Politics

Pat Buchanan: $6-a-gallon gas to be ‘the principle issue in the fall election’

Jeff Poor Media Reporter
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Gas prices have been on the rise for 26 straight days now, and “pain at the pump” will likely be a major issue in the next presidential election.

On this weekend’s broadcast of “The McLaughlin Group,” former MSNBC contributor Pat Buchanan said the drumbeat of a possible war between Iran and Israel or the United States is pushing those higher prices.

“[I] say the immediate cause here is the situation with Iran and the United States and Israel,” Buchanan said. “We have got Bibi Netanyahu coming to the United States. He wants this country to commit itself to go to war to prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapons capability. He has got support from McCain. He has got support in the Congress — 38 senators have signed a resolution. It is the rising tensions in the Persian Gulf, the rising possibility of a collision not only between Israel and Iran, but the United States and Iran, before this election, I think, is driving up the price of oil,” said.

The issue has major international and domestic ramifications, he added.

“It’s going so high it could threaten the economies of Europe, John. This issue of Iran and oil and gasoline prices — they are all coming together. I think it’s going to be the principle issue in the fall election.”

Buchanan predicted that by November, gas prices will be at the $6-a-gallon mark and threaten President Barack Obama’s reelection.

“I think that definitely prices could be up at $6 a gallon,” Buchanan said. “I think this Iranian thing won’t be resolved before then. And if it is somehow resolved, it will be by some kind of conflict, so I only see gasoline prices headed north.”

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Jeff Poor