>>>
in this country, when presidents and politicians use terms like "u.s. interests" and "the flow of commerce" in the
middle east
and
north africa
, often those are just euphemisms for oil and the u.s. cannot function without it. we import about 11 million
barrels per day
. so
president obama
attempted something today other presidents have attempted. he set an ambitious goal for breaking america's reliance on
foreign oil
.
white house
correspondent
savannah guthrie
at the
white house
tonight with more on this. savannah, good evening.
>> reporter:
good evening, brian. the president said today we americans have kind of a familiar pattern. we go from shock when prices go up at the pump to a trance when they go back down, never solving the underlying problems. like many presidents before him, he vowed today to change that.
>>
the
president of the united states
.
>> reporter:
under pressure with
gas prices
at home surging and unrest in the
middle east
spreading,
president obama
today outlined his plan to wean america off
foreign oil
.
>>
and we will keep on being a victim to shifts in the oil market until we finally get serious about a long-term policy for a secure, affordable energy future.
>> reporter:
the president's goal, cut oil imports by a third over ten years, by reducing u.s. consumption, greater use of
clean energy
, biofuels and
natural gas
, and by boosting
oil and gas
production here at home. the president accused
oil companies
of sitting on existing oil leases without exploring or drilling. but republicans say it's democrats who are slowing domestic exploration with increased regulation in the wake of the
gulf oil
spill.
>>
so the problem isn't that we need to look elsewhere for our energy, the problem is that democrats don't want us to use the energy we have.
>> reporter:
driven by turmoil in the
middle east
, the nationwide average cost per gallon has jumped, now $3.55, prices not seen since
2008
in the height of the presidential campaign. still, a potent pocketbook issue that could affect the president's political fortunes in
2012
.
>>
i've got to be honest. we've run into the same political gridlock, the same inertia that has held us back for decades. that has to change.
>> reporter:
and the president said
nuclear power
is also part of the plan, but in the wake of what happened in japan, he's ordered a safety review of all u.s.
nuclear plants
, brian.
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