I seem to remember the last time gas prices were on the rise threatening to hit $4 and $5 per gallon, the blame was laid at the feet of the man in the White House. It was claimed that W was just taking care of his oil buddies, that gas prices were raising arbitrarily. So I have to ask, why is no one chiding this president for taking care of his oil buddies? Where are the Democrats blaming the president?
Herein lies the double standard in politics. For example, when W was in office it was considered noble to criticize him and his policies, now it’s racist. Now that Obama has taken office, we are asked to stand with him because he is our president. Where was this attitude 3 years ago?
Sifting Reality 
I have heard the gas price topic come up a few times at work and the guys who blamed “W” for them then still do today :) They say “BO” inherited them and he can’t do anything about it. Ah, such blind allegiance.
Unfortunately for them, gas prices were less than $2 when BO took the reigns.
I think the media in a large way controls general sentiment on this. I don’t think most people even realize the extent to which this happens.
The media is by and large an extension is the Democratic party.
While I agree that there is certainly a double standard here, I don’t support blaming the President for rising gas prices now any more than I did three years ago. What, exactly, did voters expect W to do back then, and what to they expect Obama to do now?
This president has halted offshore drilling and exploration by not approving permits. He has passed over the pipeline. And his energy secretary has said we need higher gas prices.
If we remember, bush, when prices got this high lifted the moratorium on drilling and the price of gas plummeted by half withing 6 months. BO’s policies actually run contrary to getting lower prices.
While I am in support of expanding offshore drilling permits, it is just one of a number of factors that affect gas prices. I am just worried that if the President’s poll numbers begin to dip again, he will open up the emergency reserves again. He tried that eight months ago, and while his poll numbers have gone up, so have gas prices.
I say watch him over the next 5 months, he will conservative up to get the independent vote. I actually think he will allow drilling and stand up to Iran just before the elections. After all he is trying to push tax cuts (payroll tax) in order to run on that. I don’t trust him one bit.