How much will the oil spill hurt the Democrats this November?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
It's way too soon to celebrate… but it's hard not to. After almost three months the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico has finally been stopped… for now.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/07/15/art.oil.jpg caption="Oil is pictured off of Grand Isle, Louisiana."]
Even if it's stopped for good, the implications of what has happened are huge and probably won't be known for sometime.
The damage to the environment is immeasurable. Some say it will wind up being worse than the Exxon Valdez.
The government wants a moratorium on offshore drilling… one judge already said no… the Obama administration came back with a second one.
The oil spill has come to symbolize everything his critics say is wrong with this president's leadership. As those awful pictures of the ruptured well and the gushing oil filled our television screens day after agonizing day, President Obama increasingly was seen as indecisive and unwilling or incapable of taking charge and managing the crisis. At the end of the day, it was simply another problem this president didn't need. He has more than enough already.
And now as we collectively hold our breath and wait to see if the well will hold, one wonders how all of this will translate to the politics of the midterm elections which will be here in almost the same amount of time the oil has been flowing into the Gulf.
Here’s my question to you: How much will the oil spill hurt the Democrats this November?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Anita writes:
I don't think this will hurt the Democrats as much as the Republicans hope it will. It's big oil's fault, and big oil ties in with Republicans.
Mark writes:
Jack, Let's just say that some really ticked off voters in the Gulf states are NOT going to be happy campers when they go to the polls in November and you can bet your shrimp cocktail that Obama will feel the wrath of fishermen, oil rig workers and travel industry workers in the South two years from now..... and rightfully so.
Jamie in Tacoma, Washington writes:
If voters are thinking, no effect. It was the Bush policies and Cheney collusion with the oil companies and corporate conniving that caused both the economic and environmental disaster. President Obama may be too timid in response to many issues, but it is still a Republican Party disaster.
Matt in Florida writes:
Probably not very much, Jack. Remember, the voting public in the U.S. has the attention span and memory of a fruit fly. Some other crisis or problem will come along and cause the spill to be knocked off the nation's collective consciousness by the mid-terms.
Nancy writes:
You have got to be kidding. The Oil Companies are the Republicans' baby. The question you should be asking is "How much will the oil spill HELP the Democrats?"
John writes:
It's just another nail in the Democrats' coffin, not enough by itself to cost the Democrats the election. But when added to the economy, unemployment, immigration, and all the other things Obama and the Democrats have failed to change for the better it is a problem they won't overcome. Obama has looked impotent when it came to dealing with BP and the oil leak. Hillary in 2012!
@jackcafferty on Twitter
why would it hurt the Dem's, they didn't do it!! Now that it's capped and hopefully it'll stay capped I hope the Dems and Reps work together to clean it up and at the same time clean up both of there acts! Don't try to
find a way to blame this on the adminstration or Obama he's been busy taking care of everything else for the american people and staying on BP's behinds too. Hurt the Dem's please!!
It certainly isn't going to help them. Govenor Jindel certainly picked up a lot of points though. He showed he is ready and able to act in the best interests of his constituents in the time of crisis.
seems to me the democrats hurts there self no matter what they do
jim in missouri
Jack,
Why should it hurt them at all? It wasn't their fault. And it wasn't Obama's fault that BP didn't know how to cap a leak a mile below the Gulf's surface. Obama did precisely what he was supposed to do. He made sure BP accepted the blame and the responsibility for fixing the mess, and he made sure they are paying for all related expenses. What are the Republicans going to say? Bush could have done better? Pardon me while I roar with laughter.
Jim
Reno, Nevada
It would be an injustice to bull dung to make the comparison between that fertilizer and the politisation of an oil spill. But, I will take the bait, Jack. Here is how it is: The Gulf states are already 'Red' states, and unlikely to change. The oil spill put many out of work and destroyed the economy for millions. The republican response to this was to deny unemployment benefits and apologize to BP. Somehow, I don't see this as hurting the democrats.
I'm sure some political talking head tasked with the job of spinning this to the oppositions advantage will find a way to blame the president for offshore drilling or not drilling or killing the dinosaurs or starting the war or something equally as foolish. No wonder we are laughed at and disrespected all over the world.
Why would it hurt the Democrats anymore than the Republicans? After all, the Republicans are the oil people in this country. They more than anyone encouraged and fought for off shore drilling for the past 50 years. "Drill, Baby. Drill." That aside, Jack, why are foreign companies drilling off our shores furthering our dependence on foreign fuel? Our resources should belong to the U.S. citizens unless there is a glut of oil enough to export to other countries and should remain on our shores for the American worker. Again, Jack, why would the Democrats be blamed for this CORPORATE/CONGRESSIONAL disaster more than Republicans?
Thom Richer
Negaunee, MI
The oil spill disaster was a BP problem from start to finish and they should take 100% of the heat. Other than applying pressure on BP to get the mess fixed quickly and provide appropriate financial compensation there was nothing President Obama or the Democrats in Congress could really do to plug a blown well a mile under water. I can't see where this will have any impact on the midterm elections.
From my BME degree, oil is a lubricant. It should really grease up Pelosi, Reid, Obama's rhetoric. Only problem I see, the Administration acted at the speed of molasses after the spill, while trying to claim they were doing better Bush did for Katrina. They should have oiled the skids instead of putting on the brakes and blocking the people on the Gulf. They told BP they were in charge "as long as we have a chance to study it." Study what? It was a national disaster for God's sake.
President Obama was on this issue from the very first day. He, Vice President Biden and other top Administration officials made many trips to the gulf. But only BP could cap it and contain what spilled, but they were mostly interested in hiding the damage. But the Republicans (GOBP) apologized to the perps in the criminal company. Don't forget it was Ronald Reagan who created the MMS specifically to be an extension of the industry it was supposed to regulate. That's the Republican way: trust private industry to do put people before corporate profits. They never do, and we always get -–ed.
hi Jack, What's the oil spill got to do with the Democratic Party they was not working for BP, BP is the problem and the Republican is part of it too because they think our President is at fault, the Republican will say anything. They are crying all the time we should give them a bottle that should keep them quiet,then the red face will have a meaning. Thank you Barbara
Why not blame Obama for BP's carelessness? He's blamed for everything else. Our short-sighted population will see this as another nail in the democrat's coffin even though all our problems were handed down by a greedy and manipulating administration that laughed at the common man.
Let's bring the do-nothing republicans back to power and see our country sink to new lows. After all, failure is relative to our uninformed populace.
How in the world can anyone blame Obama or the democrats for the oil spill. These oil rigs began under the deregulation orgy that the republican party has had going on since the Reagan administration. And the money spent by BP and the rest of the oil industry to grease the palms of our elected officials has no party line. Everybody except Green Peace and other environmental activists are to blame. Corporate greed is to blame. The regulations governing the corporations and the people who wrote them are to blame. Above all BP is to blame. And I hope to God that this crisis woke people up to the problems we face from depending upon fossil fuels and other dirty energy sources. Folks don't seem to get it. The pollution from CO2 emissions is still going on and at an ever increasing level. More extreme weather changes are happening now. We've got to keep our eyes on the big picture and get moving now.
About as much as it will hurt the republicans..
its not the presidents fault that the oil well had been spilling for over 3 months, its BP's responsibility. so stop criticizing the president.
bad Question Jack, why should it hurt Democrats at all? BP is the friend and ally 0f the gop and the republicans are responsible for gutting the management and oversighof oil drilling.
The question should be: are Americans smart enough to remember who it was that got us into this mess?
Should not affect either party just makes them all more slippery, as if they needed that.
D Naudin
I don't think this will hurt the Dems as much as the Repubs hope it will. It's big oil's fault, big oil ties in w/Repubs.
I do not think it will have any effect. People have a tendancy to stand by thier parties evenif the party itself isn't. I woman said it best, "I do not like what the democratic party is doing but I am a democrat and will vote for a democrat."
As a Republican for Obama, I can attest that the public will not care about the oil spill during the election, as long as the BP checks are on time.
It is not the oil Jack,it is jobs,jobs and more jobs.
The oil will take care of itself,people are hurting due to stupidity from
our elected leaders.
The party of NO and stupid remarks will backfire also.
I don't see anyone stepping up to the plate to make a difference.
President O'Bama must spend more of his time on Jobs,the economy
and leave Arizona alone when it comes to illegals.
We are in a decline and the oil is only a small part of the problems
that we now have in this country.
If voters are thinking no effect. It was the Bush policies and Cheney collusion with the oil companies and corporate coniving that caused both the economic and environmental disaster. President Obama may be too timid in reponse to many issues, but it is still a Republican Party disaster.
Probably not very much, Jack. Remember, the voting public in the USA has the attention span and memory of a fruit fly. Some other crisis or problem will come along and cause the spill to be knocked off the nation's collective consciousness by the mid-terms.
Matt
Saint Augustine, FL
None of the democrats spilled the oil. Now that it is fixed what will be the next complaint. It took Republicans the last 8 years to screw up, atleast give the democrats the same amount of time to fix all that is wrong with our country.
It's not going to hurt the democrats at all both party's has a hand into the build up to this event and I think there will complete silence until Jack brings it up .
It probably will because people see this as a democrat problem because it happened on a Dems shift...too bad the facts are it the fault of the republicans from way back. They had a nice shady system...hopefully some light on them will fix this problem.
You have got to be kidding. The Oil Companies are the Republicans baby. The question you should be asking is "How much will the oil spill HELP the Democrats?".
The oil spill should not hurt the Dems at all, for the simple fact that Republicans touted off-shore drilling during the presidential campaign. The oil spill only bolsters the presidents stance on using renewable energy, which has created jobs, and independence from oil! We all know who has been in bed with the big oil companies for years, and the spill will hurt them!
The onus of this spill rests on the drill baby drill crowd AKA W and his minions. The Grand Obstructionist Party has deregulated our nation and handed it over to big busniess with no regard to workers' lives or our enviornment.
That depends on what happens between now and then–Americans have extremely short memories. If the economy is good, there will be very little effect at all.
At the very least Louisiana will turn red and stay red for a long time.
I don't imagine it causing much trouble at all for the Dems, unless there is more to the story that hasn't come out yet. The blame goes to both parties at this point.
Jack, let's just say that some really ticked off voters in the Gulf states are NOT going to be happy campers when they go to the polls in November and you can bet your shrimp cocktail that Obama will feel the wrath of fishermen, oil rig workers and travel industry workers in the South two years from now.....and rightfully so.
The President is not an oil expert. He could not personally stop the leak. He did oversee as far as he could and had the people that did know in on the decisions made. He got the money from BP, and he stopped the drilling until he could be sure this was not going to happen again. He is working on getting people to watch over the oil industry. I do not see what more he could have done.
Jack,
Your scapegoating the President over
a large corporation's shortcomings
is unbecoming you. How much power
do you really think President has?
And why do you need to politicize this
disaster?
Phil Jorgensen
As a lifelong Democrat, I will NEVER vote for a DemocRAT again. Our country is ruined. Thanks to the DemocRATS!
Hurt the Democrats?? No this oil disaster is the result of deregulation during the Republican/Bush era.
It should be the NO regulation of the oil industry Republicans that should worry about the mid term elections!
It's just another nail in the Democrat's coffin, not enough by itself to cost the Democrat's the election but when added to the economy, unemployment, immigration, and all the other things Obama and the Democrat's have failed to change for the better it is a problem they won't overcome. Obama has looked impotent when it came to dealing with BP and the oil leak. Hilary in 2012!!!
Democrat problem? How bought the republicans and Dick Chaney with his back room oil deals and the deregulation of the oil industry. People are finally waking up to what the republicans are capeable of.
Why should it hurt them. How much more money were they supposed to spend. Obama is already being beaten up for spending money to fix what the Repulicans did. This was BP's responsibility. If Obama had thrown incredible amounts of money at this he would have been attacked for doing that.
"Big Time"!
It shouldn't.He's done everything he can.I think we Americans are pretty selfish to expect so much from one man.We always complain about the bad yet the media never focuses on all his accomplishments.I wish all Presidents worked as hard as this man has then perhaps our economy would not have gotten so bad.
Not sure which party will be hurt most, but both are partly at fault.
Haven't heard any Republicans yelling "Drill Baby Drill" recently!
The oil spill sure won't help the Democrats although it may not make much difference one way or the other in midterm elections. The President's leadership was certainly brought into question-but so was the judgment of Republicans, who cheered on deregulation and even wanted to apologize to British Petroleum. In the end it just contributes to the general sense of distrust in government.
To anyone living within 50 miles of the Gulf. he's toast. Nothing else matters. And that includes Florida. They will need a different democrat nominee. We'll take anyone but Obama.
The democrats will have a rough time in November because they've thad to clean up way to many to disasters. The dems will not be remember for keeping the country afloat; they'll be remember for taking to long like B.P. to fix the problems that Americans are facing.
Obama appears to defer to BP which does not present positive leadership. He could have put BP into temporary receivership. Obama still gives the appearance of being detached. flowery speeches do not solve the problem. Apparantly he did not allow other countries and scientists to have input. Granted this disaster is squarely BP's fault but the republicans apologizing to BP have not helped their cause either. Who knows who this will benefit.
I can't help but wonder if Republicans were currently in charge with their "industry can police itself" philosophies where we would currently be... my guess is that the Gulf would be in even worse shape and BP wouldn't be offering as large a settlement or committant... if Democrats have remind the public of this, they show do well
Jack this won't Hurt Democratic Party ,it can only help. Yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A lot. Obama did not intervene, and his government agencies took orders from BP whose main concern was minimizing expenses.
Jack,
The last time I checked, the republicans want to keep the government small and not in control of the private sector. Now that billions of dollars per month of profit company is hurting all the sudden the republicans want to government to step in and help out. I think the people are smarter once they start thinking of this and see who is really at fault and will not blame the democrats. Remember the paying off of these officials started during the Bush-Cheney administration.
How is this Dems fault? Republicans are the pro oil party. The president is said to strong arm BP when he gets things done and its all his fault if he isn't always present. Gees...tough crowd.
In comparison to the loss of life, jobs, money, businesses,etc. to the people on the coast I think it is immaterial who wins an election. Don't the politicians have their income for years, win or loose?
Jack,
Of course you miss the boat, once again. The question should be, "How much will the oil spill hurt the Republicans?" How Obama can be blamed for years of no regulation by the Bush Adminitration is baffling. This is a disaster that should be placed squarely at the feet of Republicans.
If the party that embraced the slogan "drill baby drill" can somehow convince the public that the democrats are to blame then as a country we deserve the government we get in Nov.
Hi Jack, President Obama has done a great job of staying on top of the oil spill without just stepping in and taking over. It wasn't the government's place to push BP out of the way and I am glad that it looks like they are not going to have to. I had confidence all the time that we would get the problem resolved and that the President was on top of the situation.
jack what kind of question is that? you already know
it does'nt matter what he does, even if the president
went down there and shut it off himself, people like you
in the mainstream media will continue to belittle the president.
This man gets up and goes to work everyday, unlike the last
administration, and no one cared. It does'nt matter what ever
the feelings of the particular channel feels that day is how the people
will vote
It should help the Democrats in the election. The cost of the Republican mantra "drill, baby, drill" is now obvious. The president's response seems excellent. He immediately put Thad Allen in charge. He got a 20 billion down payment damage escrow from BP. When the corrupt judges in oil land refused to shut down further similar risk, Salazar came out with a stronger order. Only a fool would vote for a Republican after this.
Jim, Craig, CO
As a native Floridian I know which party to blame and its not Democrats.Thank God for our stupidity.
It should not affect the election at all.. Why should it?? Did anyone really expect the President to go to the Gulf himself?? He does have the admiral of the Coast Guard there to oversee.... This administration did not give BP permisson to drill... Hopefully the Judges in the Gulf region will be honest enough to approve the moritorium on drilling in order to verify the other drill platforms are in order....
If anything, it will help them. It shows both young people who have not been alive for other oil spills and adults who have forgotten, how nasty this stuff is we depend on. While the Dems haven't been perfect, they aren't the ones yelling "Drill baby drill" which sounds like a pretty bad idea now doesn't it?
well Jack that is 100 days away and we know that republicans have an attention span of 30 seconds and for sure they won't vote for any democrats. we democrats are united
by then they will have forgoten that Obama fixed all the things republicans broke the economy, the oil leases all the dead birds will be long forgotten
I would hope that it will not affect it at all. It was not the Democrats fault that BP's shortcuts caused the well's failure. Unfortunately many people believe otherwise and that should not be. People should only look at how their own Representative or Senator performed and not just a political party as a whole. There are good and bad in both parties.
If it should hurt anyone, it should be the Republicans who are still in the pocket of these oil companies. It's obvious they are more concerned with their Donations than the people in the Gulf. I'm glad President Obama didn't RUSH to judgement because it could have been a disaster.
Jack: The Republicans suck up to big oil like BP, and not the Democrats. Big oil has run over anyone who got in their way. I am not a tree hugger, but maybe it is time to look at electric cars, natural gas cars, and hydrogen cell driven cars. Maybe it high time we looked at wind and solar power, and just maybe President Obama is right about new energy jobs for this nation. Jack, you are wrong and you know it.
Not at all Jack. Compare the 200 billion Obama had BP set aside to for cleanup with the Exxon Valdez spill, The Supreme Court reduction of Exxon's obligation and court cases that remain unsettled after twenty years.
It is obvious you are on the side of Big Oil and the Republicans the way you phrase your questions to make Obama look bad.
Hi Jack:
I for one think your President is doing exactly everything he said he would do. He walked into a MESS left behind by republicans. What do you people want from the guy? He's held the BP execs' feet to the fire. They're going to have to pay for years and years, although I think they should be in jail. Personally I think he's doing a great job considering everything he's got to deal with. You've certainly changed your tune, Jack. When the President was running for office, you were all gung ho, now you can't say anything good about him. Give the man a break!
Blaming the Democrats is stupid. It is the policies of the Republicans that is the problem.
Let's see if I have this right: Health care; Wall Street Bailout going to return a profit to Gov; Financial Bill; want to crack down on oil drilling without inspections! All opposed by Republicans and supportred by Demos–What problems?
The oil spill will have zero impact on the elections. The bulk of the people that are registered as democrats or republicans will blindly vote their candidate no matter what. The rest of us that are already fed up with business as usual in DC are voting anti incumbent even if it means voting for a felon or other undesirable just to make our point. The oil spill in itself is just another chink in a damaged incumbent armor and wasn't needed for the next several elections until our government goes back to representing those of us electing them and not wall street or oil drillers.
Most of my friends, Democrats and Republicans alike, associate the prior administration with an intimacy with big oil and a lack of oversight of BP for that reason. We don't want to hear the President blaming the past administration because that makes him look like he is not in control . . . but most of us are equally unhappy with both parties and both administrations . . . . so 'NO', it won't hurt the Democrats any worse than all incumbants.
This will help the Democrats and the President immensely. Everyone knows it was Bush/Cheney big oil policy that caused the disaster-and Obama successfully dealt with it despite all the nay sayers. Our president is calm,cool and methodical, and has accomplished a great deal despite total opposition from the republicans. Progressive policy is moving the country forward!
When it comes to educated voters it will help the Democrats. For years they have been pushing for a green economy and the Republicans have been screaming DRILL BABY DRILL!!
Apart from spending BP's money, the leaders were generally AWOL, late at the scene or incoherent in their message. It is a pity so many people had to suffer due to this calamity. When the country cried out for engineering and scientific expertise, we got academics and environmental lawyers. Even today, as we celebrate the possible success containing the leak, the on-the-ground effort is fractured and disorganized. The effort at sea is better.
The Democrats are going to have little to offer as they evaluate their leadership in this crisis. The crisis will continue to dog the Democrats right up to November 2nd.
Probably will hurt because people need blame someone. But I believe the so-called indecisiveness is more an invention of the media and Republicans than anything else. Folks should remember that the Prez did not cause the oil spill, but is responsible for "blackmailing" BP into assuming financial responsibility for damages.
Democrats would just fine, surprising many people, including tea drinkers, Palins and Armeys and their ultra right wing buddies. As more and more people become aware of the intentions of republicans, they will realize the truth. Facts have been obscred, lied to and misrepresented for personal political gains.
Now that the oil spill has stopped, and the Wall Street reform has taken hold, watch the democrats fly off, leaving the republican eating their own tactics and words.
How in the world can the Obama administration or any Democrat be blamed for something that private enterprise has caused? Republicans have been beating their drums for months that we need smaller government; that the government needs to get out of the way and let private enterprise do their thing.
Well, private enterprise did their thing in the gulf (and elsewhere) and look at the mess they made. Now the media and Republicans are demanding government response above and beyond what President Obama has done.
Can Democrats do anything right in the eyes of the media and Republicans? Better yet, can Obama do anything right in their eyes?
Allen
Hartwell GA
It shouldn't hurt the Dems at all. If it were up to Dems they wouldn't have drilled out there in the first place. Leave the environment to the GOP and they would rape everything they can lay their greedy fingers on. I thought Obama's response was fine. What else was he suppose to do? I don't think the Pres. or the military has experience dealing with deep water drilling. The best thing he could do was hold BP responsible which he did. How is that drilling working out for you Palin?
Why would this hurt Democrats, when the policies that created this scenerio have been building for decades in both parties, PARTICULARLY from the NO Regulations Republicans. What more could Obama have done. He is not an engineer, but assembled the best minds and methods available to solve the problem. Apparently he was supposed to be more emotional. I was encouraged to hear Senator Bill Nelson say that this should be a wake up call for all of us to forge ahead with alternative energy–Amen!
What?! I work in the oil industry, my spouse works in the oil industry, and what has Obama got to do with solving a technical problem? Shove the experts aside, pull an Alexander Haig and say "I'm in charge, cap that well!"? Putting a moratorium on drilling was the right thing to do pragmatically and politically. When was the last time the public saw competing megacorporations helping each other out to make things right, albeit to save their industry? The moratorium should now be results-based rather than time-based though.
Sorry but the question is absurd. This is BP's mess. The President made numerous trips, got BP to put money aside for claims. A lot of criticism, but like all criticism no sound answers as to what he should have done. Pres. Obama had to tread carefully, he could not own this for financial reasons. If you want to blame anyone, blame Cheney, what went on in those closed door meetings with the oil companies immediately after they took office. Why does that man get away with so much? Silly, I know why, $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
His arrogant lack of urgency will cost him a second term.
The Republicans wants to blame Democrats for the oil spill, first they don't want government,
involved until they can blame it on the Democrats.
This is just one domino in a series of dominoes. It will have an impact, but overall economy will still be the big sticking point. The gulf spill basically does not hit home to all across the nation. Right now it is mainly a concern of the people of the coast.
The well was permited and drilled before Obama's days. Therefore, republicans are expected to be hurt by the BP oil spill, because they support the big oil companies to drill baby drill anyway, anywhere, anyhow.
Why should this hurt the Democrats?
The only politician who should get hurt by this is Bobby Jindal. After all that grandstanding to get funding to build berms (after all the experts told him they'd just wash away)... he had the berms built, and now they're washing away.
What a clown.
Jack:
I would bet they plan on no hurt to themselves at all. In fact they will lower their retirement age, increase the retirement and medical benefits, and for now they will give themselves a raise, but we got trouble right here in "River City", America gotta watch the locals too, you know !
My god man! Have we already forgotten how the last administration gutted the regulatory agencies that were the watchdogs for this? All the Cheney-Bush oil industry cronies that were put into positions of running these agencies? If we take this out on the Democrats in November and vote the corporate-owned Republicans back in, then we deserve another round of catastrophes.
There is so much that the American people don't know about what goes on behind the scenes and I think the people are being unfair to think President Obama hasn't done everything he can to get the oil leak stopped. He had nothing to do with the leak and smart people won't let this enter into their decision when they vote in November.
I live on the gulf and have been impacted by the oil leak and still don't know how just how much at this point, but will not stop me from voting democratic as they are most progressive.
Jack, they already hurt themselves, with the health care bill. Their cooked. Theoil spill wil hurt Obama with his lackadaisical approach to getting it fixed. Jerry/ Iowa
Jack, The truth is really hard to find now days. But here it is anyway...People don't know for some reason what role Cheney had in the regulation of all this,.. people would be really mad if they knew about this...Why don't they know about this Jack...? And yes everything wrong today with everything was the master plan of the Bush regiem to do exactly what has been done with the economy and the incredible non regulation of EPA ect,ect, developed By Dick Cheney. And for some reason people are blaming Pres Obama...This is the Corprocon way...Yes Americans are complete Idiots.
It will hurt them and it should. Obama needs to come clean about his absolute neglect and disregard for the clean up. Instead of rolling up his sleeves and taking charge in the few days after knowing what was going on, he apparently hid under his bed .He didn't cause the spill but his spineless response was almost as sad. He threw away what could have been a truly great, inspiring and historic presidential moment.
Scott,
Toronto,
Canada.
Reminder...big oil and greed are both allies of the republican party.
will help Democrats in November. Obama has handled this episode correctly. He did not try to over manage the situation and used appropiate language throughout the spill. Democrats are going to break even in the up coming elections especially if we continue to prove the republicans are big money motivated. The fact that some republicans were trying to stop the pay back for the communities and felt sorry for bp's $20 billion reserve.
10 years of deregulation and the democrats are to blame for the spill? Obama can't seem to get credit for anything but the negative. News flash the Republican Party is still soft on big business, even in the wake of disaster. The oil spill will and is hurting those in the gulf bay and it seems the Republican party feels that they can benefit from the misery.
Jack,
It won't hurt them much, but the President's slow response and lack of leadership will be remembered at election time. Of course, once the next big disaster hits the newsreels, I hope we all won't forget about the oil in the Gulf and BP. Will we learn anything from this? The political "engine oil" is dirty and it's time to change it at election time. Only then will President Obama realize what "Change" really means. It doesn't look good.
Unless everything is miraculously cleaned up by election day, America will vote as if Obama himself had dumped 4 million gallons of oil into the sea. Sorry Democrats. But I'd say these problems will spill over into November... no pun intended.
Honestly Jack I Don't Think That The Oil Spill Disaster Will Hurt The Democrats Hardly At All Because America Still Doesn't Trust Republicans Running Our Country And Could You Blame Anyone? Sure The Democrats Will Some Seats In The The House And Senate But Honestly I Don't Think Democrats Will Lose The Majority Of Either The House Or The Senate! The Question We Should Be Asking Is How Will This Oil Spill Diaster And The State Of Our Economy Affect President Obama's Chances Of Being Re-Elected In 2012? Here's A Hint, He Probably Won't Get Re-Elected!
Scott Stodden (Freeport,Illinois)
I have felt sorry for President Obama because his hands were really tied because BP was actually in charge of stopping the spill. Our government had no ways to stop the leak. He had to take the beating and no be able to do anything except negioate 20 billions dollars for all the people on the Gulf Coast. Which it looks like he did not get that much credit doing that. I hope as the election comes in Nov people will remember all the good things he has and Congress has done. Remember -Do we really want to go back to the Bush days?
I did not realize that Obama caused the oil leak. The same jerks that accuse him of taking over the car& bank industries now complain because he did not take over the oil industry They talk out of both sides of their mouths. He listened as BP told him and us that they were in control. It is the same as saying the Hedge funds would police themselves. It should not hurt him if people stop listening to these jerks who only say NO to everything and want to give corporate America the benefit of the doubt.
Common Jack this is a SILLY question. How are the Democrats responsible for a failed blow-out preventer. The is a disater of first impression, and through all the hurt, pain and screaming decisions have to be made to fix the problem. Honestly I didn't hear many people who favored less federal gov't intervention asking for less gov't intervention in this instance. We spend far too much time trying to blame the wrong people and looking the other way when those who should be held accountable are allowed to get away with the kinds of diasters that negatively impact us all.
Since it was caused by a corporation it should be non-partisan. Only the ignorant would blame either party. It is a bad situation with no known solution and it has taken time to find what is hopefully the fix for it. Anyone that tries to blame either party is not a rational human being. We all need to work together to finish the job.
Jack:
Hopefully, it won't hurt the Democrats. However, I think the big shots at BP should be indicted for the pollution and killing of 11 workers and the suffering of all the wild life affected and the pain and suffering of the families of the deceased men.
But, the Bush administration was not held to account for starting an illegal war; torture, and all the crimes that went along with this war.
Frsn
Spring City, PA
If the Republicans are able to hurt Obama with the oil spill it will show that the electorate is intellectually bankrupt. Bush deregulated the oil industry, put idiots in charge of what little oversight there was in Minerals and Management, and allowed oil companies to drill without contingency plans. If people really want more of that, Americans really are nuts!!
Jack Cafferty;
I think the oil spill will do a lot more harm to Republicans, because they have been too lax with the oil industry, and resisting regulations, and too many Republicans support the oil industry. This environmental catastrophy has been major mud on the face of the oil industry, and all who support it. I think Obama gets criticized too much for a lack of leadership, because at first he did not make it publicly obvious that he was taking action on the situation. I believe that, as Obama said, he was acting and communicating with BP and government officials about it, but he was doing it quietly, until he was criticized so much about a supposed lack of leadership. I don't think anyone can blame Obama for BP taking so long to stop this oil flow sooner. He is not an oil expert, and he could only rely on the advice of oil experts. And other Democrats cannot be blamed for any of this. What we need to learn and change now is to wean ourselves off oil and develop other sources of energy – clean, renewable energy. I think the oil disaster will affect public opinion in favor of the clean energy.
How much will the oil spill hurt the Democrats this November? Only people who already have biases against the administration to the degree that they believe all of the deceptive accusations made about the administration on this subject will be a concern this November and so the answer, specifically regarding the spill, is "NOT MUCH"!
The oil spill happened due to a terrible chain of events, some possibly criminal, but the aftermath of oil flowing into the Gulf for almost 3 months is due to the lack of oversight by the officials who were charged to do so and we can thank the "Big Oil" loving Bush administration for that. Anyone swayed by this event to vote one way or the other in November wasn't going to vote in favor of the Obama adminstration anyway. It's just another lame tactic by Republicans to place blame elsewhere.
Ah the blame game card again. This is not a Hurricane like Katrina folks. That was an above ground disaster. That administration did not move on the disaster until days after. For what ever reason it took to long to resolve. After the mop up started as front page news, it kept getting moved back a page each day until that administration felt that it was out of mind but not out of sight.
The oil issue in the Gulf of Mexico is a different animal. This is over 5,000 feet below the surface of Gulf waters. It is obvious that the plans for such a disaster were not in place to handle a disaster like the one we and the World have seen.
The clean up is still taking place. The new tests seem to be working.
The administration (the present one) has done a good job overseeing B P . I do like the idea that someone mentioned, that all the monies from this well, should it come back on line. Have all those funds used to restore the Gulf region. It makes good economic sense to me.
Hurt the Democrats? Really? Drill baby drill comes to mind. So does the lax regulation style of the Bush administration that has not yet been quashed. There’s only so much that can be done within a given time frame. Republicans would have a drilling free for all off of every beach, given the chance. Democrats want green power, and I’ve never seen a better argument for it. Real Americans who love their country have no business voting Republican, for so many resons.
Write in a candidate if you have to.
Ryan
California
Like it or not, whoever's holding the bag when the bottom drops out iwill always take it on the chin. Bush took it for 9/11 and KATRINA and OBAMA and the Democrats are gonna take it for THE GULF. When disaster strikes it is human nature to ask "How the hell did this happen?" and "Just who's in charge?". Since Barack Obama and the Democrats currently fit that description, they will pay dearly come November. It's just the way it works.
Gary in Scottsdale, Arizona
Sure it will hurt the Democrats. Just not as much as the takeover of healthcare, the financial system, cap & tax or immigration.
The worst man-made disaster in our history has obviously been disparaging for the once-thriving Gulf; and with the everyday images of the oil gushing from the well, it has placed distress that will ripple for generations. Today we've witnessed temporary progress with the on-going integrity test, yet the truth-to-the-matter is that our president has to dedicate a great deal of time personally and pass strong legislations that will prevent further fear in order to win back the hearts of the people of the Gulf. As for the democrats, their efforts for progress are countered with nefarious rhetoric and dreams of division, whereas bipartisanship will yielded unity and hope for generations the Gulf and for America entirely.
None: The president is not a scientist the only he can do is work with B. P. He is not God! I'm sure he wants this over. George and Dick should be out there cleaning up the beaches, doing community service.
I'm a Republican and I don't believe we can place any of the blame on the Democrats for the oil disaster. We have to look forward and clean up BP's mess together, it's our shore!
Dan
Boston, MA
Re: message I just left, defending Obama and Democrats, and saying the oil spill will hurt Republicans more ...I am from Shreveport, La.
The country as a whole know who supports Oil, the right. I expect the only Dem casualties will be in local gulf districts, whose citizens make a living off oil companies.
It's tiime to stop pointing fingers @ others. Blaming it on big business, big oil, or foreign oil won't help our country. It's time to look inward, Jack – everyone who drives/rides (in) a car, rides a bus, buys plastic items, or has electricity bears responsibility, too. Yet, if the Dems continue to use this as a tactic to tear down big business in our country, they will be standing in unemployment lines with the rest of us.
I don’t think this will affect the Democrats in November at all. This disaster actually speaks tons for the need for more government regulation on Corporations, the very thing Republicans tend to discourage.
The initial criticism about any delay in the response time has been nullified during the last 87 days, as it has become apparent that no one had a quick fix for a catastrophe of this proportion.
Only in our Orwellian world could the Gulf oil spill hurt Democrats chances in November. We the people are left to clean up the reign of Dick Cheney over our energy policies which crippled the EPA and apparently the MMS, and the Republican sponsorship of bills to open more of the Gulf to drilling. A Republican Senator apologized to BP over the peoples demand for recompense.
If we are to have a liveable planet, the Democrats better have good chances.
It is just ridiculous to blame Obama and Dems for the Oil Spill... he approaches problems in a conscientous manner working with experts not silly fan fare. Do you need him to have been in a Haz-Mat suit with a bull horn with a banner behind him saying Mission acomplished to appear active? He does not runn around doing superficial photo opportunities. It seems you guys seem to want drama not intelligence. Everyone had to work with BP .. they are real criminals here for their sloppy careless actions that caused the rig to blow up. This is a good President who is not getting any credit that he deserves for getting a lot done especially with all the Rep. sniping and trite news reporting.
Use the knowledge gained to put new safety standards in place and enforce them. For now we need the oil. Get it safetly or not at all. I believe it can be done, this cap and relief drilling proves it.
Before Jan. 20 of last year, I would have said, "Not at all." But, having watched the rise of the Suddenly-Outraged Tea Partiers-you know, the people who had no problem with deficits, debt, governmental intrusions on liberty, etc., when White Bush was in the White House-I no longer expect logic from the American people.
Did any Republicans dive into the Gulf in an entrepreneurial, free-market spirit to attempt the plugging of the leak? No. But they'll point the finger at Obama, as if there were something he could do. What, exactly?
Might I make a wild suggestion? If a company doesn't have the tech to deal with a drilling problem 5,000 down, well, maybe they shouldn't BE drilling 5,000 down!
Windsor, NFLD
Canada
Amazing...I haven't seen anything so ridiculous in all of my life. My question is, will BP still be allowed to operate their rigs at the level that they have on the shores of the United States? All of their rigs should be under inspection right now, if they are not. Their safety procedures need to be under review and should be in the process of being updated, as we speak. What I fault the Democrats for is not publicly standing with President Obama when he is being criticized so harshly in the media, as if he blew the rig up himself. President Barack Obama is very competent. If those images of the oil spill had not been on the live screen, what would BP have been feeding the American public through the media? I'm still wondering just how people thought President Obama, or anyone else outside of the company that runs the equipment, was going to cap that well. Stop trying to put President Obama in a little box and tell him how he should react to everything. If he doesn't check every box on your list of president etiquette, does that make him a bad president? I think not...
the oil spill should not hurt the dems in November. let us not forget that lack of true regulation caused this problem in the first place. let us also not forget when the de-regulation process started, I think it was further than 18 months ago.
How dare you raise such a question Jack!
It was the republicans that created the deregulation path for an oil company to take their greed into the abyss.
Not at all. The Dems. and their media defenders will blame it all on Bush.
Jack, It's pathetic this environmental disaster is politically driven when it hurts us all regardless of our political affiliation... Critics are quick to point fingers at the Presidents leadership flaws. If they (Republicans, Critics) had a better solution to the crises, they would have initiated one. So until then, they should shut up and pray their counter part Dick Cheney doesnt kick the bucket....
The President didn't display leadership during this crises. He failed to act fast, take command, delegate authority and cut through the ugly red tape that's costing the gulf region billions of dollars. The oil spill revealed everything that is wrong with the current administration, who turn out to be a bunch of over-analytical, slow-reacting, tone deaf, out-of-touch bureaucratic hacks. Wow. That's a mouthfull. But just ask the residents of the gulf, when cleanup was delayed time and again by finger-wagging, nanny-state liberals and their rules, regulations and other baloney. The president and all his panels, czars, cabinet posts and insider followers are ineffectual, careless non-leaders who should roundly be fired in 2012 for their failure to do their jobs in times when we actually need them. The president and congress are only really good at spending our money and nothing else.
Why should it hurt the Democrats at all? It would be great injustice to Obama’s and his administration. From day one Obama was looking for alternative energy source, and the Republican were singing ” Drill baby drill ” loud and clear, then when the oil well go sour we blame it on Obama, that is really crazy.
Obama and the Democrats are trying to help the Gulf workers and extending the unemployment help, the Republican stopped it in its tracks, and let’s blame Obama for it.
We know who is trying hard to help our hard working Americans, and who is playing politics, November is coming soon, and we are watching.
The M.M.S approved the BP drilling contract under the BUSH administration. This will not hurt President Obama or the Dems this November. How the heck was this administration supposed to EVEN GUESS that such a criminal and sly deal had been worked out between the two chief signatories to the drilling?
Their policy impeding the cleanup for political purposes should hurt them, but their other policies like the lack of bi-partisanship on Health-Care and other legislation along with their ideology of reverse racism will hurt them even more!
I feel the President did an excellent job dealing ith the oil spill. He is a lawyer, & politican, not an engineer. He made sure that BP paid for all the economic damage, cleaning up the oil, sent a man who was to see that everything was done & he went to the Gulf to see for himselfwhat was going on, appointed an independent over seer tomak sure claims were paid.
I think the stopage of deep water drilling for a chance to see what the plans were for another disaster & to see if safety were regulations would be followed, but we wil ned the oil for a long time & much of our economy (jobs) relay on it.
I have no idea what people expected the President to do. I am from an oil producing area in the middle of the country and my father worked on the wells. My husband hasworked as an engineer for yearsand I know more about the oil drilling and production than he does(though none under water) and all I have is a busniness degree & a high school diploma.
This is a faulty question – how will this oil spill effect the Republicans in the upcoming election? That's the question. Who let the oversight structure go corrupt? Republicans. Who votes to strip away kind of regulations, neutering our safety systems, while believing (falsely) that industry will regulate itself? Republicans. Who would not stop Bush bankrupting our country, but, want to stop the extension of employment benefits for those who have earned and paid for those benefits? Republicans. Who committed almost treason by allowing the rich and corporations to pay no taxes, while we were fighting 2 wars – one illegal? Right – Republicans. So, Jack, ask not how the Democrats will be effected, but, how we Americans could possibly survive the vapid, infantile, destructive Republican majority with their silly, self-serving, greedy choices?
The damage should be about 25% on Dems and 75% on the Republicans. The cozy relationship with the oil companies, looking the other way during inspections (when they occurred), and handing out puny fines when oil companies repeatedly commited criminal acts is the culture inherited by Ken Salazar from Bush. Salazar and the Dems didn't make much of an effort to change that indulgent mindset until it was too late.
Richard
San Clemente, Ca.
We also have to remember this is a corporation - not a Federal organization. Why blame Obama? If there is anyone to blame, blame BP
I don't know Jack. By all rights, it should be the Republicans who are asking this question. How will the oil spill hurt the Republicans?
Jack,
The election is three and a half months away - most voters don't remember that far a way!
Jack, don't you think the media has alot to do with the negative thoughts people have about our president?
Many of the comments made on CNN this afternoon have assumed that Pres. Obama is responsible for all of our nation's problems.