Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Tuesday described President Bush's efforts in the Middle East to rein in record-high oil prices as "pathetic."

The former first lady took the swipe at Bush during a Democratic debate in Las Vegas, as the president wrapped up a tour of the Middle East.

"President Bush is over in the Gulf now begging the Saudis and others to drop the price of oil," Clinton said. "How pathetic."

"We should have an energy policy right now, putting people to work in green collar jobs as a way to stave off the recession, moving us towards energy independence."

Republican National Committee spokesman Alex Conant said in response: “Senator Clinton is so eager to attack President Bush, she fails to mention that the Clinton Administration did the same thing ... What’s really pathetic is Senator Clinton’s willingness to say anything to get elected.”

Bush earlier urged oil producers to take action over oil prices, prompting his Saudi hosts to vow to increase output when justified by the market.

Bush, facing recession fears at home after prices surged to a record 100 dollars at the start of the year, raised the sensitive issue on the second day of a visit to OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia -- the world's largest oil producer.

He said he planned to discuss with King Abdullah "the fact that oil prices are very high, which is tough on our economy."

"And that I would hope, as OPEC considers different production levels, that they understand that if their -- one of their biggest consumers' economy suffers -- it will mean less purchases, less oil and gas sold."

FOX News' Mike Emanuel and The Associated Press contributed to this report.