White House Says Oil Prices Won’t Be Solved Overnight

WASHINGTON D.C. (AP) — The White House says that soaring oil prices are “not going to be solved overnight” and that “it would be wrong” of President Bush to promise otherwise.

Presidential spokeswoman Dana Perino said Tuesday on Air Force One that “there are some things we cannot do.” Her comments came as oil prices rose above $109 a barrel for the first time. They are up from $87 a barrel in January.

She said that the White House is concerned about the impact on consumers and small businesses. But she said, “It would be wrong of the president to provide false hope to people to think that we are going to be able to have an immediate impact to reduce gas prices. This is something that we’re all going to have to work through.”