St. Louis – President Bush warned Americans on Thursday against becoming complacent about supporting alternative sources of energy just because gasoline prices are falling at the pump.
“I welcome the low gasoline prices,” Bush said. “However, it’s not going to dim my enthusiasm for making sure we diversify away from oil.”
Bush spoke at a conference en route to a fundraiser in Chicago with House Speaker Dennis Hastert to help two Illinois Republicans in tough races.
The president has been backing Hastert as he fends off calls for him to resign over his handling of the congressional page scandal.
The president on Wednesday called Hastert “very credible” and, last week, a “father, teacher and coach who cares about the children of this country.”
The political event in Chicago to benefit David McSweeney and Peter Roskam, two House candidates, marks the first time Bush has publicly appeared with Hastert since former Rep. Mark Foley resigned in disgrace over sexually explicit messages he sent to teenage male pages.
Hastert insists he was not aware that the Florida congressman was sending the messages until Foley resigned two weeks ago. With less than a month to the election, the White House is doing its best to prop up the speaker. White House press secretary Tony Snow plans to appear at a fundraiser with Hastert on Saturday.
In St. Louis, Bush spoke to a conference of hundreds of businesspeople, scientists and government officials, including Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman and Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, who are discussing ways to fast-track the commercialization of renewable energies.
Bush said that by providing new sources of energy to the market, the United States can decrease overall dependence on resources abroad.
