Can Kerry Use Anti-Gas Sentiment For An Alternative Fuel Campaign Agenda? [View All]

[DrFunkenstein]

Yes, I mean gasoline. As in staggering prices. As in "why the hell are our bravest dying in the Middle East?"

With the public increasingly turned to troop withdrawal, to misgivings about the reasons for invasion, and generally irate about gas prices, is there a perfect storm brewing for an campaign agenda cenetered around clean, domestic fuel?

Now, I know that this would play magnificently to our base. We're all tree-humping hippies. But how would this play in Peoria? My sense is that alternative fuel has bi-partisan support at the ground level, but the GOP has too many ties to the energy sector to get behind it.

Nevertheless, there is a shot that McCain will take this issue and run with it the way he did with campaign finance reform in 2000. In fact, McCain and Kerry did some fairly amazing work together on precisely this issue.

One of my big critiques of Kerry's 2004 performance was his lack of a central agenda. If he picked up clean, domestic fuel as his vision of the future, it would allow him to put together his two strengths: foreign policy and environmentalism. It would also keep him focused and present a positive message (instead of kissing his opponents ass, which is not what I consider "positive").

What are your thoughts about the matter? Is America ready for SUVs that get 80 miles to the gallon?