In the past 24 hours, the Obama campaign has sent out links to articles denouncing the McCain-Clinton gas tax holiday idea from Paul Krugman of the NYT, Thomas Friedman of the NYT, and Jonathan Alter of Newsweek, the Portland Oregonian, and even (privately) Clinton aides.
Meanwhile, Hillary took a morning commute with a sheet metal worker -- trailed by a cavalcade of eight SUVs -- so that she could do regular-person commiserating with the guy when he stopped to fill up for gas, get the cameras rolling, blast Obama for not favoring a gas tax holiday.
Pretty schlocky, but one of the advantages of a cheap political stunt like a gas-tax holiday is that it can work. It's nice to know that smart columnists for the Times and Newsweek realize that it won't lower prices, and that if it did it would encourage more consumption -- which is what people like Hillary theoretically realize is the cause of high prices and foreign dependence in the first place.
But how does that help Obama in Indiana?
The gas-holiday fight is an interesting one to watch. Hillary and McCain have joined up to push an idea that energy experts seem to agree is dumb. Not only are they pushing it, they're bashing Obama for not supporting it.
If he genuinely has the capacity to change politics, one of the things he'll have to do is figure out a way to make other politicians pay a price for supporting a bad idea with superficial appeal. It'll be interesting to watch and see if he can turn this on them.