Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm has been clear about how high gas prices, which are hurting everyday Americans, are helping the administration push electric vehicles.
The cost of gas, which is rising with no end in sight, offers a "very compelling case" to buy an electric vehicle, the former Michigan governor argued in a clip shared by the Republican National Committee.
"If you filled up your EV and you filled up your gas tank with gasoline, you would save $60 per fill-up by going electric rather than using gasoline, but it's a very compelling case, but again, we want to bring down the price at the point of purchase," she said.
Biden Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm insists high gas prices are "a very compelling case” to buy an electric vehicle. pic.twitter.com/pMpLIoXBKR
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 14, 2022
She reiterated this point in other interviews.
"At what point do these [gas] prices...become unsustainable?"
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 15, 2022
ENERGY SEC. GRANHOLM: "Yeah, I think the prices are unsustainable...there's not a quick fix. However, your point about also accelerating our progress toward clean energy is very, very important." pic.twitter.com/rQVP54oeeX
The Energy Secretary went on to minimize the skyrocketing gas prices during an interview with CNN, comparing U.S. prices to those abroad, but even anchor John Berman wasn't having any of it.
"If you were in Brazil, you'd be paying the same amount for gas at the pump, over five dollars," she said. "If you were in Canada, you'd be paying over six dollars. If you were in Germany, you'd be paying over eight dollars. It's happening around the world."
"Understood," Berman replied, "we're talking about the United States, though, and what the president can do."
Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm: "If you were in Brazil, you'd be paying the same amount for gas..."
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 15, 2022
CNN's John Berman: "We're talking about the United States, though." pic.twitter.com/myWGHNyszF
President Biden on Wednesday took aim at the industry, demanding to know why more gas isn't on the market as they "pad their profits," reports Reuters.
"At a time of war, refinery profit margins well above normal being passed directly onto American families are not acceptable," Biden wrote to executives at Marathon Petroleum Corp, Valero Energy Corp, Exxon Mobil, Phillips 66, Chevron Corp, BP, and Shell.
"The lack of refining capacity - and resulting unprecedented refinery profit margins - are blunting the impact of the historic actions my Administration has taken to address Vladimir Putin's Price Hike and are driving up costs for consumers."
Granholm, meanwhile, is expected to host an emergency meeting about how refiners can respond to increased prices.