Democrat Barack Obama on Friday blamed high gasoline prices on Washington and a political establishment, including his rivals for the presidency, that he says hasn't stood up to oil companies. Hillary Rodham Clinton highlighted his vote for an energy bill she opposed and his campaign contributions from oil company executives.
"The candidates with the Washington experience - my opponents - are good people. They mean well, but they've been in Washington for a long time and even with all that experience they talk about, nothing has happened," Obama said at a local gas station. "This country didn't raise fuel efficiency standards for over 30 years."
The result, the Illinois senator said, is that consumers are suffering.
"So what have we got to show for all that experience?" Obama asked. "Gas that's approaching $4 a gallon."
Clinton, who is challenging him for the Democratic presidential nomination, derided his promise to take on special interests.
"When it came time to stand up against the oil companies, to stand against Dick Cheney's energy bill, my opponent voted for it and I voted against it," the New York senator said at a rally at Indiana University in Bloomington. "And that bill had billions of dollars in giveaways to the oil companies. It was the best bill that the energy companies could buy."
The 2005 energy bill actually raised taxes on the oil and gas industry by about $300 million over 11 years, according to the Congressional Research Service.
Clinton also criticized Obama campaign ads that say he doesn't take money from oil companies or their political action committees.
Obama has accepted money from oil company executives and employees. But so has Clinton.
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"The candidates with the Washington experience - my opponents - are good people. They mean well, but they've been in Washington for a long time and even with all that experience they talk about, nothing has happened," Obama said at a local gas station. "This country didn't raise fuel efficiency standards for over 30 years."
The result, the Illinois senator said, is that consumers are suffering.
"So what have we got to show for all that experience?" Obama asked. "Gas that's approaching $4 a gallon."
Clinton, who is challenging him for the Democratic presidential nomination, derided his promise to take on special interests.
"When it came time to stand up against the oil companies, to stand against Dick Cheney's energy bill, my opponent voted for it and I voted against it," the New York senator said at a rally at Indiana University in Bloomington. "And that bill had billions of dollars in giveaways to the oil companies. It was the best bill that the energy companies could buy."
The 2005 energy bill actually raised taxes on the oil and gas industry by about $300 million over 11 years, according to the Congressional Research Service.
Clinton also criticized Obama campaign ads that say he doesn't take money from oil companies or their political action committees.
Obama has accepted money from oil company executives and employees. But so has Clinton.
Discuss Add this link to... Bury
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