The Republican presidential field has decided to aggressively attack President Barack Obama on gas prices, which have risen steadily over the past five months. But that’s not a winning strategy according to Washington Post columnist George Will.
On Sunday’s “This Week” on ABC, host George Stephanopoulos ask Will if the eventual Republicans nominee could walk back some of the perceived missteps they have made over cultural issues in some eyes, at least from the perspectives of Current TV host and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and ABC contributor Cokie Roberts.
“It depends in part on events — if they get some help from Greece and Europe and other things that make the economy unavoidable as an issue, they will,” Will said. “But now they think they’re going to float in on high gas prices — something like that. I mean it’s just preposterous.”
Will scoffed at complaints from Republicans earlier in the week, including Republican Florida Rep. Allen West and GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich.
“Allen West from South Florida, a Republican, said he was outraged this week because it cost him $70 to fill his car,” Will said. “He drives a Hummer. Newt Gingrich said the American people have a right to demand $2.50 gas. They have a right to demand lobsters grow on trees. This is economic nonsense.”
The Washington Post columnist later suggested that instead of pursuing Obama so aggressively on the gas price issue, they should instead attack the Federal Reserve.
“Part of the problem is about 10 blocks from here at the Federal Reserve building,” he said. “As long as oil is traded in dollars, as long as we’re promiscuously printing dollars and the value of the dollar is going down, the price of oil and the price of gasoline is going to go up. So blame the Federal Reserve while you’re at it.”