Obama Touts Tire Inflation In Symbolic Pushback To Partisan Critics

Unrestrained by the sensitivities of campaign season, Barack Obama returned to an energy policy statement that got him in a bit of hyper-partisan heat while on the trail: calling for people to properly inflate their tires.

"Some of you may remember during the campaign, when gas was really high, I suggested that one small step Americans could take would be to keep their tires inflated, remember that?" Obama told the crowd at Newton, Iowa, in a speech celebrating Earth Day. "And everybody teased me. 'Aw look, that's Obama energy policy.' And my opponents started passing out tire gauges. But I'll tell you what, turns out that saves you an awful lot of gas -- and money in your pocket. It also makes sense for our energy use as a whole. If everybody kept their tires inflated, it would have a big dent; it would produce as much oil savings as we might be pumping in some of these offshore sites by drilling."

For about a week during the summer, Obama was ridiculed by Republican opponents for making the "outlandish" suggestion that people could save a fair amount of money by simply ensuring that their care tires were properly inflated. This was, critics contended, the totality of his energy policy. It was an absurd proposition then and now, in part because Obama's energy plan had many more, broader components; but also because properly inflating one's tires is an obvious way to save money and decrease dependence on oil.

Now president and even less concerned about partisan backlash, Obama hit the same note of small sacrifice for energy gains during his Wednesday speech.

"I don't accept the conventional wisdom that suggests that the American people are unable or unwilling to participate in a national effort to transform the way we use energy," he said. "I don't believe that the only thing folks are capable of doing is just paying their taxes. I disagree, I think the American people are ready to be part of a mission. I believe that."

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Comments

[Teamster]

We have renewal energy now when will we stop the non renewable.

1929 Los Angelee USA / cross country Diesel & electric turbine from
coast to coast. POWER of turbine is produced by wheel motion.
Now
Bio Deisel is creatable from waste / hybrid auto can use the renewable
diesel with wheel motion generation total renewable
( Geo earth and water
source is another renewable. no waste by product absolutly none no carbon
or fuel cell .

[tiotom77]

President Obama, what time should I put my kids to bed?

[judyc]

Whenever you want to--i d i o t.

[ocalasatpro]

Right before you turn on Fox News, clown.

[Jezdukowski]

You have kids??? God help us all...

[pkafin]

You can't figure that out for yourself?

[steamboat]

I could care less about tires.....­..My concern is the rising unemployment rate, people's 401K's, the pension plans, and creating breakthroughs in science.

[dontpanic1]

Then why read this article? Go away.

[ocalasatpro]

See, you're the problem. Care MORE about inflating your tires, and wise up some.

P.S. Inflating your tires IS science. The reason you don't know is... well, you don't care.

[steamboat]

No, I'll care more about the rising 8.6% unemployme­nt........­..Because if people aren't working they won't be able to buy cars, inorder to inflate their tires.

[Cookie100]

I just bought a new Forester. They say tire inflation is so important, they put a censor in the car to alert you when/if your tires get low. It's specifically to help with the mileage.

[katooom]

No, it has nothing to do with gas mileage. It is all a reaction to the Firestone under-inflation debacle from several years ago. These TPMS systems are a joke - just another nanny-state band aid to account for incompetent drivers. More expense, more complexity added to each and every car.

[pkafin]

You may be right about why the sensors exist, but you have your head in the sand if you think it doesn't effect mileage. It absolutely does.

[Cookie100]

Uh, Mr. President. You were also ridiculed by your Secretary of State, remember. She too was passing out tire gauges, wonder what she's thinking now.
Keep your friends close, and your enemies way, way far away in China, the Middle East, Turkey, South America...­....

[cyoohoos]

I LOVE IT that the tr0lls are all over this thread.

Please give ALL your money to the Arabs you despise so much. Run out and DEFLATE your tires. Open your windows with the air conditioner on. Buy a HUMMER and leave it idling while you're at work.

Whatever the President recommends, you'll do the opposite. Now, if only we can get you on the ledge of a tall building and play a tape of the President asking you not to jump...

[Virginia Plain]

Class, cyoohoos!

Pure CLASS!

[rodgertlangley]

Much vigorous laughter from this boy.

[Irmanator]

Giving away those (actually useful) tire gauges was the best thing McCain did for the US during the campaign.
I wish I'd snagged one so I could get a chuckle every time I checked my tires with my "McCain gauge".

[SaintZak]

It has nothing to do with keeping your tires properly inflated. Everyone knows it does effect your gas mileage.

A friend of mine is extremely conservative. We were at the auto show last year and she would look at were the biggest SVU behemoths. I couldn't believe the gas mileage those things got. She was completely unconcerned and didn't even acknowledge the stickers on the windshields. finally, I said something about the mileage they got. She charged around the car and yelled at me, "I can use as much gas as I want to if I pay for and no one can tell me I can't!" She calmly went back to looking at the cup holders.

[Jezdukowski]

I guess trying to explain peak oil to her would have been an exercise in futility.

[Foreground]

She can push her SVU as much as she wants if she pays the chiropractice bills for it and no one can tell her she can't!

[SeanKennedy]

Funny how those types hate Arabs so much but they are in such a hurry to send them as much money as possible.

[SteveNichols]

Such a simple suggestion that would help save gas and increase our energy effectively and yet there our those that thinks this is a stupid ideal. Why because it make sense. There is not one magic bullet to cure the energy problem, however if we can make a different in our effective use of energy by doing something as simple as inflation our tires then how could anyone object to that. There could be other simple suggestion that will help increase our energy effectiveness, then let hear it. Global warming is not going away, our carbon footprint must be reduced, our dependency on foreign oil must be reduced, other form of energy must be developed. We talk about the debt our children children will have energy cost will be a major expense .There is an imperative mandate to solve this problem. We are held prisoners of the oil cartel, yet individuals would rather complain then offer a solution that would help solve the problem. More drilling is not the answer, unless your an oil company looking to increase your profits. The President is right, I am and million American are willing to participate in a national effort to transform the way we use energy. Don't be fooled by the other individuals who have no solution to the problem. It an American problem, American should want to solve this problem.

[kanobi11]

I read so much Obama smearing on this thread, but I am yet to hear any ideas from the Republican­s... All I hear is Obama smearing, lots of Obama smearing, but no alternative solutions.­.. My advice to you - Go work on ideas that work and bring them to the table... smearing Obama does not put food on the table for most American..­. Well may be it does for Sean Hanity and Rush Limbaugh and a couple of others, but not for most Americans - Ideas is what put food on the table !

[bamvol]

Throughout his administration, he often made rulings that protected and pleased the lower class at the expense of the rich and powerful. He was criticized as being obsessed with being popular.

He began his rule by promising the Legislature more autonomy. In this first year, he asked others not to refer to him with regard to enactments, for which he was praised by the Legislature.

Calls were made on the misconduct of the wealthy, with strong demand of increasing oversight. Limiting public corruption was pursued. High-ranking officials were collecting too much taxes, he then transferred collection authority to lower commissioners of competency.

Additionally, there were many impeachments and removals of government officials along with arrests for extortion and corruption. The Legislature convinced him this action would be too extreme. As a compromise, taxes were cut in half. Additionally, secret government tax records were ordered to become public.

New public buildings were modeled with Greek columns. Some questioned the large public expenditures. Fiscal crises began to emerge. As the city burned, he enacted a public relief effort as well as reconstruction. The states, where wealthy lived, were heavily taxed to pay for this relief effort.

He drained swamps and had them filled with rubble from the fire. Then,he erected the largest construction project ever to salute his rule, the Golden House. This project and others exacerbated the drain on the State's budget. He wanted to rename his home town Neropolis, but it was decreed later to rename it Obamopolis.

[whiskeytangofoxtrot451]

Amazing and frightening to look into the mindset of a neocon.

Torture and illegal wiretapping = not fascism.

Asking people to inflate their tires without even suggesting that it should be mandatory = fascism.

[Shashi0224]

They either are incapable of thinking things through or simply choose not to. Their stupidity is staggering.

[ayc]

You write decent fiction, but it's not very readable, or enlightening. Keep your day job, if you have one.

[AKAchip]

You really need to put down that cr.ack pipe. You're beginning to sound like a Rethuglican! LOL!!

[ChiGuy]

It is said that Nero fiddled as Rome b'urned.

Who was it that strummed the guitar as New Orleans suffered?

[AKAchip]

Touche', mon amiee. LOL!!

[htowncarrie]

...or continued to read a children's book while planes were crashing into the twin towers.

Yeah, right, that's the idol you want to worship. BTW, I have to laugh. The Rethugs keep referring to Obama as 'savior' and 'messiah.' I don't know anyone on the left who thinks of him that way. We just call him Mr. President.

[bbbear]

Wow! You are the perfect little pet, protecting your masters, wagging your tail and proudly barking nonsense at the riffraff. Oh how the rich and powerful must laugh at your silly antics.

[posttheist]

"I think the American people are ready to be part of a mission. I believe that."...a­men

[prettyinpink]

And that mission is to remove this clown from office.

[greatlardini]

Here, have some kleenex.

[htowncarrie]

Jon Stewart warned you that losing was supposed to taste like a sh**** taco. So shut up and eat your lunch. Bon appetit!

[katekid]

Do the math.
The President's correct.
The savings are significant.

[Fromageball]

Unfortunately, math is part of that book-learnin', brain-washin' stuff. The right-wingers will not be taking part in that...

[Teri Breier]

Last August, I defended Obama's comments about tire inflation in my green Spirited Woman blog and also passed on a suggestion that replacing air with nitrogen offers a convenient way to keep tires at the right pressure: http://www.thespiritedwoman.com/go_blog_blog_blog/2008/08/green-spirit-it.html

[HowietheScreamer]

Actually, you don't need Nitrogen..­. just DRY air. Ever seen how much water those air hoses at the gas station pump out? Water in your tires can cause some pretty nasty swings in pressure.

[BatMasterson]

Air is 78% nitrogen. They simply increase the amount of nitrogen to 90+% since the molecules are larger than oxygen's.

Overall, though, it's not going to help much unless people buy high quality tires.

[MimiGardner]

As I recall, the totality of the republican energy policy was "Drill, baby, Drill."