Sen Hawley Destroys Biden Energy Secretary on Soaring Gas Prices

On Thursday morning in a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm repeatedly refused to acknowledge that the Biden administration's war on U.S. energy had caused gas prices to rise since the president took office and started cracking down on domestic energy production.

Even after Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri laid out the proof of the Biden administration's anti-fossil fuel policies that have limited supply and driven up costs, Granholm still wouldn't accept any responsibility for the soaring cost of gas as the national average for regular unleaded hit another all-time high on Thursday morning.

"Today in the State of Missouri, the average price of gasoline is $4.10," Hawley noted, adding the "average price of diesel is $5.18. And I'm sure you've seen the reporting this morning that now AAA is projecting that gas prices will hit a national average — average — of $6 a gallon by the month of August, he said. "Is this acceptable to you?"

"No, it is not," Secretary Granholm claimed before saying "you can thank the activity of Vladimir Putin for invading Ukraine," another Biden administration blame-shifting attempt.

"Oh nonsense," Hawley interjected. "With all due respect, Madam Secretary, that's utter nonsense."

"In January of 2021, the average gas price in my state was $2.07," Hawley reminded Granholm. "Eight months later, long before Vladimir Putin invaded, that price was up 30 percent and has been going up consistently since. What are you doing to reverse this administration's policies that are drawing down our own supply of energy in this country, that are throttling oil and gas production in the United states of America - what are you doing about it?" he asked.

"With respect sir, it is not administration policies that have affected supply and demand," Granholm claimed.

No, she didn’t get blown away and no, Hawley did NOT destroy her. I wish Hawley had done a better job. Here is how he should have laid the foundation to destroy her:

H: Madame Secretary (MS from here on, and H for Hawley) - you have said that our current energy problems are a result of normal supply and demand issues, isn’t that right?

MS: Yes.

H: And that means that when the demand goes up, then all things being equal, then the price goes up - doesn’t it?

MS: Yes.

H: And if the supply goes down, then all things being equal, then the price goes up - doesn’t it?

MS: Yes.

(sidenote - with this foundation being laid, then the fun starts!)

H: And if our country ships fuel supplies to Europe, then that decreases our supply - doesn’t it?

MS: Yes but but but -

H: It was a yes or no question. And if we shut off pipelines bringing oil into our country, then that reduces our supply, doesn’t it?

MS: yes but but but

H: It was a yes or no question. And if we refuse to let oil companies drill for more oil, then that reduces our supply, doesn’t it?

MS: Yes but but but

H: And President Biden has caused all three of these direct hits to the oil supply, hasn’t he.

MS: Yes but but but.

H: So by your own admission, Joe Biden has caused the price of gasoline to go up, hasn’t he?

That is the basic framework of how Hawley should have proceeded. Simply spouting off our side’s talking points is not “getting someone” or “destroying someone.”

In law, a good lawyer has to connect all the dots - one point at a time. Plus, anticipate the “but but buts” and have answers ready for them. For example, Hawley should have had this line ready for her, “Madame Secretary, are you the Secretary of Energy, or are you Biden’s Press Secretary??? You do know the difference, don’t you???

or, “You are not afraid of saying that Biden has made mistakes are you? You are not saying that he is perfect are you?”

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