"My buddy"

John Kerry, Bob Woodward political cartoon.

Apr. 21, 2004...

Woodward’s new book "Plan of Attack"  is gathering steam on the question he raised that Saudi Arabia would lower gas prices close to the election to help Bush win. Democrat presidential candidate John Kerry tried to capitalize on the allegation, calling it "disgusting if true."

Jay Leno, on the Tonight Show, asked the question of how Kerry thought he would get elected President advocating for high gas prices.

The Saudis have released an announcement that they are not manipulating the market to affect the elections outcome. The White House stated that they were not inclined to speak for the Saudis. However, they pointed out that it had been Saudi Arabia’s policy to keep oil prices between $22 to $28 per barrel in order not to hurt the U.S. economy.

"I don't say there's a secret deal or any collaboration on this," Woodward told CNN's "Larry King Live" Monday. "What I say in the book is that the Saudis ... hoped to keep oil prices low during the period before the election, because of its impact on the economy. That's what I say."

Asked by Larry King about Kerry's use of the issue, Woodward said, "Kerry has taken this to the next level. This always gets caught in the political crossfire, and I'm trying to stick with what my reporting showed."