Democrat President Joe Biden refused to take any ownership of the historic gas prices that Americans are facing right now when asked about the matter on Tuesday as he then proceeded to deflect blame on Russia.
“They’re gonna go up,” Biden said when asked in Texas about gas prices, which reached record-breaking levels this week.
When asked what he could do about it, he said, “I can’t do much right now. Russia’s responsible.”
REPORTER: What can you do about skyrocketing gas prices?
BIDEN: "Can't do much right now. Russia's responsible." pic.twitter.com/UZrBUEsliQ
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 8, 2022
Notable responses included:
- Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL): “Did Biden seriously say he ‘can’t do much right now’ to solve the skyrocketing gas prices?!? Putin has 99 problems but causing American gas prices to rise is NOT one of them. Biden needs to stop the gaslighting and roll back EVERY one of his destructive energy policies.”
- Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX): “Texans will NOT be fooled by Joe Biden’s LIES! He could increase American energy production here at home to curb gas prices. Instead, he’s pandering to a Venezuelan dictator to increase their oil production. WHY is he blocking energy production in places like Texas? Go home, Joe!”
- Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS): “You could begin by unleashing America’s energy production. An announcement to restart the Keystone XL Pipeline would drop the price of oil tomorrow.”
- Chris Barron, political strategist: “He’s the f***ing President and his answer is he cant do much about it. I have an idea sparky, how about go back to your basement and give the Presidency to someone who can do something about it. What a total joke of a President. Worst ever.”
Biden’s remarks come as the national average price of gasoline set a new all-time record on Monday, blowing past the previous mark that was set more than a decade ago in 2008.
“The national average price of gasoline in the U.S. today broke the existing record, rewriting the all-time high to today’s $4.104 per gallon,” GasBuddy reported on Monday. “The previous all-time high was set back in 2008 at $4.103 per gallon, just ahead of the U.S. Great Recession and housing crisis.”
GasBuddy, a platform that collects data on fuel prices to save consumers money, added that the price of diesel was “likely to break the record of $4.846 per gallon in the next two weeks.”
“In addition to setting a new all-time high, the national average is seeing its largest ever 7 day spike: 49.1 cents per gallon, eclipsing the 49.0 cent weekly rise after Hurricane Katrina in 2005,” the company’s statement continued. “On Saturday, the U.S. national average gas price surpassed $4 per gallon for the first time since 2008, and Friday’s spike alone came close to the record daily rise of 18 cents per gallon, increasing nearly 16 cents per gallon in one day. Diesel prices, however, did break records on Friday, as diesel soared to its largest daily gain ever: 22.2 cents per gallon, 6 cents higher than the previous record from 2013.”
AAA reported on Tuesday morning that the national average price for gas had risen to $4.173 per gallon. In California, the average has skyrocketed to $5.44 per gallon.