 2, 2008 12:59 PM
Political stunt? Oh, you mean like, making a big fancy speech about race relations and defending your "spiritual mentor", only to make another damage control speech to denounce him after he called you a politician? I guess Obama would know about political stunts.
Posted by: em | May 2, 2008 1:18 PM
I put a challenge to anyone on this board:
If Hillary and McCain are so set about a gas tax holiday, then why haven't they made a quick trip to DC to write legislation to institute a gas tax holiday?
Can anyone tell me when Hillary or McCain plan to go to DC to write legislation for a gas tax holiday?
If no can answer that for me then it must be a political ploy.
Go ahead and prove me wrong. Can anyone find it on their campaign or senate websites? Have any reporters asked them when they plan to write their bills?
I'll wait for my answer.
Posted by: Todd M | May 2, 2008 2:02 PM
don't hold your breath todd - hillarites are under orders to speak about talking points only - reason is because they have no real answers on any real issue
Posted by: kitt | May 2, 2008 4:09 PM
SO LONG BILLARY!
SOUTH BEND ? "The Hillary Clinton campaign is dealing with a quickly exploding controversy. WSBT News has received dozens of emails about a YouTube video that shows a high level Clinton campaign advisor allegedly making degrading remarks about people from Indiana."
"In the video from 1992, Mickey Kantor, who was an advisor to former President Bill Clinton?s 1992 campaign and the commerce secretary when Clinton was president, says it doesn?t matter whether Clinton wins Indiana. He then appears to make comments about Hoosiers at large."
"Kantor is currently a senior advisor to Hillary Clinton's 2008 campaign."
Full story here:
http://www.wsbt.com/news/election/2008/18488999.html
Posted by: Turn out the lights, the parties over for Billary | May 2, 2008 4:34 PM
"OBAMA U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL SPEAKS"
PLAME GAME, NO MORE!
WMD GAME, NO MORE!
ANTHRAX, WE DON'T KNOW, NO MORE! TORTURE, NO MORE! GENEVA CONVENTIONS VIOLATIONS, NO MORE!
MR. UM UM UM UM MUKASEY NO MORE!
IRAQI OIL LIBERATION, NO MORE!
"BLACKWATER" NO MORE!
DETAINEE TREATMENT NO MORE!
IMPEACHMENT!
CENSORSHIP! IF CRIMES WERE COMMITTED. CONSTITUTION! AMERICAN PEOPLE! THIS LAND IS OUR LAND! JUST NO MORE "FEAR" "DEATH" AND "DESTRUCTION" AT THE HANDS OF AMERICA OR IT'S CORPORATIONS THAT "SERVICE" IT!
Posted by: Roger Morris | May 2, 2008 5:22 PM
I believe that this was proposed a few days ago and you are already holding your breath.
In the meantime, Obama has had 16 months to chair his first meeting on Afghanistan oversight, where things have not been going too well lately.
His exact quote on Feb. 26 in the Ohio debate,..
"Well, first of all, I became chairman of this committee at the beginning of this campaign, at the beginning of 2007. So it is true that we haven't had oversight hearings on Afghanistan."
Can you hold your breath and drink KoolAid at the same time?
Posted by: ElliotNC | May 2, 2008 5:50 PM
The McHillary Gas Tax Holiday is DOGGIE TREAT ECONOMICS.
We need a serious plan.
Posted by: Bill D | May 2, 2008 6:25 PM
Does anyone else find it offensive he calls the jouranlists covering him "guys" routinely?
I know it's a (I'm not from Hawaii, I'm actually from) "Chicago" thing.
But, putting him in a room, in front of a bunch of flags was merely a photo op for his commercial production makers.
Or was it to make him look less like a frat boy who 'cleverly' flipped off the female opponent who didn't so much mop the floor with him the night before in the debate as stood by and watched some members of the news media FINALLY DO THEIR JOBS regarding his shady associations.
Wright is the least of it.
MJ is right--it's the big oil, the big pharma, the agrichemical 'farm' interests, the nuke power interests and on and on and on up to REZKO the mobster who helped him and Michelle get into that MANSION near all the public housing Rezko trashed--in Obama's district.
And today he's again attacking HIllary.
Where's the platform?
Please. Don't take offense, Obama supporters--take a deep breath, go for a walk, and READ about this guy.
He's not gonna win in the Fall. If Hillary were to say so, she'd be attacked and villified.
The news media will NOT play nearly as nice with Obama once the Republican ticket is formed.
And groups like the '400,000 black votes league are NOT helping things.
Can't we all just get along indeed.
Posted by: The One Note Kid Only Attacks | May 3, 2008 12:17 AM
This speech in front of all the flags is a stunt! How about he and the rest of them get back to DC and do something NOW? Why wait?
Posted by: lochnessmonster | May 3, 2008 7:36 AM
This speech in front of all the flags is a stunt! How about he and the rest of them get back to DC and do something NOW? Why wait?
BTW we have needed a serious plan since the 1970s when we had to wait in line for gas. None of the windbags who have been in DC for decades have done a thing!
Posted by: lochnessmonster | May 3, 2008 7:38 AM
Talk about pulling stunts look at the Flags in back of him when he made the speech about race That is the first time and last time he closed any of his speeches with God Bless America I bet he ran off that stage an rinssed his mouth out
Posted by: maggie | May 3, 2008 1:03 PM