It appears the President wants PHEVs to become an article of faith for the Republican party. He included them among the 16 items ab out which he said "we believe".

http://www.whitehouse.gov/­news/­releases/­2006/­03/­20060316-16.html REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AT THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL ...
Whitehouse.gov (press release) - Washington,DC,USA March 16, 2006

President Attends National Republican Congressional Committee Dinner Washington Hilton Hotel Washington, D.C.

I know it shocks some of you to hear a Texan say that we're addicted to oil -- (laughter) -- and we are. And that's a problem. In order to make sure this nation remains competitive, in order to make sure we're the leader of the world, I look forward to working with the members of the United States Congress here to pass the Advanced Energy Initiative.

Last year, thanks to the leadership of the Speaker, I was able to sign a comprehensive energy bill. There is more work to be done. We're going to harness technology to make sure the automobiles you drive consume less oil. We believe in plug-in hybrid batteries. It's the wave of the future. We believe in the use of ethanol. I love the fact that when our farmers are growing crops it makes us less dependent on oil from the Middle East. (Applause.)

Ours is a party that knows you got to challenge the status quo when it comes to energy. In order to make sure this country is less dependent on fossil fuels, we must promote safe and sound nuclear power. We must promote solar energy and clean coal technology and wind energy. Ours is the party that can see into the future. We don't fear it, we welcome it, because we intend to continue to lead. (Applause.)