The three networks have, thus far, skipped Tuesday's revelation by Energy Secretary Steven Chu that the "overall goal" of the Obama administration isn't to get gas prices down. This is despite the fact that ABC, NBC and CBS have previously focused on the rising gasoline prices in general.
Politico reported, Tuesday, "The Energy Department isn't working to lower gasoline prices directly, Secretary Steven Chu said Tuesday after a Republican lawmaker scolded him for his now-infamous 2008 comment that gas prices in the U.S. should be as high as in Europe."
He added, "Just overnight, prices rose again to an average of $3.74 per gallon, nationwide. That is just 13 cents higher than last week."
It's odd to cover the "stress" of high prices and then not highlight the administration stating that it isn't working to lower them.
On the February 27 Nightly News, Brian Williams lamented, "Now to a big backdrop issue, the price of gas right now. For commuters and businesses that rely on going by road, prices are hitting new records for this time of year, 10 percent above last year's prices nationwide, 15 percent above in the state of California."
On February 23 and 24th, an ABC investigation blamed oil speculators for the rising costs.
The Politico piece explained:
“But is the overall goal to get our price” of gasoline down, asked [Rep. Alan] Nunnelee.
“No, the overall goal is to decrease our dependency on oil, to build and strengthen our economy,” Chu replied. “We think that if you consider all these energy policies, including energy efficiency, we think that we can go a long way to becoming less dependent on oil and [diversifying] our supply and we’ll help the American economy and the American consumers.”
A transcript of the March 1 GMA segment, which aired at 7:10am EST, follows:
JOSH ELLIOTT: And turning to the economy, a new poll finds that more than two thirds of Americans, 67 percent, now admit that rising gas prices are causing stress to their household budgets. Just overnight, prices rose again to an average of $3.74 per gallon, nationwide. That is just 13 cents higher than last week.
