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The White House has confirmed that Biden plans a mid-July trip to Saudi Arabia, despite his pledge during the 2020 presidential campaign to make that country a "pariah." In light of the announced trip, some pundits argue the president is turning to the oil-rich kingdom in an attempt to alleviate soaring prices at the pump for motorists at home and around the globe.
But just last week, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that oil production isn't the focus of conversations with Saudi Arabia, and that an agenda for such a trip wouldn't include discussion of oil or gas prices. Today, however, it's clear the issue of high gas prices is on Biden's mind – and he's blaming America's oil companies and the "Putin price hike," not his policies.
Gary Bauer, chairman of Campaign for Working Families, says it's remarkable to compare when the president is willing to fight to when he's willing to grovel.
"[The president is] willing to fight when it comes to America's energy industry, he's willing to fight against conservatives, he's willing to fight against American business in general; [and] he's willing to excoriate our Supreme Court and fight against pro-lifers," Bauer exclaims.
"But he grovels to the Venezuelans, he grovels to Iran – and clearly, he's trying to do whatever he has to do to get the Saudis to turn on the spigots and try to save [his own] political hide by getting the price of gasoline to go down a little bit between now and Election Day."
The conservative pundit argues that no American president should be groveling to foreign dictators and foreign authoritarian governments on an issue like energy.
"We have the ability in the United States to produce all the energy we need," Bauer argues. "I think [Biden is] desperate – but … at the end of the day, I think he will return to the United States essentially empty-handed, which means that the American taxpayer will find that their billfolds are increasingly empty."
AFN contacted Dan Kish of Institute for Energy Research for his reaction to Biden's upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia.
"This is sad. The United States has huge amounts of energy – we have the people and the know-how; we invented hydraulic fracturing," Kish offered. "To be begging other people for oil from abroad when it is God-given [and] right under our own feet – but for the government's own actions – is the height of irresponsibility, frankly."
The Associated Press reports Biden will stop in Jerusalem (to meet with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett) and the West Bank (to consult with the Palestinian Authority) before continuing on to Saudi Arabia.
Why the visit to Israel?
Bauer admits he's worried about what Biden might demand from the Israelis – specifically, that the president may "lean" on Israel not to take any action against Iran as that regime gets closer and closer to having a nuclear weapon.
"It's clear that the talks … between the Biden administration and the mullahs of Iran have gone nowhere," he states. "And Israel has made numerous public statements that they will not stand by and put themselves in a position where they're facing an existential threat from somebody like Iran."
According to Bauer, there's a consensus in Israel when it comes to the Iranian threat. "And that consensus … is the mullahs of Iran cannot be trusted and that Israel will do whatever they have to do to safeguard the modern state of Israel," he offers.
If Biden tries to restrain Israel when it comes to Iran getting nuclear weapons, Bauer is convinced the American president is going to be "very disappointed" in the reaction he hears from the Israelis.
6/16/2022 - Bauer's comments on Israel/Iran added.
