How does Pres. Obama get out from under oil spill?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Pres. Obama wants Americans to know that he's finally very angry about the Gulf oil spill.
He is so worked up that he told NBC that he's met with experts about the spill to learn quote "whose ass to kick."
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/08/art.obama.oil.jpg caption=" Pres. Obama, Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen (R), and White House energy adviser Carol Browner discuss the Obama administration's response to the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. "]
But here's the problem: Seven weeks into this crisis, the public isn't too pleased with Mr. Obama's response to America's worst environmental disaster ever... and it seems like this oil spill could swallow the president up along with thousands of miles of coastline.
A new ABC News/Washington Post poll shows 69 percent of those surveyed rate the federal response to the oil spill negatively. That's worse than the rating for the federal response to Hurricane Katrina.
Not good.
And a new Gallup Poll shows that more Americans disapprove of the president's handling of the oil spill. And the president's 40 percent approval rating on the oil spill trails his overall job rating by seven points.
These poll results come despite the fact that the White House has been working aggressively to address criticism of how they've responded.
The president has returned several times to the Gulf... and it seems each time we hear him speak, he's trying to show more emotion and passion.
Trouble is at this point, some of it comes across as contrived. "Whose ass to kick," is not Obama's style.
The fact is this "accident" in the Gulf may prove to be a serious stumbling block in Mr. Obama's young presidency... and could jeopardize his ability to push through his agenda. Even some liberals are beginning to desert him.
Here’s my question to you: How does President Obama get out from under the oil spill?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Mark writes:
The president should be hiring thousands of unemployed Americans to clean up this oil. Pay them 20 bucks an hour and get busy doing what BP keeps promising to do. In fact, Obama should be out on that tanker looking down into it to see how much oil is actually being captured by BP. Why does a common citizen like me have to come up with common sense ideas that this president is obviously afraid to try?
N. writes:
It's been two months, no end in sight. 8 days to acknowledge a problem. 40 days before he even started acting like it was an issue. Campaign parties and Beatle dinners seemed a priority. Short answer: he can't... he's drowning in it, as he should be.
Sandy writes:
Pres. Obama brushes the oil off himself by doing what he does best, going out and communicating with the people. He currently has a perception problem. The president is brilliant, analytical, pragmatic, but has been low-key in his efforts in dealing with the Gulf disaster. He is taking a beating in the polls primarily because he does not tout his work publicly. In the current real time news cycle, he must be in constant election mode, out there, up-front, outlining the actions he is taking.
Otis in West Hartford, Connecticut writes:
Jack, As a bonafide "Cleaner" of several recent crises, I have no doubt that Pres. Obama and his mature leadership style, which we lauded a few months ago, will get him out from under this spill. Going "McCain" against BP and declaring war on England may make for interesting theater and fuel a fickle electorate's obsession with political minutia but it does nothing to mitigate this disaster.
Manuel writes:
Pres. Obama needs to call in the Navy and all of our other military and scientific resources right now, and go to Louisiana in person and kick the oil leak's ass and not look for a bureaucrat to kick. We know bureaucrats don't get anything done so don't waste any more time. The American people are looking for a hands-on, all-hands-on-deck U.S. government response. We want action not words! After we solve the problem, hand BP the bill for Pete's sake. Do we really need to debate this?
@jackcafferty on Twitter
Stop whipping a dead horse. Yes, BP screwed up. However, it could have been any oil company that screwed up. And I am no fan of "big oil". The President should be using this as a teaching moment rather than a "bitch fest". People have to understand that accidents happen. No one is perfect, not even the President. And when an accident happens 5,000 feet below the surface of a body of water, it takes a lot of time and effort to fix the problem. It just does not fix itself overnight. While the oil companies cannot skate free on such a disaster, let's remember that they provide a very important part to keep our economy going. All of these people that are complaining, what will they do with gasoline at $10 a gallon or higher if they enact super high penalties for spills? We do not have viable alternative energy sources to replace oil, so we need to be very careful about how vindictive we are because of this disaster. If we are not careful, we may end up with an even larger disaster on our hands. We need to be very careful for what we wish for because it could put a lot more people out of work. Just what we do not need at this time.
He needs totake some names, kick some ass, a lot of ass, and start tomorrow!
He doesn't. While he's bogged down in this mess, the dual citizen wall street bankers walk away with the worlds GDP. At the same time he will squash any hope of there ever being another minority president of the united states for 100 years. You gotta love the multi-tasking abilities of the so-called shadow elite.
Apologize for his slow response, stop blaming others for his personal mistakes, put on a wet suit and plug the hole with his Peace Prize.
There is one thing for sure if it were up to the president detractors they would have him swim out from under it . but these same people would not have any idea how to stop it either . And If they do and say or do nothing Shame on them !1
There is no getting out from under it. the question is what is government doing to us now with all the attention being fixated on the spill?
There is no way that Obama will get out of this problem. This is his Katrina for sure, it will follow him forever, there is no escaping his slow response and his approach to the issue. It appears to be a pattern with the Obama administration, slow responses do not make him a good leader.
The ones trying to pin this on Obama are the same old Drill Baby Drill crowd. They are just so disappointed that he is actually doing just about all he has the capacity to do. Even as the oil continues to spout I hear the Right saying we must go on drilling, for the jobs it supplies. The oil industry does not have the answers to catastrophic spills, but still wants to go with deep water drilling.
Oh yes how about raising the royalties they should be paying for the oil they take.
Jack ,
Has every one in control of this well gone mad or just have oil on their Brain or maybe in their pockets.You do not try to cap a well like this you plug it. They can do that, but they do not want too, they want to produce the damn thing. If anyone says they are not making money off the captured oil they are wrong, just do the math. Also if anyone says it can not be plugged, are wrong too, just do the engineering. It would be a lot easier to slip a smaller pipe wrapped with a ballistic (bullet proof)air bag into the hole than put a cap of any kind over it. Once the pipe with the bag is deep into the hole pop the bag open with high pressure and it is plugged. Oh by the way we are watching a loop video not live have some one check it out.
He wont get out from under. When its reelection time his opponents will use it. He already looks bad though I believe " What do you want the prez to do " ?
He needs to hold BP's feet to the coals and make them pay for ALL of the cleanup and to reimburse every person whose economic life it affected. Give the fisherman the amount they would have earned and the resorts for tourism lost. Obama needs to show the American peole that he is up to this job and can be the paternal figure they need during this crisis. He toughened up a little too late but now he needs to demonstrate that he is in charge and is the leader people thought they elected.
He needs to:
Invite all the foreign countries that offered the use of skimmers.
Literally "bomb" the shore with 'oil eating bacteria'.
Use Black Ops technology to seal the oil leak.
Disclose all free-energy / zero point energy systems and protect the inventors from the ones who would suppress them.
He proved he is a speaker and get peoples attention. He also proved he does not have the experience to deal with real issues. More and more problems are being thrown onto the pile and he will never dig himself out. SO to answer the question he cannot. However, arrest warrents for th epeople responsible for the oil spill would be a good start.
Blame it on Bush like everything else. The bureau that was supposed to regulate and inspect that part of the oil industry has been around for decades. I am not a supporter of Obama but don't feel he should be accountable. This was a failure of an agency tasked with inspections that they failed to do. The Kenyan slides on this one.
Gerry
The Immigration State of Arizona
Jack, it is a long shot for Obama to get out from under this one. He delayed doing anything, and when he did it was to try and shift blame on anyone else he could think of, except for taking the responsibility that comes with occupying the Oval Office and working to SOLVE the problem! At this stage, the only way he could remotely come close to getting out from under this is to step back and let the experts in the private sector solve this one. Because they are not motivated by maintaining their image, they are motivated by needing to solve this problem to ensure the survival of their employer.
Jack,
Obama should have been "kicking ass" when the oil spill first happened. His words are a little late, and I don't see how he can recover from the oil spill disaster. This, plus the health care reform debacle, will keep him from being elected to a second term.
Jack,
Just as he is doing.
As he said this is not theater it is real life and the worst unregulated corporate disaster in our history.
He must lead the fight to regulate corporations.
He must demand congress do what is right for human American citizens. The myth that a corporation is a "person" has now been fully shattered. Now we must tell the Supreme Court of the public's demand that our government be for human citizens, not corporations and their billionaire owners.
He has to wait and find out who's ass to kick first, Jack.
Pearlie.
The Texas "Spindletop Hill." Gushed at a rate of 100,000 barrels per day for nine days. And this well was only at 2,500 feet. Do you you think a well at over 10,000 feet deep is producing less than Spindletop no my firend it could be much much more.!
BP and all their people should be charge on all accounts and put in prison.
President Obama did not cause this total disaster, environmental, people lives, and all else (to many to mention). When deregulation on all accounts where put in place, this has happened and continue to happen and society is blaming the wrong people.
Take caution and research who really is the blame.....Real Thinkers know and consider the issue at hand but when stumbling idiots redirect the blame in the media, is when the fan can blow backwards and around, with a force never known before.
The Federal Government failed in its response to Katrina – an Act of GOD Disaster, and the man made -BP Oil Disaster. Unfortunately for OBAMA he should have learned the lesson of Katrina and been in front of the American people Leading from Day 1. He was not. That is a failure of Leadership. BP is the blame and it is unconscionable that they, and all other Oil Companies, have no answer to fixing a problem of this magnitude. The Risk is therefore too high and the mitigation should be to shut all wells of this type down until a timely fix is guaranteed, should this occur again. Yet the other wells run. Does that mean the Risk is not too high? There is no Leadeship in Washington as long as all of these high risk wells are in operation.
My question is, what can the government do about it? Initially Obama was told the same thing we were being told, both by BP and Thad Allen, "There isn't anything to worry about!" We now know that was total BS, but again, what can Obama do about it other than kick BP's collective asses? BP is by law responsible for the whole thing and if Obama had stepped in earlier, those right wing-nuts that have screaming about too much government involvement in our lives would have simply screamed louder. Now of course, they are the ones that are screaming loudly that Obama hasn't been doing enough. So, unfortunately, Obama is going to end up just like the birds and turtles and other animals that have been covered in oil.
The President should focus on the needs of the gulf coast community and not on his critics who are playing arm-chair politicians. If they aren't directly affected by the oil spill, he shouldn't care what they say.
are you kidding, the republicans will not let this opportunity to let a good chance to keep beating obama up in the press. but obama in the beggining should gotten very tough with bp and let us know that he will not stand for the bp execs to dictate to him how the situation was developing with the oil spill.
jack would you please ask the right question to BP........ how much oil was being produced per day before the accident,that 's how much is leaking now..it's a hell of alot more than what there saying..
Strike a deal with the oil comp.. Dont turn off the oil -Pipe it to Our Plant thank you – Clean up the mess pay damages & medical Call it even.
From Prairie du Sac, WI with a mother in Fair Hope, Alabama
The Federal Government and President Obama have been all over this spill like a duck on a June bug. They are steering the clean-up. This is a massive operation.
Neither the government nor President Obama has the expertise to cap/stop the gushing oil.
What happened to Americans' ability to think? This isn't President Obama's fault! This nightmare is due to decades of deregulation and allowing corporations to run our country.
Get real folks, we're going to blame the man who still has the potential to be the best president we have had in decades? Not me, I don't want the other guys back.
The Democrats promised to withdraw U.S. Troops but when they gained power they sounded just like those "Bad Republican Right Wing War Doggs"
Two simple questions:
What will the condition will the Gulf be in 6 months from now, 1 year, 5 years, 10 years? (i.e. is it a dead zone)
What will happen if (when) BP declares bankruptsy?
The only way Obama is going to get out from under this oil screen is if he contains the well and the clean up is effective. It no longer maters what BP does. Obama is the president not BP. In my humble opinion it may be time to use a high explosive to turn the well head to glass and seal the well completely off so it can do not more harm.
Whats the big deal? This is not situation or problem in these country! He still has to run this Nation. He has delegated the duties to the Department of the Interior and is the one that should be up to their neck to solve this situation right quick. It happen during their watch.
Give the President a break and let him do his job!
Jou
Well, at least he didn't say "Good job, Brownie." I don't really know what the President could have done. He certainly can't go down and plug the leak himself, but he probably should just have told BP to fix the damn problem and quite screwing around....that 15 million or whatever the BP CEO spent on apologizing could have been put to better use. Maybe someone needs to push him in the drink.
Everyone points fingers, but fingerpointing won't fix the problem....quit pointing and tell them to fix the damn thing.
The President must call his Cabinet to the Oval Office and say " It is the duty of the U.S. Government to solve this problem with the people who serve. This is a Citizenship call. BP can pound sand up their ass as they are about money. Public service is about serving the citizenry!
President Obama needs to call in the Navy and all of our other military and scientific resources right now, and go to Louisiana in person and kick the oil leak's ass itself and not look for a bureaucrat to kick-we know bureaucrats don't get anything done so don't waste any more time. The American people are looking for a hands on all hands on deck USA government response. We want action not words! After we solve the problem, hand BP the bill for Pete's sake. Do we really need to debate this?
Impeach him...void the election...You people don't want a President, you want someone to wave a magic wand and fix everything..You should see if Harry Potter is looking for work.!!!!!!
The President is stuck between a rock and hard place. The spill was not his fault in any measure. He responded efficiently. Showing quicker angst wouldn't change the facts or stop the flow of oil. BP should pay the ultimate responsibility here and the President must ride them hard. Unfortunely we need them now for their knowledge and equipment. Once the leak is capped, punishment should include severe penalties up to and including heads rolling at the top. Then "reasonable" regulations placed on the industry putting safety first...no excpetions, no sweetheart deals. And specifically for Obama, he ought to set up a "Situation Room" on the Gulf and spend half of every week there until the leak is capped and significant inroads made in cleaning up the mess.
Ensuring BP does the right thing by the people of the gulf region. Too bad he can’t do that for all the dead animals. Then we need regulation of big business, right wingers be darned. This is what we get when we trust big business to do the right thing, wholesale destruction of the planet for money. God help us, we’re greedy AND ignorant.
If by processing oil BP means taking the dirt and stones out of the oil
and other containments,this is too much time wasted.Fill their tankers with the crap that is coming from the well and process the raw flow on land and bring on the next tanker,and the next tanker,and the next tanker.
Bill
Wilmington,Delaware
It's too late. By law, regulation and oversight are the President's responsibility. And by law, he had the choice between federalizing the spill or overseeing the cleanup. Once again, he's failed to effectively do his job so he's doing what he does best... "meeting with experts to learn whose ass to kick".
Sadly Obama is faced with a reality – he can't stay out of the "blame game" while everybody else around him dives into it full throttle. In politics if you don't defend yourself you can't really count on anybody else to step in to do that for you.
Oil moguls effectively bribed government regulators and they misrepresented the dangers of what they're doing. The politically smart thing to do is prosecute crooked watch dogs so that people are too busy thinking about why the mess happened in the first place to dwell on what the White House has done after the fact.
Bloomington, IN
He doesn't.
And his comments about the gulf "bouncing back" will follow him like the oil on the wildlife.
He's proven himself ignorant of science and no man of action either.
I did not imagine he could be worse than GWB. But sadly I was wrong.
His comment about talking to experts to kick ass is so dumb.
I think the real Obama just stood up.
Here's some free expert advice Mr. President: Remove your foot from your mouth and apply to own rear.
Jack, by using the bright minds @ NASA; constructing a guided pressure powered regulator to alleviate flow
Jack, I pay little attention to polls because they reflect momentary emotional reflections of the fickle public. Obama should just be who he is, relay accurate information to the media and further strengthen the efforts to protect the most sensitive environmental areas. They isn't much else he can do, BP is more than motivated on their own to stop this leak.
I cant believe the incompitance of this administration and BP.CNN had a guy with a company that used supertankers to suck up a huge oil spill in THE MIDDLE EAST.He submitted his plan to use these tankers on day 2 of this spill and was ignored by the golfer in chief and everyone else.Maybe Obama should ask why his people never deployed this tactic a month ago.You could of had these tankers circling the source of the spill, sucking up millions of galons of oil like they did with success before ,for weeks now.It is unreal that solutions like this were not even considered.This administration not only failed to clean up MMS corruption,they knew since 2007 existed.Congressional democrats have held all power since 2007 and did nothing with MMS corruption either.Why did niether they or the Obama administration not clean up MMS?They also failed to deploy proven cleanup methods such as this mans company supplies from day one.I guess Paul McCartney & GOLF trumps an oil spill to these guys.
If the Secret Energy Plan cooked up by the former administration could be unsealed and we could see how hog tied Obama really is, the public would know that he is operating blindlfolded and at the mercy of big oil.
This disaster is like an alien. No one knows how to handle it. Where is McGiver when we need him ?
Just what is it that the President should have done? Refer the problem to his Dept. of Oil Spills? Had he jumped in right at the point that the accident happened then he would of been blamed back a majority of people of now trying to take over the oil companies, just as he was accused of taking over the auto industry, the banking system, etc.
OK folks, this was not an act of God. It was that free interprise that every one seems to believe that the goverment mettles with far to much. It's their (BP) problem and it's their responsibility to clean it up and make good on the damages done.
All the Goverment can really do is insure that BP, aka private industry, makes good on debt.
Jack,What do you expect for the president to do, It appears to me that when peole are aksed what could the president have done better, no one can come up with an idea.
My suggestion is simple, we can use you Jack to plug the hole.
I couldn't care less about the politics of the oil spill. How the President looks or doesn't look. The problem is to stop the oil from gushing, to clean up our coastline and wetlands and to save the wildlife. Is this is the worst disaster to hit our country since WWII? I think this may devastate our economy. Think of all the jobs that will be lost. The President should find a way to put BP into receivership as suggested by former Treasury Secretary Robert Reich. Let's get those lying bums at BP out of there and get some competent people in there instead. How 'bout those oil men from Hungary who figured out how to put out the oil well fires when Saddam set his oil fields on fire? I'd enjoy seeing those guys in action again.
President Obama can get out fron under the Oil Spill by Ordering Vice President Joe Biden to Round up all of the Top BP Executives and Dupm them into the Gulf of Mexico so that He can Climb on Top.
In Fact if He were to do this it would Guarantee Him Relection in 2012.
Zolicon
In Abbotsford B.C Canada.
For Heaven's sake, what on earth was he supposed to do differently?...nothing he did or didn't do would have made any difference. Unlike Katrina, where if the government had sent in more support early, possibly more lives would have been saved. In the BP disaster, nothing from the government would have changed the outcome. The leak is still leaking and nobody can stop it.
Our President shoud take that prissy liitle Brit out to the rig on Marine One,give him a kick in the bootie from ten feet, and tell him to get down there, stay down there, kick some ass, and get the oil stopped.
He need not look far to find a butt to kick. His administration under his leadership authorized drilling that they knew was unsafe. How many campaign dollars did the oil industry donate to his election efforts?
Jack
The problem still goes back to how this country has allowed corporations do as they please without enough regulatory measures. If you ask the folks on the other side they would drill their way through the problem without any concern to the environment, wildlife or anything else for that matter. Polls come and go, and while this is a huge problem for Obama to deal with, he is not the one to blame when we have many thousands of people trying to figure out how to solve the leak. Maybe some of the nay-sayers expect him to dive down there and put a cap on it himself. We will get through this crises, and Obama will continue to do the best job that can possibly be done during trying times. Remember that Bush didn't care about the polls or the deficit. Take a deep breath people.
I suggest that President Obama get on a raft and just float off into the Gulf onto the top of the oil spill. He'll be out from under it and I will be on top of the world.
Easy, he needs to kick some asses and get this fixed.
Stop relying on BP for any valid information up to and including whether or not the sun is up.
Listen to the people with the ideas on how to clean this up. Some guy has been demonstrating some enzymatic powder on CNN for weeks; why isn't he on the job now with at least a pilot program?
They are using the centrifuges to separate oil and water in Western North Dakota now to very good effect; I know a guy who operates the equipment; surely the President can figure that out too. There is no time to study this. Do it.
He doesn't get out from under the "spill".This is a complete and total disaster and neither BP or our Government is telling us the whole truth,or doing everything they can to solve this.Hey we're the American public,we'll buy anything.I can't wait until November.
The U.S. Government should be responding to the oil spill with every last resource that it has at its disposal. I didn't want to bail out the banks last year, but I sure as hell am willing to bail out the citizens of the gulf coast it's ecosystem.
Wake up the people about our Saint Oil Trinity Calling for Change : 1) we have to kick ass in having tougher government oversight by giving consequences for people acting irresponsibly, transparent accountability, 2) common sense regulations of the risk and use of our natural resources from domestic and foreign corporations as well as 3) confront all of us as consumers of energy in unsustainable ways in refusing to change because we always use the reason : do not bug me, my life is just fine, there is nothing wrong in my backyard!! The ass to kick is all of us...!!!!
Jack,
it is not in this President style to talk this way but he is damn if he does and damn if he does not in this political rhetoric! These three points surely needs to be express in more respectful ways...like kicking our own ass instead of waiting for someone else to do it to us!
I think we have become a Nation of idiots, who think that all catastrophes can be solved as fast as nonsensicle opinions flow over the internet. We have a tendency to oversimplify very complex issues such as this environmental catastrophe.
Jack, the President needs to do at least four things, and quick: 1, mobilize the Army Corp of Engineers (if there even IS such a thing anymore) 2, seize BP's assets. 3, Expedite criminal investigations against BP, TransOcean and Haliburton and most of all, 4, do what he should have done immediately when he became president: get laws passed that will get the big money of big oil (and all of the other huge lobbying blocs) OUR of our government. They pollute our country as badly as BP is polluting the Gulf.
By quitting and letting someone more capable take over the White House. This is why electing someone as President, without any experience in running anything, is a big mistake. We don't need an on the job training leader, we need someone capable of leading and getting things done. The only thing this President knows how to do is campaign on his behalf.
Hate to say it, but those of us who didn't vote for him, told you so!
Florida
Mr Obama is doing his best by relying on the experts. He must stay on top of the activities by consulting with his trusted associates. +bama is the best leader we have had in a century of stupid politicians.
Jack,
President Obama gets out from under the oil spill by lending a deft ear to people like you and the polls. This ass kicking comment is certainly not him....it is scripted and delivered to appease those answering these polls. What a waste to time and focus which should be on the oil spill.
We need him to continue with his thoughtful analysis, and the experts (not BP) he has at his disposal. This has never happened before!!!! He doesn't have a magic wand.
And, on the same points....who are the people answering these polls? Are they the Republicans who profess and demand LESS GOVERNMENT???? OHHHH....so now they want government intervention. I wish they would make up their minds.
Where the heck is our military? Simply use all the resources available in the US military to clean up this mess – send 200,000 troops to the gulf, let them do something constructive versus fighting a garbage war in the middle east. They may not be able to stop it, but it would certainly help contain it.
President Obama did not spill the oil. Other administrations are responsible for this disaster and they know it. President Obama's only hope is that people pull their heads out of the rears and learn to handle the truth as opposed to a fantasy they choose to believe in.
Make BP own it ... Fine them 50 mil a day until leak is stopped. .
President Obama is not slick enough to escape the consequences of his slow-to-react posture on the oil spill.
It has been nearly 50 days since the oil spill and steps could have been taken to minimize its effects. While directly affecting the gulf states, this is a crisis of national significance and should have been responded to with a strong federal effort from the beginning.
Obama's administration is simply not set up efficiently. Perhaps he should have had an oil slick czar in place...on the other hand...it's best that they haven't emerged...just another layer of eptness.
I think a presidential effectiveness impact statement needs to be done.
It's a shame. Worse than that, his lack of leadership is dangerous.
Anita Sherman
Warrenton, Virginia
Jack,
I'ts not the President fault! Every body should grow up.
That is the way the Oil Field works Dangerous work... It is the fault of the engineer in charge. Put the blame wear it should be.
Also I will vote for President Obama again.
It's unfortunate, but I don't think there is a way for him to climb out of this disaster. His golden opportunity has passed. Too little too late!!! I will not vote for him angain in the next election.....
I think both the 'stimulus' package and his version of healthcare reform are disasters for this country, so I was already a non-believer in his ability to make good decisions for this country as it was. But how he has handled the oil crisis..or should I say..NOT handled it,completely convinces me he is the wrong man for the job.Not good at all. Who knows where all this trouble will lead (?) !
The President will get out from under the oil spill crisis when the media and its pundits stop unfairly criticizing him no matter what he does. Ironically, not one talking head has offered a single constructive criticism or viable suggestion for improvement, other than "Obama should show more passion." There is much discussion about "optics," which says to me that all this criticism comes from the media because they are not getting the "money shots" they want of the President firing off angry rhetoric or wringing his hands and gnashing his teeth. Now that he has shown a little flash of anger, he is criticized for that too!! The man can't win. For my money, I prefer a President who is cool, level-headed, plays the cards he is dealt (including the buffoons from the previous administration in the Minerals Management department) and is able to handle multiple obligations simultaneously. It is an insult to his intelligence and to our own that we thought the world would stop because of this oil spill. Grow up, America.
Personally I feel the president has been doing a great job handling the spill in parallel with the rest of his responsibilities, but he hasn't been doing a good job publicizing it because he's too busy actually working on it. I know he's been getting attacked from those that don't see him in the gulf enough, but Barack isn't George Bush Jr., where he poses for every photo opportunity to give the allusion of things getting done rather than them actually getting done. Barack Obama is a worker, and I am 100% certain that he is giving it his full attention, even if he doesn't stop to pose for pictures to look like he's giving his full attention. Hopefully, at some point we can see this finger pointing and criticizing is nothing more than a distraction for him.
Jack,
Short answer he cannot. His outrage is pure theatrics and political posturing. This oil spill is certainly a disaster, no doubt but at least BP is working to fix it and from news reports they have paid out 1.25 billion dollars and have committed to paying more while doing everything necessary to fix it.
Now onto a better question. How much did Wall Street pay the country back? We lost millions of jobs, millions of Americans lost their homes and their savings, and how much has Wall Street done to bring those jobs back? How much has Wall Street paid to the families that lost their homes and savings? The answer Jack is not a penny, sure they paid back the loan we gave them but they have made trillions in profits from the economic melt down.
Where is the President's outrage there? Where is Palosi and Reid on this fact? Where are the jobs? There is plenty of spending, but fewer tax payers to pay the bills, now Obama puts a moritorium on drilling which will cost us thousands of jobs forcing even more onto unemployment. Who is going to pay these bills?
Give me a choice I will take BP over Wall Street and this administration. When November gets here I will vote in my first mid-term election if I dont know who I will vote for but I know it wont be a spend frenzie democrat or an incumbant.
P.S. I was a democrat and voted for Obama, a mistake I have to lie with.
BP has messed up and lied every step of the way of this disaster. Every second that BP remains in charge of the operation is a mistake for America, the world and the Obama presidency. BPs North American assets (including engineers, equipment, manpower etc) should be nationalized for the duration of the tragedy. If you can nationalize the automobile industry to avoid catastrophe you can certainly do the same to BP for turning the Gulf of Mexico into a toilet.
If this were a nuclear power plant disaster is there any question these actions would already have been taken?
The President needs to not be swayed by public oppinion. We have become a fickle nation-demanding, childish, and swayable. There is so much that is wrong with how Washington works, how things get done (or not-which has been the case) that the unfortunate part is the President is getting blamed for it all. How does he get out from underneath the oil spill? He must make sure that the fisherman, and people of Louisiana get paid for the days out of work from BP. He needs to be himself. He cannot fix ALL of WASHINGTON in 4 years. After all, you can't eat an elephant all in one bite.
The fact that American citizens are angrier at The President than at BP executives proves that the conservative media machine's strategy to blame our country's woes on Obama is succeeding. I'd like someone with the public's ear to tell us to look in the mirror because we share the blame with our insatiable need for oil.
Jack,
Call on all oil producing companies to provide any available oil recovering resources that can skim and contain this floating oil and offer them a controlled interest in BP and to also keep and refine all recovered oil as their own revenue.
Why hasn't Exxon offered any assistance?
People are not mad at the president, they are mad at BP. The fisherman on the gulf know this. Americans relate the botched federal response to Obama. Its unfortunate and I hope the president does not take it to heart. The earth will heal over time, but in the short run the people need a scapegoat for their rage. I hail Obama for keeping a cool head thru these dark times.
Mr Obama needs to start acting like the commander in chief,not the apoligist in Washington!ALL HANDS ON DECK Mr President!You need to mobilize every asset at your disposal to mitigate this situationBlaming an incompetent BP will not relieve you of your responsibility.We thought we elected a second FDR,instead we got Jimmy Carter Lite.
Let me get this right, Americans want smaller government but when something unforseen happens they want government to step in and solve it immediately – they want cheap gasoline, low taxes and de-regulation but cannot tolerate the consequences. They want a President who can simultaneously be their Commander in Chief, Superman, Mommy and Shrink. They think that if they shout loud enough, spend enough money and threaten enough, a solution will be found to anything.
That's a tough question. I don't know, but if everyone in this country that "claims" to be a Christian would stop hating him and start praying for him, maybe something good could actually happen. I have lived for God for over 20 years and I'm ashamed to say that I did something the other night that I should have done over 40 days ago. I actually prayed for the people at BP that made this disaster happen, because they've been brainwashed their whole lives into believing that money is more important than anything else. I challenge more people out there to pray for those that are deceived.
Interesting Jack. President Obama is looking for someones ass to kick on the oil spill. Wasn't it a short time ago he announced he was responsible, and he will make the fix because "he is in charge."
Well, he should look around, and when he wakes up he should start kicking his own ass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dear Jack,
As I am writing this to you I am listening to Wolf say there is now a gas plpe line explosion, Is this a conspiracy to get the prices of gas, oil etc up! through the roof! since Oil has not hit over $100 a barrel?
This will not only be Barach Obama's down fall, it take alot of heat of the Bush Era, the Cheany Era and so on.
We all forget who was in bed with BIG Oil in these days or for the fast 8 years beofre we got our new President. I feel it is not only "BIG OIL" ( Now that would be a great name fo a new reality show) but thise who hate our President. There are many facters here thay those with half a brain realize what is going on. Chris matthews said it best, about Sarah Palin, just an "Empty Vessel" very scary.
My point is that i feel it is not time to look, search for those who know what to do and do it fast! James Cameron for one, he went 12,000 feet below the oceans serface and looked at the Titanic! Why not use the same submarine to help close this leak, what about those who died on deep submarines, he Thresser for onw, Deep Subs can travel to these depths, Why haven't they been used, Why has the HD camera not used before, All good questions I, a nobody has. Why???
One point I have now to make, The President needs to get the general who ran the katrina disater, gen Honery? Sorry about the Miss spelling, he needs to be put in charge! save the Pres. Imagae, who cares at this time if he Puts this gen. In charge! Thad needs to be in second command, to move his Boats around, not run things as he has done. Where is the Genearl?????
Jerry, Sherman Oaks,CA
Jack:
President Obama should have, a long time ago, called a world summit in New Orleans of the greatest petroleum engineers available. These experts should come from the oil industry around the world and not from university professors who have never set foot on an oil platform. The oil industry has a huge stake in this disaster. The oil industry, not just BP, should be consulted for answers to stop the leak and to recommend safety solutions to implement quickly to get this deep water drilling back operational. The solution can be evaluated by Minerals Management but Obama should make this happen and soon. If he wants to be a leader, summon leaders in the industry and let's get it solved.
Walter Brock
Louisiana Resident
Baton Rouge
The President is doing the best he can and he appears to be keeping the pressure on. Now with that said the spill will always be worst in the eyes of 80% of Americans then Katrina because it is affecting white working class people and wildlife. Katrina’s biggest impact affected blacks.
Jim
NWA
Well Jack, It seems like Obama said he got to New Orleans quickly but I guess it wasen't quick enough. I guess he didn't learn from Bush's mistakes from Katrina. He say's he's going to kick some ass when he gets to the bottom of this. Well he'd better be careful because the only ass that's going to get kicked is his from office.
Chris
Winnipeg, Canada
Mr. Cafferty: OBAMA–ALL TALK AND NO ACTION!
–1)Lack of a conservation corp.–with
10-20 percent unemployment.,...to work and implement techniques in the second part of this post! we could fill all those empty
resorts. On of the prominent cable network commentators suggested this on national TV!
–2)Lack of equipment and the many, many excellent solutions appearing on cable stations: fabrics and solutions can be placed on the surface to clean up the oil.
lack of skimmers, lack of tankers to suck up the oil, lack of boats;
–3)Lack of direction and communications! Obama is making this a political situation!
OBAMA and the rest of CONGRESS are no where to be found! Jack, I would be down on the beaches helping the great Governor of Louisana–the only one who is in control of this situation!
what a shame! what a disgrace! a complete faiture of our
government officials and agencies: an F
Keith
Let him give BP the thorough pounding they so richly deserve. Their punishment must be so powerful and complete that the mere mention of BP in any class at Harvard Business School or any other program for that matter, (not meaning to single of Harvard) will send students vomiting from anxiety. Im afraid that this spill ( if in fact you can attach such a friendly term to it) has become the proverbial mill stone around our Presidents neck, to survive this global calamity, he must be no less than IRON MAN.
Jack,
The President can't get away from the oil spill; he has to deal with it no matter what. But what he can't do is all of a sudden become "the angry black man" that some people are attempting to push him into becoming; because Jack, if he did it would be played over and over again and used in the 2012 election campaign Willie Horton style!
We don't need "bring 'em on." The fact is, as a leader he must continue to remain the cool head we expect of a leader, while consulting with the experts and keeping close oversight of BP's activities.
Can we fix this, YES WE CAN!
The only way he can get out from underneath the oil spill criticism is to try and get the CEO of BP fired immediately. He also has to monitor the situation very closely on a day by day basis and constantly get on BP's back and demand that they do everything possible to stop the oil leak. He does not have a specialty in stopping oil spills or leaks but he does have the power as the President to order some kind of alternate solution in alliance with BP to stop this leak once and for all.
The president did not spill any oil into the gulf so why is it that all of this hangs on his head when we all know that he had nothing to do with it? Is he supposed to swim down there and weld it shut himself, I mean come on america. He may not be an oil man but where is your G.W. and Dick the oil men that are silent for a change?
Jack,
President Obama won't be getting out from under the oil spill. The only place that he will be getting out of is from the White House in two years. Hope he doesn't slip on the oil Jack!
Its as if Obama has his hands tied- so unnatural is his reaction. Why dont we have a crisis center set up down there- a second White House at the Gulf- using every means possible- why aren't our scientists being heard- when so many have voiced concern over the use of Dispersants? Why arent there Supertankers placed in the Gulf? Suck and Salvage maneuver? We've established that BP has supposedly the best expertise to stop the leak.. (questionable at this point),we got that– but the protection of the Coast- of the oceans, the wildlife should not be BP's call- our locals -infrastructure-volunteers- scientists- all boots coordinated on the ground...this is not happening. its as if Obama is unable to use his executive power, it makes one wonder if the US gov. has truly become the handmaiden of big corporations- and simply no longer has the money or power to deal with this..
President Obama got in bed with the Corporations before he got elected. Guessing he was promised the world if he backed Corporations. He has rubberstamped anything to do with Corporations; see the TARP fund and bail outs, in the first weeks of the spill he believed the stuff told to him. Now, after Americans have got a look at Corporations, Obama now has egg on his face and after looking at the show, will not come off easy at all. To me the politicians have now proven they have been bought and paid for.
He won't. He can't. But who cares? Bottom line, no matter what happens in the Gulf, Obama will walk away as wealthy as he was before he became president. The people who will be hurt the worst and the longest are those who live along the coast. We hear about the suffering of those in the fishing industry but what about all those in the retail and hospitality industries? What about all the trades whose livelihood depends on those in all these industries? What's happening to the real estate market along the coast? I personally don't care what happens to Obama. He doesn't have to worry about putting food on his table or making his next mortgage payment.
The President needs to step onto a ship above the spill. When he sees the devastation and smells the oil in person, he will not have to fake emotion... his disgust and real emotions will show.
With these gas-lines exploding in Texas, is it possible that we are under attack? The Middle East would love nothing more than to take the attention off them & cause problems on our homeland. We might also be forced to buy more oil from the Middle East. With the lack of urgency to stop this, & the other problems taking place, something smells very bad here. But as of TODAY, all oil drilling should be stopped, re-inspected & should have ONLY AMERICAN OIL CO.'S DRILLING AMERICAN OIL. But it's obvious the Terror Alert needs to be raised, more security on the border until all this calms down & the reasons figured out.
Well Jack, I don't know that he can. He came into office at a time that maybe not even Superman could turn around. George Bush, Dick Channey, Halliburton....the gifts that keep on giving and giving. Just think If McCain and Palin were elected, she would be yelling..Spill Baby Spill while shooting the oil coated pelicans from a helicopter.
The hurricans are coming, worse than 2005 and the Sun is waking up after a long sleep sending solar storms.... Earthquakes and volcanos.
North Korea... Isreal and Iran.....By the time he is ready for re-election...well who knows Jack ,the oil may be the least of his worries
he should force BP to hire every unemployed or effected person in the gulf to clean every bird, blade of grass, and grain of sand in the area until
it is returned to the condition it was in before this unprecedented disaster. if they don't do this, they should be denied the right to sell one drop of oil in this country again. if there is any win-win solution to be found in this catastrophe, this might be one of them.
and yes, his "outrage" at this point is so contrived, it's embarrassing. and
i was one who cried with joy upon his election.
Jack, the president should never have accepted responsibility for the mess BP created, he should tell the American people that there is no way to clean up this mess and there is nothing the Federal Government can do to stop this oil flow, only BP has the technology and know how to fix this problem. The president cant walk on water & he cant get oil out of the gulf. Get off the president back & put this blame squarely where it belongs. BP broke the Gulf of Mexico, the President can't fix it. If you think he can fix this mess, you are unaware of how limited this country is prepared to clean up a massive oil spill of this magnitude.
What do you want the President to do..... You want him to go close the leak or you want him to start cleaning the beaches by himself. I don't understand it Jack. Why do people always blame the President went some happens....do people disapprove of the way he is handling the OIL Leak or is because he Started the Leak. .. For me i think he is doing the right thing.
Jack, Obama and Holder need to perp walk "I want my life back!" Tony Heyward and all of those companies complicit in the deaths of 11 menm countless marine and animal wildlife, and the death of our southern border with the Gulf of Mexico. Put the full weight of the US government behind prosecuting and holding every oil company thug responsible for destroying the lives of millions of Americans!!!
Jack,
In a disaster like this, people are so deeply worried and frustrated that absolutely nothing anyone does or says will help. It reminds me of something Jesus said, as reported in the book of Matthew: [Quote] For John [the baptist] came neither eating or drinking, and they say, 'He has a deomon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard....' [End Quote]. So until that oil stops flowing and the mess is finally cleaned up, there is no one or anything that is going to satisfy.
Jack,
It seems Pres Obama is getting a pass. If Bush (or Palin) made a gaff saying: Birds flying around covered in oil you'd have had his comments shown with oil covered birds gasping for their last breath. Sure would like to see Balanced reporting.
He should keep doing what he's doing. The federal response was within 2 hours of the disaster. He's had the best team headed by Admiral Allen. He did not send his inexperienced fraternity brother to do the important task of somehow fixing what BP and others did. His leadership is not emotional and panic mode. He is level-headed and intelligent–just what we need right now.
I think President Obama should relocate the White House to the Gulf of Mexico so that he can oversee and monitor this crisis right at the scene.
Well the focus seems to be on the president and isn't th president the head of goverment? Before the oil spill there was to much goverment now it seems there is not enough.
On one hand, we've got a lot of angry people who believe the President isn't acting with enough force; another view suggests BP is intentionally delaying either so that it can go bankrupt as a response to the mounting law suits against it or ... I've got to post, but Wolf is coming up next after the commercial break.
It seems with each passing day what we're getting lies from both sides
President Obama does not need the negative pressure from the
talking heads who are looking for ratings and are unable to fathom
the immensity of the oil spill and the difficulty of correcting an
uncontrolable situation. It is easy to criticize...why doesnt the
press have solutions if they are so smart . Give Obama a break!
Go after Cheny-Bush. They created the atmosphere which caused this disaster.
Jack,
Why would an oil executive try to make the Democratic President look good so as to grant him another 4 years of more regulation? I say the OIL industry did this to ensure a Republican Congress and President and therefore less regulation and more profits for them!
Americans we're shutting the barn door after the horse is out. Why are we focused on the President rather than the Congress in our news re: the oil spill.
Regulations or the lack there of is the issue. How people voted in Congress re: these issues is the key question and the solution for change if this ever occurs before. We keep avoiding discussion of the laws that have given corporations control of the country.
The Sherman Anti-trust Act has become obsolete by function of the Congress and funding of political campaigns. Obama is "1" person, our government is run by "many" men in the pockets of big business. God help us all.
Fix it! Say to hell with the 1990 oil spill mandates, take it away from BP, let the government collect the CORRECT information and give that information to every scientist in the world. Don't force Governors, mayors, parish presidents, fisherman, and volunteers to wait for BP's ok. Let us do what needs to be done to stop the oil from taking over our shoreline. Mr. President, how can you put the future of this planet solely in the hands of BP? We all live on this Earth, we should all be given the opportunity to ban together to save it.
Not his fault, but he should have got more involved right away. Show some leadership for once. In actuality this plays right into his hand. He will use this to stop drilling and push his cap and con bill to further his agenda of bringing down America.
Jack, It's not going to be easy for President Obama. I do support him, but he needs to do a couple of things. 1: Move the White House to the Gulf until the oil's stopped flowing. Not literally, but set up a southern White House and do it ASAP. 2. Get the best independent minds (scientists, engineers, thinkers) in the world down there and let them take over operations until the oil's stopped. BP will work for these government led people. 3. Acknowledge that this is an environmental catastrophe. There's too much emphasis on the money lost, dirty beaches, etc. What about the entire Gulf ecosystem? The marine life? Do all this, and he has a chance to salvage his presidency.
It's as easy as ABC, blame it on BP as he blamed president Bush and he will be just fine
Use a tactical nuclear or conventional weapon to blow the snot out of this damn pipe and seal it for eternity. I could live with a little radiation and solve the problem than sit on my hands and wait for BP to come up with a solution.
What do the American people expect the Government to do? Let's be realistic...Over a billion dollars has been spent trying to solve this problem. What? Do you want president Obama to make BP spend money faster? Do you want him to give out hugs and money to the people affected? I hope you don't want him to go down there himself and try to plug it. Leave him alone and let him run our country. WE elected him, just like WE put BP in this predicament. Our addiction to oil made them dig more wells to get us more oil. If you want to be mad, be mad at yourself while you're driving your uneconomical SUV down the road.
Carlos
Minot, ND
Mother Nature and another couple years of Finger Pointing to Prior Administration's failings with Big Oil should do the trick.
Their should have been a automatic shut off valve by law !!! This isn't obama's fault at all !! thank you.
I don't know of anyone who blames President Obama. To those who do, let's not forget that this entire disaster falls squarely on the shoulders of British Petroleum.
Pres. Obama made the military available on April 29th. He insisted that BP keep a camera on the spill so that the whole world could see it, which helped enormously. He's been down there three times, and he's made himself available (by phone) to BP, the Coast Guard and even the "little guy." He's been tenacious in getting after BP to take responsibility and to act. BP is not cooperating and it's frustrating for all of us. The only thing left is to take this thing out of the hands of BP, and the president is doing that as well.
I think Obama is handling it fine, and I like all he's said in the last few days.
Whats wrong with you people.. This President has done everything he knows to take care of this mess . Yet all he ever gets is criticism....First hes not emotional enough then hes to emotional... He has had to clean up Bushs' mess and this oil spill is just another one of the Bush and Chenney messes.. Why can't you give him some credit where credit is due.. I think our president has done a great job.......... Jay Talmage, Las Vegas, Nev........
The president should just face the nation and say that he can't do this and just walk away and go free the afgans, back up israel and just do what he does best...talk!!!
Obama resigns and turns the Presidency over to Biden, then fads away devoting his time and energy to overseeing the gulf clean-up, living in Louisiana until the BP Deepwater Horizon oil gusher is permanently stopped.
Failure one, Our commander in chief should have had, BP, available military forces, and tankers filtering oil from water, and placing it in the holds for on land processing, right away the 1st week minimum. Now think people. Obama wants to push new green jobs. Perfect timing to DELAY response time. Gas, grocery, and goods prices go up. Refineries, or other accidents crop up. What other president had an oil rig blow up during his presidency? How hard is it to put a cap on a pressureized pop bottle? Who are these scientists and brilliant minds across the world anyway? I see more brilliance in a lightbulb, when it's not on!
Without a leg to stand on, it's hard to kick ass.
Harry
Tampa
Obama embodies our best hopes and dreams for a better world. To make those dreams come true he must operate within the realm of politics. His anger serves its function in that arena. It does not tarnish his wider purpose if seen for what it is. Sue
He is doing everything he can, plus trying to please everyone. He has not shown a sign of dropping the ball yet on this issue. BP has and that is who we r angry at. I will blame him when he drops the ball. Bush did way more than this!!!
Add to my earlier comment – this makes you wonder why we need to buy oil from our enemies, too... Just exactly what the heck is going on with that?!
The way to Pres. Obama gets out from Under the Spill is for him to Stand Directly Above the Spill –
The President needs to step onto a ship above the spill. When he sees the devastation and smells the oil in person, he will not have to fake emotion... his disgust and real emotions will show.
He doesn't need to get from under it! He's handling it the right way. I don't believe the White House has responded appropriately. The States have a responsibility to monitor these companies as well. They get money from these companies! Where are the drill baby drill chours now? I 's a disater to say the least President Obama is responsible for the nation and Governors have a large roll to play. Showing up after the damage is done looks good on camera Gov. of LA. We got a mess and that God we have one of the best President in the history of our country on the job. I wish he were SUPERMAN, but he isn't let's pray and support! The blame is coming and I think it starts with BP, Gov and then The President. Follow the money!
First it is not his mess. BP and their lack of safety did this. Congress should get rid of the cap and start calling them on the carpet for it . The company should be in receiver's ship before the week's end. He then needs to call the rest of the companies and people from all over the world for their expertise in fixing this mess. But this shows that if you don't know how to fix something if it breaks, don't do it.
Jack, I'm disappointed that you are on the bandwagon of blaming the President for not putting on a theatrical demeanor just to satisfy the Republicans and the far left. The President is trying very hard to handle an impossible situation. No matter what he does or doesn't do, he gets knocked. 20/20 hindsight is always a great thing to possess. I want to see all his naysayers to be President and see how they handle the job.
I bet they don't have the answers at their fingertips either.
Claire
President Obama gets out from under the oil spill by doing just what he's doing - by holding BP responsible for this disaster. What do you want him to do? Suit up in snorkel and mask and cap it himself? What a ridiculous question!
Jack,
It doesn't matter what the president does at this point; nothing will appease the self-indulgent, pampered American public. The Gulf disaster is but another opportunity for criticism from a public which, alas, is poorly informed; seeking instant gratification. This is evident in the persistent lack of clarity about what the president should have done, or should now do.
Thanks.
I don't think the the President has been incompetent is his handling of the BP oil crisis. Where was congress the last 47 days? How many trips have the majority and minority leaders of the have leaders of the house and senate made to the Gulf Coast? And the comment about Paul McCartney and Golf trumping an oil spill is downright nasty! To those who dare compare this crisis to Katrina, don't forget the more than 1800 people lost their lives, more that 100,000 people lost EVERYTHING in that disaster, including 3 of my relatives! I truly regret the loss of 11 lives and the injuring of many others in the BP oil spill, BUT there is NO comparison with Katrina. Why didn't the republicans and President Bush do anything to clean up MMS? That's the question!
Obama should have thought about "kicking someone's ass" a million gallons ago!
If the oil spill is the undoing of Obamas young presidency, it is the undoing of America. Seriously. Anyone who has watched and listened to the events of the last 10 years knows the deal. Obama acted immediately and deliberately...it isn't his fault that GW and Darth Cheney dismantled MMS.
I think the problem with the American peoples perception of Obama is based on the fear and weakness of most of the people in this country. Americans are a bunch of weak-kneed sissies looking for a quick fix for anything. They do not pay attention. They choose to ignore the facts and pay homage (and cash) to the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin. AND THEY BELIEVE. Fools.
Truth is is that Obama is the ONE person out there telling the truth.
Who´s ass to kick? He should kick his own, once for using that language as our president and second for his lack of taking control. His advisors should be removed, get some people in there who are corcerned with containing and collecting the flow, rather than trying to keep his ratings up. He needs to push Afganistan, Iraq, Health Care and Border Security to the back burner and focus on this spìll which has the ability to do more damage to our country that all other issues combined. If he believes B.P. when they state the other drilling will stop the flow by August, well he needs to hire someone who will kick his ass for him.
We all watch with baited breath over each failed BP fix 'the Top Hat,' the 'Plug n Stuff,' 'the Crap Shoot', meanwhile the response to the oil that has already escaped has been even more abysmal. The containment effort is a joke. Obama should order every supertanker, be they BP, Shell or Exxon to darn the torpedoes for the Gulf and start sucking up the slick. This is what they did in the Gulf of Arabia in the 90s and the only reason I can imagine its not being done now is that BP thinks they'll save money if the spilt oil just 'naturally disperses'. Maybe so, but so will the chances of this President getting re-elected
Jack,
Yes, the oil spill is a horrible disaster. I grieve for all the eleven lives lost on the rig, all the poor animals lost and suffering, the jobs lost and the ecological problem that will probably last for years. It's all terrible.
However, for you to say that Obama's oil spill will be rated much worse than Bush's Katrina is absolutely ridiculous. Have you forgotten the hundreds of lives lost in Katrina. Lives, human beings, Jack. And a few days later when Bush came to New Orleans, he was saying what a wonderful job Homeland Security Brown was doing when many of the victims hadn't even been rescued.
No, Jack. Obama could have handled this better, but please don't equate this disaster with Katrina.
p.s. TOO DEEP TO FIX IS TOO DEEP TO DRILL. Pass it on.
First Jack, The President does not need to get out from the oil spill, he did not spill the oil, BP did, and he is holding them accountable, he is doing everything that he can to make sure BP does what they should about it, he had the army there. Also there is no comparison between Pres. Bush and The President, we were dealing with people lives in Katrina, and we are dealing with the environment, no one is dying right now, like they were during in katrina. Let give this President a change to do his job and stop being so negative about everything he tries do!!! The man can't to to the bathroom unless something is said!
He can start by doing what he is currently doing. It's pretty ignorant to think Obama isn't engaged because he doesn't throw a temper tantrum and fly off the handle like the previous president. Whats next you want him to say he's going to use his gut and go in alone? If we had more government resources, aka Big Government, maybe he would have been more on top of things. Hows that Drill Baby Drill working for you now Sarah Palin?? And now you have Republicans blocking reform... should we be surprised? I think Obama is doing the best he can and loosing his cool which leads to stupid mistakes is not going to help the situation. I voted for Obama because he doesn't loose his cool. Most critical thinkers act the same way. Once this oil is stopped, then I'm sure BP will be stuck with Billions in fines. I'm also sure the millions they are spending each day on the cleanup far out ways how much they are actually going to get for the oil they already collected. But to tie them up in court now while at the same time demanding they stop this crisis is just stupid.
Well the focus seems to be on the president and isn't the president the head of goverment? Before the oil spill there was to much goverment now it seems there is not enough goverment.this may be the question people of the USA want to put before themselves.
Heck, if somebody has to be kicked and blamed today, let's at least
direct it where the kickin' is due.
Why, has BP obstructed progress from Day One?
Why did they not release the video of stream, released today?
My God, our President has organized pundits from around the world
to problem solve, is exhausting Air Force One getting down there, and has communicated honestly as to role of government, challenges short and long term and is more than committed to the folks and eco system in this region.
Give our fine President a break and start writing letters and calling BP. Now, they I've had enough of , while we need their transparency, and expertise, to solve this Gulf Coast-US problem
There just happens to be a Department of Interior that was nominated to do take of this. That is what the different appointments are about, so a President can be freed up to take care of other things. The Attorney General needs to get busy and find out what Dick Cheney did in the secret meetings with big oil company's. Cheney messed this up so bad by not making them put safety connections on so it would save them money. Probably got a lot of kickback from that.
He is doing everything he can, plus trying to please everyone. He has not shown a sign of dropping the ball yet on this issue. BP has and that is who we r angry at. I will blame him when he drops the ball. Bush did way more than this!!!
This event has already been labeled as the greatest environmental disaster in US history. It also seems very clear BP has not been as aggressive as it can in taking steps to prevent damage to the environment and to the economic furture of those affected. Statements from BP have been less than truthful. Given these developments, I would believe the US could seize control of these wells operated by BP. BP personell would continue to be paid by BP but would be working for the US Governement. This would allow for monitoring of the exisitng wells examing them for any design flaws and insuring operational instructions would have safety in mind first, and then profit second. I would also suggest all oil from the siezed wells be processed by the US and the profits placed into escrow for the future damage claims.
This oil mess is a no win situation for the President. Whatever he does, he will be flogged. There is no getting out from under this situation. What he should continue to do is work through this enormous problem and do the best he possibly can. for the American people. Hopefully in the end the people in the gulf will be made whole, and the country will appreciate his efforts.
I don't think Bush should have been criticized for the federal response to Katrina, either. The mayor of New Orleans didn't prepare at all. He also didn't go through the chain of command to get help. The president needs to be able to rely on local givernments to do their jobs. We all need to be able to rely on that. After Katrina, all that screaming and crying that it was all Bush's fault was way out of line, in my opinion. First and foremost, it was the mayor's fault. I never would have voted for him again.