Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) has struggled with her story attempting to blame President Joe Biden for the high cost of fuel in the U.S. While many leaders have legitimate concerns, Blackburn can't quite get the GOP talking points correct.
In a previous appearance, Blackburn blamed Biden for stopping the production of the Keystone XL Pipeline that would have delivered oil from Canada into the United States.
In fact, "many experts agree that moving ahead with the pipeline wouldn't have prevented U.S. gas prices from climbing to a record high. Expanding the Keystone would have increased global oil production by less than 1 percent, an amount, they explained, is 'almost negligible.'"
"I can see why people make that connection. But in terms of gasoline prices and global oil prices, it's just something it's better to just ignore because it would have no impact," said Gregory Nemet, professor of public affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Wisconsin Energy Institute.
The pipeline wouldn't magically begin delivering cheaper gas prices tomorrow, because it hasn't been built. So, first, it would have to be built. It also doesn't create more oil, it just delivers the oil. So, no actual increase in drilling would take place. In a world with 8 billion people, that doesn't deliver much of a solution.
On Monday, the Daily Beast caught Blackburn using another false talking point that sanctions were applied on the company building and operating Nord Stream 2, another pipeline project delivering oil from Russia into Germany.
“Do we need to get tougher when it comes to sanctions, senator?” the host asked.
“Oh, yes, indeed,” Blackburn exclaimed. “We need to be tougher with the economic sanctions, there should be sanctions on Nord Stream 2. Sandra, the way that [Russian President Vladmir] Putin is able to finance this war is because you’ve got France and Germany and other EU countries still buying oil and gas from Russia.”
“You have to make certain that our allies and our partners are not buying oil and fuel from Russia,” Blackburn continued. “That is going to be an imperative. And go back and put those sanctions on Nord Stream 2. What would send the fastest message? Putting sanctions back on Nord Stream and say we are not going to let you do that.”
Nord Stream 2 isn't operational, far from it. In fact, the project was halted by Germany last year. The German president then said that it was a “mistake” not to abandon the pipeline sooner. So, the host noted that some are saying that Nord Stream 2 doesn't matter because it isn't even operational.
"Are you saying Nord Stream or Nord Stream 2?” the host asked. “Because that was not money in Putin’s pocket to begin with.”
Blackburn ignored those facts, and rambled on with her talking points.
“Sandra, what it does is provide certainty as to where we are going to be,” she said. “And that is vitally important to do.”
See the video below:
Fox News anchor Sandra Smith has to remind Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) that gas has never flowed through the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and that it isn't a current revenue source for Russia.pic.twitter.com/EfcMoQcTdp— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1649093459
