Dana Peroxide Proves That Hope Is Not A Plan
Q Dana, you just said that the — that as a result of the conversations, OPEC would be encouraged to increase oil production —
MS. PERINO: I said there is a hope.
Q “There is a hope,” — okay, I’m sorry.
Q Dana, I didn’t hear what you just said.
MS. PERINO: I said there is a hope that as a result of these conversations, that OPEC may be encouraged to authorize an increase production to help deal with the tight supply problems in this time when we have growing economies across the world, especially in China.
Q Isn’t that what the President said yesterday, that he was going to ask him, and he hoped that they would?
MS. PERINO: Yes, that’s what — the President said that he was going to bring it up with the King, and he did. And I’m not going to provide additional information. This — I was reluctant to read out the meeting. It was a private meeting between the President and the King of Saudi Arabia. So I provided you what I can.
Q Okay. I just was — I just wanted to clarify. I was just wondering whether the President was reflecting and he thought the King agreed in any way?
MS. PERINO: No, that’s — remember, I said, “we hope that as a result,” — and by the “we” I meant the President and the administration.
Q But you can’t say what the basis of that hope is, whether there was some —
MS. PERINO: No, I think that if you —
Q — indication in the conversation from the King’s point of view.
MS. PERINO: As I said, the President said that the King says he understands that the high price of oil can negatively affect economies around the world, and that when economies aren’t growing as fast as they have been, then other economies are going to suffer.
You Mean The Guy Who Preached About Democracy While Staying At The Saudi King’s Guest Palace?
Q Does the President plan to bring up the democratization issue in Egypt, which is a problem?
MS. PERINO: The President does always bring up the issues of reform and human rights and freedom, and he does intend to bring that up again today.
I’m no economist but I don’t think that oil supply is the problem. I think it’s the dollar’s drop against foreign currency and the gold standard that are driving high prices.