Sick CBS Sees a ‘Silver Lining’ to Sky High Gas Prices Plaguing Americans

Do you pay $5 a gallon or more for gasoline when you fill your car up? The co-host of CBS Mornings on Wednesday wanted you to find the bright side, suggesting that such skyrocketing costs could be the “silver lining” that pushes us off oil. Talking to Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, the host generally seemed perplexed by the high costs. 

Granholm offered her own version of the upside of staggering gasoline costs, reminding, “We want to move to clean energy, and that’s why the President and the bipartisan infrastructure law that was signed invested significant amount of money to move in that direction.” 

This prompted co-host Tony Dokoupil to pounce, offering happy talk: “Is this a silver lining to American pain? It will accelerate the move you mentioned.” 

Granholm knew that this was a terrible idea and that she had enough political experience to be a good politician. She retreated: “I don’t think there’s a silver lining. I don’t think — pain does not have a silver lining. It is painful.” 

The sad part is this isn’t even the worst example of CBS finding a “silver lining.” During the worst of COVID, CBS (and other networks) repeatedly hyped the environmental “silver lining” to a pandemic that has killed millions. 

On March 19, 2020, CBS This Morning journalist Vladimir Duthiers first speculated about a “little bit of silver lining” to the pandemic. Citing a slight uptick in water clarity in Italy, Duthiers cheered, “This is Venice…. You can never see the waters because they’re so murky from all the boats. This time, now you can see the crystal-clear waters of the Venice canals.” 

During the segment on Wednesday, the words “Joe Biden” were not used. Instead, Dokoupil flailed about, wondering who Americans should “be angry at right now.” 

Thank you, Secretary Granholm. Good morning. It’s a difficult time for our country. It’s a difficult time for the government here, as Americans pump gasoline. Their numbers keep rising. Simple question off the top —  when they’re frustrated seeing that price, where should they place their frustration? What should Americans feel angry about right now? 

This type of talk from Dokoupil isn’t surprising. In 2020, Dokoupil chased mall patrons using a real pie to prove income inequality. 

Chevrolet and Progressive Insurance sponsored the happy talk about rising gas prices. You can click on these links to tell them what you think. 

Here is a portion of the transcript. Click “expand” to read more. 

CBS Mornings
6/15/2022
8:02

TONY DOKOUPIL – We have some major news, and a huge interview. It regards a topic on a lot of people’s minds. It is the lack of patience with record-breaking gas prices. AAA says that as of now, we have a national record with a price tag exceeding $5. You’re looking at it on the screen, $5.01. It’s up nearly $2 more than last year. This is having an enormous impact on the lives of people. As I said, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm is joining us now. Secretary Granholm: Thank you so much for your presence and good morning. It’s a difficult time for our country. It’s a difficult time for the government here, as Americans pump gasoline. Their numbers keep rising. Simple question off the top —  when they’re frustrated seeing that price, where should they place their frustration? What should Americans feel angry about right now? 

SECRETARY JENNIFER GRANHOLM (Reporter): They should certainly be mad at Vladimir Putin, as Russia is the biggest oil exporter and was for many years. A number of other countries, including the United States and Canada, said that they wouldn’t buy Russian oil after their invasion of Ukraine. This pulls millions off the oil market. 
The global market. That creates an unavailability of supply, which has resulted in gasoline prices at the pump rising $1.70 due to increased competition. This is number one. Number two, the president issued a letter today to refineries, to those who are doing refining, the oil and gas companies, to say “why can’t we increase more supply? Not just increase supply of production of crude oil, but also increase supply of gasoline?” And unfortunately, about 80 percent of the lost refining capacity that came down during covid happened in 2020, and so the President’s calling for the oil and gas companies to increase refining capacity, as well. 

DOKOUPIL: But Madam Secretary on, that second point regarding supply —  this is confusing for people, me included —  America has been the largest producer of oil in the world for many years now. Why can’t this country lower oil prices given that? 

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NATE BURLESON – Madam Secretary! So if millions have been released from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and yet prices remain at historic highs, what tools are we left with? What are our options? 

…

BURLESON We have other options. 

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MICHELLE MILLER: Madam Secretary, at what point do these prices —  what point do they become unsustainable? Ironically, will this bring us closer to renewable energies? 

GRANHOLM: Yeah. The prices right now are too high for most people. People on fixed incomes are spending huge sums of money just to go to work. It’s —  it is unsustainable for many. There isn’t a quick fix. But your suggestion about also moving faster to clean energy is extremely important. The Petro dictators in America and around the world don’t deserve to rule. We do not want to be subject to the volatile fossil fuels as we are now. So we are moving to clean energy. The President, along with the bipartisan legislation on infrastructure was, invested substantial amounts of money in this direction. 

DOKOUPIL – Do you view this as an upside to the suffering many Americans feel? You will see an acceleration in the movement you have mentioned. 

GRANHOLM : There is no silver lining. I don’t think — pain does not have a silver lining. It’s painful. However, I am aware that many countries are making strides toward renewable energy. Europe has developed a comprehensive strategy for moving away Russian fossil fuels as well as moving away entirely from these fuels. While I agree that it’s good, there is no silver lining and nobody likes to enjoy the prices people pay. 

BURLESON – Secretary Granholm, we are so grateful. We appreciate you.