Obama's 'mistake' on mph for Japanese cars not mistake.

[illinoisprogressive]

But, of course, the msm only reports the first part, the so called mistake and fails to mention that that was a mistake. Obama was right.

the Hotline reports that:

Says Newsbusters:

Obama makes another mistake, will media report it? --The junior senator and god-in-the-making bungles the facts on the fuel efficiency of American and Japanese cars. Will the media report this "lie?"

We mentioned it yesterday.

Allegedly, Obama said that

"While our fuel standards haven't moved from 27.5 miles per gallon in two decades, both China and Japan have surpassed us, with Japanese cars now getting an average of 45 miles to the gallon," Obama said.

"I'm not sure where he got that figure," Toyota spokesman Mike Michels said. "No carmaker gets 45 m.p.g. Ours is closer to 30 m.p.g."

Obama was right. In the US, Japanese-made cars would get 45 m.p.g. assuming they were subjected to the US fuel economy test cycle. Here's the wonky paper he based his claim on.

Here is the wonky paper he got his info from: http://www.pewclimate.org/global-warming-in-depth/all_reports/fuel_economy/index.cfm

Here is link to Hotline: http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/

[glitch]

1. My Toyota got 44 mpg hwy 20 years ago when I first bought it. Now it's down to ~37mpg.

Apparently as engines and hoses etc age the efficiency goes down. Hopefully that Toyota "spokesman" was misquoted.

[rinsd]

2. Its a small gaffe. Here's why

The Japanese cars that get that kind of gas mileage are those less than 2200 lbs(there are 3 classifications below this weight) because Japan does their CAFE standards based on weight classifications.

The average for the entire Japanese fleet is projected to be 35.3 MPG by 2010.

It still loads better than the US. I have no idea why Obama didn't simply use that figure.

Taking a slice of data because it seems more dramatic is foolish especially after what we have seen what the GOP is capable of with Gore & Kerry.

[glitch]

4. Does "average for the entire Japanese fleet" include trucks and SUVs?

Including those would bring the average down from the average of cars, which is what Obama was talking about.

[zulchzulu]

9. Read Thread #8

Some Japanese hybrids do 60mpg...

http://www.dailyfueleconomytip.com/?p=186

[Sparkly]

3. See Media Matters, too

http://mediamatters.org/items/200705110009?f=h_top

[AtomicKitten]

5. the MSM never fails to set the bar lower ...

it's gotcha politics redux

[illinoisprogressive]

6. I have heard that people got like 40 -45 mp. My Bug gets 35 - 38 depending.

[struggle4progress]

7. Thirty years ago my bug ragtop got 50 mpg on the hiway when tuned up

[zulchzulu]

8. You can always count on the MSM to get it wrong nearly ALL the time

Top 5 Most Fuel Efficient American Cars:

Ford Escape Hybrid - 36 mpg city / 31 mpg highway
Chevy Aveo - 26 mpg city / 35 mpg highway
Ford Focus - 26 mpg city / 34 mpg highway
Chevy Cobalt - 25 mpg city / 34 mpg highway
Ford Fusion - 24 mpg city / 32 mpg highway

Top 5 Most Fuel Efficient Japanese Cars:

Honda Insight - 60 mpg city / 66 mpg highway
Toyota Prius - 60 mpg city / 51 mpg highway
Honda Civic Hybrid - 49 mpg city / 51 highway
Toyota Corolla - 32 mpg city / 41 mpg highway
Toyota Matrix - 30 mpg city / 36 mpg highway

http://www.dailyfueleconomytip.com/?p=186

[4bucksagallon]

10. check out the technology on this roadster, hopefully it will be available soon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvKYUM5NkWk

[Clark2008]

11. Well at least that looks like a car - a real car - and not a bubble.

I can't wait for manufacturers to start making PRETTY fuel-efficient cars. I don't like the itty bitty sedans or SUVs out now.

[JNelson6563]

12. Very cool!

Thank you for posting that! :toast: