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Obama: Call for gas tax holiday pure politics

The Democratic hopeful is arguing that his rivals' call for a temporary suspension of the federal gas tax is "designed to get them through an election" and would not help struggling consumers.
/ Source: The Associated Press

Democrat Barack Obama is arguing that his rivals' call for a temporary suspension of the federal gas tax is "designed to get them through an election" and would not help struggling consumers.

Obama said Tuesday, "The easiest thing in the world for a politician to do is tell you exactly what you want to hear." His comments came in remarks prepared for delivery.

The idea to suspend the 18.4 cent federal gas tax and 24.4 cent diesel tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day was first proposed by John McCain, the likely Republican presidential nominee. Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton also supports it.

Obama said drying up gas tax collections would hurt highway construction, costing North Carolina up to 7,000 jobs.