Jennifer Granholm Says Joe Biden is ‘Obsessed’ With ‘Outrageous’ Gas Prices

Energy secretary Jennifer Granholm on Saturday told CNN that President Joe Biden is “obsessed” with gas prices, and dismissed a question about whether it is “awkward” for him to be tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve considering his radical, ultra-green campaign platform.

CNN anchor Jessica Dean introduced the segment by highlighting the enormous cost of fuel on Memorial Day weekend, typically a big travel day for Americans.

“As millions hit the road this weekend for Memorial Day, gas prices are at an all-time high, leaving Americans with sticker shock,” said Dean. “And it’s not going away anytime soon.”

Dean reported the national average gas price today is $4.60 a gallon, which is over a dollar and a half more per gallon than last Memorial Day weekend.

She then turned to reporter Matt Egan, who toured the SPR and asked her about the price spike.

“If you’re hitting the road this holiday weekend, brace yourself. The national average for regular gas is about 50% higher than last Memorial Day weekend, said Egan. “Even the Biden administration concedes that gas prices are at, quote, outrageous levels.”

In the clip of of his questions for Granholm, he asked if tapping the reserve is a “band-aid.”

“It is the biggest tool that the president has, which is the Strategic Petroleum Reserve,” she replied, quickly moving to shift blame. “The events globally have so much power over the price per barrel.”

“Ultimately, what we need to do is to see an increase in supply to make up for those lost Russian barrels,” she said.

Egan noted that Biden “ran on the most aggressive climate agenda of anyone who has ever been elected to the White House,” and asked if it’s “awkward” that he is “draining oil” from the reserve.”

“He’s responding to the current situation,” said Granholm. “You know, he knows, and he’s obsessed with the fact that gas prices are so high and people are hurting and this is a global issue.”

But, she added, it may just be a sign, she think. “The fact that we are paying these outrageous prices almost is an is an exclamation point on the fact that we need to move to clean energy,” she siad.

JESSICA DEAN: As millions hit the road this weekend for Memorial Day, gas prices are at an all-time high, leaving Americans with sticker shock. And it’s not going away anytime soon. Triple A reporting. The national average today is $4.60 a gallon, a dollar fifty-six more than it was this time last year. CNN’s Matt Egan has more on why the prices continue to climb.

MATT EGAN: Jessica, if you’re hitting the road this holiday weekend, brace yourself. The national average for regular gas is about 50% higher than last Memorial Day weekend. Even the Biden administration concedes that gas prices are at, quote, outrageous levels. We were invited by the White House to join a rare tour of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the government’s emergency stockpile and its biggest weapon against high gas prices. The president authorized a record-setting release earlier this year. And after the tour, I asked Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm if record high gas prices mean that this weapon is really more of a band-aid.

JENNIFER GRANHOLM: It is the biggest tool that the president has, which is the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The events globally have so much power over the price per barrel. Ultimately, what we need to do is to see an increase in supply to make up for those lost Russian barrels. And that’s why we’re we’re doing everything we can inside the United States and asking other countries to do the same.

MATT EGAN: President Biden, he ran on the most aggressive climate agenda of anyone who has ever been elected to the White House. Isn’t it awkward, though, that now he’s draining oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve?

JENNIFER GRANHOLM: He’s responding to the current situation. You know, he knows, and he’s obsessed with the fact that gas prices are so high and people are hurting and this is a global issue. So what can he do?

So you can exhort the oil and gas industry to increase supply. You have to, at the same time, accelerate our movement to clean energy. You can walk and chew gum. You can do both. But the fact that we are paying these outrageous prices almost is an is an exclamation point on the fact that we need to move to clean energy so that we are not in this position in the future.

MATT EGAN: You mentioned Russia. Yeah. Will Russia ever be trusted again as a reliable energy partner?

JENNIFER GRANHOLM: I, I wouldn’t trust them. I can’t, I don’t know the answer to that. They – It’s up to them. They have to prove that they are a reliable partner. And they’re certainly not doing that now.

Watch the clip above, via CNN.