Complete political play. Other presidents have done it and it is the same - a political ploy. What they can 'release' is a drop in the ocean compared to the demand.
If Obama wanted to make a real difference, he would come out and say,
"We will drill here, right now - EVERYWHERE - ANWAR, off-shore, etc. And, we will look to radically modify our US energy policy with every available method known - solar, geo-thermal, nuclear, wind, etc. As a nation, we will look to use our own natural resources to become energy independent".
Oil and gas prices would drop like a stone.
and it will never happen......
opcorn2 