WASHINGTON — President Bush said Wednesday that the United States has to ‘get off oil’ to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers and declared ‘it should be obvious’ that high demand is creating painful gasoline prices. Bush’s assessment was at odds with that from the 13-nation Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, which said before he spoke that it would not put more oil on the global market because crude supplies are plentiful. OPEC President Chakib Khelil told reporters in Vienna, Austria, that the problems in the U.S. economy were a key factor in the cartel’s decision to hold off on any action. ‘There is sufficient supply. There’s plenty of oil there,’ he said. In an address to the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference, Bush said, ‘It should be obvious to you all that the demand is outstripping supply, which causes prices to go up.’ During a Middle East trip in January, Bush urged OPEC to increase production and help ease soaring gasoline prices. Bush also said on Tuesday that it’s a ‘mistake to have your biggest customers’ economies slowing down as a result of higher energy prices.’ The White House said it disagreed with OPEC’s […]