Easy now, I'm from the South and don't agree with his sentiment. There are ignorant... nay, downright (how's that for a southern term?) stupid people everywhere you go, just like there are intelligent and good folks as well. Be it in America, China, or Iran.
Back on topic, I do think that oil prices did effect the economy in '08. It certainly wasn't the only issue we were dealing with at the time, but it was significant. Look at economy in the same way you look at a Jenga tower, with many pieces supporting it. The more pieces you take out, the shakier the tower (or economy) grows. In '08 we saw a number of Jenga pieces removed... housing, bank collapses, rising oil prices, along with many more. The thing about oil prices was it didn't just affect everyone at the gas pump, it increased the price we paid for a number of goods because shipping costs had increased.