Obama: GOP 'Not Telling You The Truth' About Gas Prices #p2 #tcot

"WASHINGTON -- People who claim a lack of oil drilling is to blame for spiking gasoline prices are either dumb or dishonest, President Barack Obama argued Thursday as Democrats ramped up their defense against Republicans claiming just that.

"Anybody who tells you that we can just drill our way out of this problem does not know what they're talking about, or they're not telling you the truth -- one or the other," Obama said at an event held in New Hampshire to tout his energy policies.

He noted that, in fact, oil production in the United States has hit its highest level in eight years, that more rigs are operating in the U.S. than in the rest of the world combined, that more than 400 drilling permits have been granted since the massive BP oil spill, and that for the first time in 13 years, oil imports account for less than half of all U.S. oil consumption.

"And no matter what you hear from some folks in an election year, the key part of this strategy over the last three years has been to increase safe, responsible oil production here at home, while also pursuing clean energy for the future," Obama added.

Regardless, Republicans, who launched a coordinated assault on the administration over gas prices earlier this week, kept up the drumbeat on Thursday."

rest at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/01/gas-prices-oil-drilling-president-obama_n_1314896.html?utm_source=DailyBrief&utm_campaign=030212&utm_medium=email&utm_content=FeatureTitle&utm_term=Daily%20Brief