Mayor Bloomberg has joined the chorus of critics of the gas tax suspension that Hillary and McCain are backing, calling it a “summer break on gasoline taxes which would help Chavez, Qaddafi and other people like that."
The point is that Hillary's plan would increase consumption, pushing the price right back up with higher volume and all the money going to producers. But could he be giving Obama a hint for a slogan? Like: "Hillary Clinton and John McCain: $30 for Indianans, billions for anti-American dictators"??
Bloomberg: "Obama was right. McCain and Clinton were wrong. The last thing we need to do is to encourage people to drive more and to take away the monies we need for infrastructure in this country. And that’s what reducing taxes does."
Also: "It’s about the dumbest thing I’ve heard in an awful long time from an economic point of view. I don’t understand why you think there’s any merit to it whatsoever. We’re trying to discourage people from driving and we’re trying to end our energy dependence. You don’t do that- and incidentally, and we’re trying to have more money to build infrastructure. All three of those things go- fly in the face of giving everybody 30 bucks a year. The 30 bucks is not going to change anybody’s lifestyle. The billions of dollars that we would otherwise have in tax revenues can make a big difference as to what kind of a world we leave our children."
Others today: Gov Paterson, a Hillary backer, came out against a similar suspension of the state gas tax, arguing that the money wouldn't get to consumers. Iowa's Tom Harkin and House whip Steny Hoyer are against it. Two former Clinton energy secretaries, Bill Richardson and Federico Pena, are against it.
But here's the thing: We haven't seen papers in Indiana or NC (or New York) fronting stories with headlines like, "Gas scandal: Hillary, McCain pander with bad idea." Wright is the big story, this is a side issue. And here's what Clinton strategist Geoff Garin said on today's Clinton conference call:
"We're seeing in our polling that working people appreciate the fact that Senator Clinton understands the incredible economic strain they are facing."
So: Hillary, believe it or not, is the candidate of empathy.
Prediction: This issue, on top of Wright, is a disaster for Obama. It's a classic appeal to the wine track when he's hemmorhaging in the beer track. Then what? He'll cab give a speech blaming the loss of Indiana on a principled stance, but it won't help him win the nomination.