Cramer's 'Mad Money' Recap: A Hope-Filled Rally

In the rental game, Cramer said size matters, and the combined Hertz will be able to aggressively cut costs. He noted just a 1% reduction in costs could result in upwards of 31 cents a share in earnings for the company. He was also bullish on Hertz' equipment rental business given the turn in the U.S. housing market.

Lightning Round

In the Lightning Round, Cramer was bullish on Cheniere Energy Partners (CQP), SPDR Gold Shares (GLD), Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD), Diageo (DEO) and 3D Systems (DDD).

Cramer was bearish on OraSure Technologies (OSUR), Cheniere Energy (LNG) and Annaly Capital (NLY).

No Energy on Using Natural Gas

Why doesn't America use its abundant supply of natural gas for surface vehicles? Cramer offered viewers his latest take on the situation after talking to many in the industry.

Cramer said there's no doubt using American natural gas would make North America energy-independent almost overnight. Unfortunately, there are still several major obstacles standing in the way.

It's clear Congress has no interest in adopting T. Boone Pickens' plan, which would have subsidized adoption of natural gas engines for long-haul trucks. That leaves the industry to go it alone, Cramer said, and Westport Innovations (WPRT) has been delayed in delivering the next generation of long-haul natural gas engines.

Then there's the issue of infrastructure. Clean Energy Fuels (CLNE) now has 600 natural-gas filling stations, far less than the 120,000 regular gasoline stations in the U.S. That's why only garbage trucks and buses have made the switch so far because they can refuel nightly at their depot rather than trying to find a station on the road.

Car companies don't see any demand to make natural gas cars, said Cramer, because home fueling options are still several years off and many consumers don't want to pay more up front to reap the rewards of lower operating costs later.

Cramer said only a presidential intervention -- such as mandating the U.S. Postal Service use natural gas, for example -- would be big enough to jump-start the industry. Otherwise, companies like Exxon Mobil (XOM) will continue to stand in the way of making this clean, domestic fuel source a reality.

He's Got a Little List

In his closing comments, Cramer prepared a new "Wall of Shame: Fiscal Cliff Annex," a place to house members of Congress who are not prepared to rise above party politics and put the country's needs over their own personal political agendas.

He said some in Congress feel going over the cliff will cause the other side to fold in their negotiations, a view that Cramer called "a heartless way to prove a point."

As the crisis continues to evolve, Cramer said he's got his short list of candidates at the ready.

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-- Written by Scott Rutt in Washington, D.C.

To email Scott about this article, click here: Scott Rutt

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At the time of publication, Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS had positions in AAPL and BA.

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