Spring races forward. And as the weather warms, US presidential election rhetoric promises to heat up, too.
With the summer driving season still months away, voters are not losing sleep over energy and environmental issues, or at least, that's what politicians are being told.
The latest polls suggest influential "soccer moms" and "NASCAR dads" are not worrying about clean- air rules or retail gasoline prices. That could change dramatically by June if US government forecasts about higher fuel costs prove correct, or if the summer turns oppressively hot and smoggy in closely contested states.
But for now, escalating pump prices are not on the public's radar screen; the job market, and terrorism threats are.
So not too surprisingly, most of the comments made on the campaign trail, whether by incumbent President George W. Bush or one of his Democratic challengers, revolve around the economy and national security. That, the market research and smart money say, is what is on the electorate's mind.
Energy security
Energy issues are not completely being ignored. Both Bush and the leading Democratic candidate, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), have, in the context of national security, called for the US to be more "energy independent."
Each candidate argues that increasing US supply and encouraging conservation both are needed to help Americans reach the elusive goal of weaning themselves from less-expensive, but more-precarious foreign energy supplies. And both men are being consistent; Bush tends to emphasize domestic production and Kerry highlights conservation and renewable energy sources.
Environmental focus
While Bush occasionally talks about energy security, political insiders say his campaign believes voters currently care more about the environment than energy policy. Industry lobbyists also suggest that White House's strategists are worried that reminding the public that both Bush and Vice-Pres. Dick Cheney were once in the energy business may be a liability, especially if retail fuel prices reach record highs later this year.
For whatever reason, Bush's reelection web site does not list energy as one of the seven core "agenda" items on the top of its home page. Instead, the following topics are featured: "economy," "compassion," "health care," "education," "homeland security," "national security," and "environment."
Under environment, a web page highlights several policy initiatives. These include an expected new rule to clean up diesel, federally funded hydrogen fuel research, and a new law that aims to promote healthy forests.
Democratic frontrunner Kerry meanwhile lists "energy/environment" as one of nine main discussion points on his web site. One priority is a renewable energy trust fund paid for by oil and gas royalties from federal lands. The trust would be used to develop enough renewable energy to reduce oil dependence by more than 2 million b/d, about the same amount the US imports from the Persian Gulf, Kerry says. Kerry also maintains his overall energy plan will create 500,000 new jobs over the next decade.