In his quest to win the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Jim Webb, GOP front runner and former Gov. George Allen's campaign launched a new website Tuesday attacking his lead rival in the race, Democratic leader and former Gov. tim Kaine as well as President Barack Obama over rising gasoline prices.
The website allows visitors to compare what it would cost to fill up their car in January 2009, when Obama first took office and Kaine took over as head of the Democratic National committee and the average cost for a gallon of gas was $1.85 and today when the cost per gallon has risen to $3.87.
The site includes a gas price calculator where people enter the make and model of their car and are then shown what it would cost to fill up their tank with regular unleaded in January 2009 and today.
For a Honda CRV the cost back when Obama took office would have been $30.90; today it would cost $59.21 - a $28.31 increase.
“Tim Kaine may say there are ‘aspects about the gas price thing that makes (him) scratch (his) head,’ but it’s pretty clear to Virginians they are paying too much at the pump. In the three years since President Obama took office and Tim Kaine became his Democratic National Committee Chairman, gas prices have skyrocketed,” said Mike Thomas, George Allen for U.S. Senate Campaign Manager. “Tim Kaine may say he’s for an ‘all of the above’ approach, but he has repeatedly tried to slow, delay and block access to more affordable energy. George Allen has a plan to unleash our American energy resources and reduce prices in the long-term. America can’t afford to sit back and scratch our heads as gasoline prices continue to surge. We need decisive leadership and the political will in Washington to take action.”
However, as Republicans have gone on the attack against Obama and the Democrats around the country over rising gas prices that are expected to top $4 a gallon this summer, Democrats point out that gas prices topped out well over $4 a gallon in the summer of 2008 during the last year of George W. Bush's presidency.
Kaine's campaign issued the following response Tuesday to Allen's new website:
"It's not surprising that George Allen would cheer rising gas prices. The industry has helped pay his salary. They're funding his campaign. They're making record profits off American citizens. And, now George Allen is trying to use it for political advantage," said Brandi Hoffine, Kaine campaign communications director. "Tim Kaine has a different approach. He implemented Virginia's first comprehensive energy policy to expand all energy sources, including alternative energy that would reduce our dependence on oil. And, unlike George Allen, he would get rid of unnecessary taxpayer subsidies to big oil companies who don't need help from the government."
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