Fact check: During obamas run how much were gas prices

1. Summary of the results

Gas prices during Obama's presidency showed significant volatility, with dramatic peaks and valleys throughout his tenure. During Obama's 2008 presidential campaign, gas prices reached their highest points at $4.10 per gallon in June 2008 and $4.11 per gallon the following month, before decreasing to $3.74 by August and dropping significantly to $2.07 after Election Day in November ^[1].

During Obama's presidency (2009-2017), gas prices experienced several notable periods:

• Gas prices peaked at $3.97 per gallon in May 2011 ^[2]
• In April 2011, the average gas price was $3.88 per gallon ^[3]
• By 2012, the average price in the Midwest was $3.41, which was $1.59 more than the day Obama became president ^[4]
• In some regions like Los Angeles, prices reached $4.93 per gallon in 2012 ^[4]
• However, by the end of Obama's presidency, gas prices had fallen significantly, with the average fuel price around $2.32 by the week of Trump's inauguration ^[2]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks crucial context about the dramatic fluctuations in gas prices during Obama's tenure and the multiple factors influencing these changes. Several important perspectives emerge from the analyses:

Economic and Political Impact:

• The 2011 gas price increases were damaging Obama's 2012 re-election prospects, with 53% of those feeling serious hardship saying they would not vote for Obama ^[3]
• Republicans blamed Obama when gas prices spiked north of $4, but were silent when prices fell below $2.40 ^[5]

Policy Perspectives:

• Conservative viewpoint: Obama's energy policies, including drilling moratoriums and restrictions on refiners, led to decreased domestic drilling access and higher gas prices. The Obama administration allegedly welcomed higher gas prices to promote alternative fuels ^[6]
• Alternative viewpoint: The Obama administration's push for improved fuel-efficiency standards may have contributed to lower gas prices later in his presidency ^[5]

Comparative Context:

• Gas prices under Obama were higher than under Trump, though some charts comparing the two presidencies contain labeling errors ^[2]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question "During obamas run how much were gas prices" contains several potential sources of confusion:

Ambiguous Timeframe: The phrase "Obama's run" could refer to either his 2008 presidential campaign or his entire presidency (2009-2017). This ambiguity could lead to cherry-picking specific time periods to support particular narratives.

Oversimplification: The question implies gas prices were static during Obama's tenure, when in reality they fluctuated dramatically from over $4.00 per gallon to under $2.40 ^[5]. This oversimplification could be exploited by political actors seeking to either blame or credit Obama for gas prices.

Missing Attribution Context: The analyses reveal that charts have been created that mislead about gas prices under Obama and Trump, including mislabeling Trump's tenure to suggest he was responsible for price drops that actually occurred under Obama ^[2]. This suggests active misinformation campaigns around presidential gas price comparisons.

Political Weaponization: The sources indicate that gas prices have been used as political weapons, with Republicans blaming Obama for high prices but remaining silent during low prices ^[5], suggesting selective outrage based on political convenience rather than consistent policy critique.