Matt Whitlock on Iran: Polling in Support of This Conflict Has Been Tied Closely to the Rise and Fall of Gas Prices

RUSH EXCERPT:
WHITLOCK: "I think that there‘s been a bit of a buzz saw or a whipsaw, I should say, back and forth where the president said originally, he‘s not thinking about the economy, he‘s not thinking about gas prices. And what jd Vance is saying there does suggest they‘re thinking about gas prices, particularly because polling in support of this conflict has been tied very closely to the rise and fall of gas prices. There was a time a few months ago when it looked like we were really close to a peace deal, where gas prices dropped a little bit and suddenly there was less polling tumult around this. And now they‘re going, as you said, back up again, which I think is a huge challenge. But I think it is more important that they focus on the well-being of these troops. You hear those stories and you just think this sacrifice is incredible. I‘ve got two little sons at home. If I miss them for a weekend, I‘m devastated. I can‘t imagine being out for nine months. And so I hope they‘ll focus their communication on what our timeline is, what our real objectives are, and how we‘re going to get out of here, because that‘s what voters going into the midterms are really going to be thinking about."