Candidate draws crowd with cheap gas

[deadparrot]

RADCLIFF, Ky. - A congressional candidate's offer of cheap gas drew a bipartisan crowd.

More than 100 people waited more than an hour Wednesday at a gas station to fuel up at $1.20 a gallon, thanks to Democrat Mike Weaver, who is running for the congressional seat held by Republican Rep. Ron Lewis (news, bio, voting record).

Weaver picked $1.20 because that was the price of regular unleaded when Lewis went to Congress in 1994. Weaver, who supports developing alternative energy, called Lewis a supporter of big oil.

Lewis called the giveaway "pure grade-school politics," and noted his support of alternative fuels and of opening Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060817/ap_on_el_ho/politicians_cheap_gas

[GoddessOfGuinness]

1. If I could make it to KY and back on 1/2 a tank, I'd do it.

[Roland99]

2. Woo hoo!! That's right smack dab in the middle of Fort Knox country, too.

[Why Syzygy]

3. Erm

I would hardly call destroying the wild life "alternative" fuel. How is that different?
America! Hello!

[PittPoliSci]

4. doesn't sound like "alternative" fuel.

it seems that it would really only fall as "additional" fuel.

even though there's not enough there to warrant the destruction of the wildlife anyway...

[Why Syzygy]

6. Why should they care

a damn for 'wildlife' when they don't give it for humanity?

[PittPoliSci]

9. very good point.

[RamboLiberal]

5. Good campaign strategy to get voter's attention and gratitude

A Dem candidate in NC was the first to do this a week or two ago. I remember posting the story on DU.

[krkaufman]

7. How is this legal? Looks like thinly veiled vote buying

Isn't this the same as a candidate handing money to potential voters?!? If strictly legal, I'm not sure this is ethical. I'd be more OK with it if the cash covering the discount difference weren't coming from the campaign's coffers.

On Thursday, he (R candidate Lewis) also accused accused Weaver(D) of "playing fast and loose with the law" and asked the U.S. Attorney's office to investigate whether the campaign event amounted to vote buying.

Weaver's campaign, which limited customers to 10 gallons each, spent $1,510 to cover the difference from the regular $2.76 price on the 968 gallons sold during the lunchtime giveaway.

Weaver denied that he was buying votes and likened the offer to candidates handing out fans, combs or other items to gain name recognition with voters.

Methinks this candidate will come to regret this particular event. Though I hope it doesn't kill his run for office, he *should* be admonished and/or fined -- whatever the statutes dictate.

(What would we be saying if it was Bush offering free gas?)

[CollegeDUer]

8. Kind of sleazy but also kind of clever

idk