The Election Year of Magical Thinking

Chris Cillizza, on his great Washington Post blog "The Fix" (I'm a sucker for blogs that package actual journalism instead of bloviation) finds that lower gas prices are receiving a mixed reaction in the crucial Ohio River region, where, if Democrats are winning the House, they'll grab much of their new majority.

In the midst of the back and forth on gas prices comes a new poll from Gallup that shows large numbers of the American public skeptical about the timing of the cost cuts. Forty-two percent of the sample said that the Bush Administration had "deliberately manipulated the price of gasoline so that it would decrease before this fall's elections," while 53 percent said the price drop had nothing to do with the President.

Don't forget that state Rep. Mike Weaver (D), who is running against Rep. Ron Lewis (R) in Kentucky's 2nd district, told your Ramblers on day one that voters should question whether the price at the pump is being manipulated.

This seems to be an issue that Democrats will continue to use because it is resonating with the voters.

Why do voters believe that the Bush administration manipulates gas prices? Is this something the president will have to publicly shoot down, i.e. the draft rumors he maligned in the second 2004 presidential debate? The number of people who believe the federal government can manipulate international oil prices won't be persuaded by some sarcasm from Tony Snow.