Wednesday, April 26, 2006Campaign 06': It's A Gas; Pump Prices Pump Up Patsy, Plus: Big Bill Gets In On The Fun, And: A Senate Hopeful Rolls The DiceHer recent news conference outside a gas station where she faulted the Prez and GOP foe ABQ GOP Congresswoman Heather Wilson for the latest energy crisis received scant press notice, but if the petrol prices stay in this vicinity very long, her supporters are hoping it will be one of the breakthrough issues she needs to put Wilson on the defensive and keep her there. Take a look at this simple, yet powerful idea for a TV spot from a Dem partisan. And the political voltage of high pump prices was reinforced Tuesday when the Prez entered the fray as motorists ponied up $50 and more to fill their tanks. Advocates for Wilson and the R's are saying that while prices are high the D's really don't have any ideas to deal with the crisis, but who needs ideas when you have outrage? PATSY'S OIL SLICK Madrid's gnashing of the teeth over the fuel fiasco might cause discomfort for a fellow NM Dem. At her news conference she said: "While Heather Wilson and the Bush Congress are giving billions of dollars in tax breaks to oil companies, New Mexicans are paying the price.” Pete and Jeff said their measure also had incentives for alternate fuels but that the bill would not have an immediate impact on gas prices. Boy, they got that right. Madrid's next step could be to tie the unpopular Iraq war to the high price per gallon. But the issue is a moving target. If the prices head south, Patsy's political pump could come up dry. For now, however, it's a nice spring break to be able to hammer a defenseless Heather instead of thinking about the trials and travails of Robert Vigil and Eric Serna. MORE GAS PAINS As gas prices soar you might think there would be a hue and cry for another round of NM energy tax rebates to assuage the gas pains of Mr. & Mrs. New Mexico. But Big Bill, a former U.S. energy secretary, is so far holding the line on that notion. But he is having a good time again sticking a needle in the NM oil and gas crowd. He is renewing his call for the industry to donate $50 million which the state, he says, would be more than glad to distribute to hard hit consumers. NM Oil & Gas Association honcho Bob Gallagher again says "nyet" to Bill's posturing and adds that the "free market" will take care of the problem. Did you know Bob was a one time top aide to Bill? Sure was. At the Department of Energy. And in 03' Bill appointed Bob to the New Mexico State University Board of Regents which Bob continues to serve on. Oh, the web of La Politica! ROLL THOSE BONES! Pfeffer It was a roll of the dice, and why not? An emotional issue like immigration is the type that gets hardcore R's off their seats. A one-time full page shot is probably not a bad way to go when you have so few bucks to make a splash. Pfeffer's gamble comes just before we see what Farmington urologist Allen McCulloch does with the $128,000 he has in the bank. ABQ GOP State Senator Joe Carraro, also seeking the GOP nomination, is relying on ABQ name ID as he has less than $10k to play with. And Pfeffer, a former Santa Fe city councilman, won't need any gasoline for his next campaign stunt--a 19 day walking tour of the NM-Mexico border to bring attention to the hot-button immigration issue. Hey, with these gas prices, we may all be in for a long walk. (c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2006 Not for reproduction without permission of the author |
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