Bush has started to run attack ads about Kerry and the Gas tax

[Cloud]

I don't know if this is new or old but today I was watching ESPN and I was eating dinner. I think I was watching either the Red Sox and the Orioles or the Womens Final Four. Don't remember which as I was flipping between the 2 stations.

Well anyway I heard the usual "I'm George W. Bush and I approve of this message" start to the commercial. Then it showed a few clips of old time movies of people acting crazy and stupid. Then it said something like "John Kerry is crazy for supporting a 50 cent gas tax increase that will cost the American family 637 dollars a year. It went something like that.

I almost threw up. I see the Bush ads regularly on Fox News but ESPN? I have seen several Bush ads but I don't think I have seen a Kerry ad yet. Of course Bush has much more money to work with.

Well, I guess my question is this. Did Kerry actually vote for or support a 50 cent gas tax increase? When did he support it? Or is it just an exaggeration by the Bush ad attack team?

[PsN2Wind]

1. I don't think the idea ever came to a vote.

Kerry should respond by asking would people rather see $.50/gal going to reduce the horrendous national debt, or that same money enriching Bush's family and friends?

[coltman]

2. once in a interview....

Kerry mentioned a $.50 gas tax. He never proposed a bill or any other plan of action. It was just a snippet in an interview that the repugs snatched upon. I also believe this was years ago not very recent.

[Cloud]

4. I had heard something about that

I believe it was in the early 90's. I am not sure though.

Of course the Bush attack ads will go to town with that snippet and have us all believe that Kerry will make gas prices worse for something he said a decade ago that is not relevant to current gas prices.

I remember when I would pay a buck for a gallon of gas. That was just a few years ago. I wonder if we will ever see those prices again? Today 1.50 would be considered rock bottom.

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. bush is running a turd campaign

I think that even stupid people will resent this kind of pandering.

there was never....oh, it isn't even worthy of a discussion.

[DieboldMustDie]

5. Bush's record high deficit has caused the value of the dollar to plummet..

and that is largely responsible for recent increases in oil/gasoline prices.

[Vogon_Glory]

6. Suitable Reply: The Inside of a Garage

A suitable reply for this sort of ad might be mournful motorists looking dolefully at the repair bills for their shock absorption and suspension systems caused by the potholes and deteriorating pavement caused by GOP deferred maintenance. The motorists could grumble about the higher auto repair bills caused by Banana Republican budget "savings" from money not spent keeping the infrastructure in good repair.

[yellowcanine]

7. If I were * I wouldn't be talking about the price of gas

This looks like another Rovian miscalculation to me. Talking about a hypothetical problem whem people have a real problem (high gas prices) staring them in the face seems like bad strategery.