Florida Sen. LeMieux on Obama: ‘Whose Butt is He Kicking?’
EmailABC News’ Rick Klein reports: With President Obama vowing to seek out “whose ass to kick” as he ratchets up the anger over the BP oil mess, a Republican senator from the affected region said today that the Gulf Coast needs more action and less tough talk from the president. Sen. George LeMieux, R-Fla., said on ABC/Washington Post’s “Top Line” today that Obama needs to make fewer “photo-op”-style visits to the region, and take more of a direct leadership role. “I don’t think that talking is really doing the job. We don’t just want to see him talk the talk, we want to see him walk the walk,” LeMieux said. “The president has been down to the Gulf for three photo-op opportunities in the last 45 days since this economic and environmental disaster started. What I want to see is the president down here in the Gulf working through the problem, managing solutions, pushing people for answers, overcoming obstacles, not just getting briefed about it in Washington, DC.” He added: “I don’t want to see him coming down, doing a photo-op, and going back to Chicago to play golf, or coming down, and then going back to Washington, DC, to go to the theater. I want to see him actively engaged [rather than] saying he’s going to kick butt — I’ll use that because I’ve got a bunch of kids who are under seven and I don’t want to say the other word — that he’d kick butt. “He doesn’t even talk to Tony Hayward, CEO of BP. Whose butt is he kicking?” LeMieux said one area the president can direct his butt-kicking is in making sure BP pays out damage claims promptly. “We’re finding out that the claims are not being paid as quickly as they could be. Sen. [David] Vitter and I have legislation to use right now on every barrel of oil and put in to a fund, to have that money administered right now to pay claims. Obviously BP will have to pay us back later, but I’d rather have to see the federal government working through the claims process than trusting BP who — it’s not in their interest to make these claims paid. So let’s get that done. But first and foremost this is something that the commander-in-chief should be all over and on top of.” “Get the smartest people in the world, push them for answers, meet with them every day, be on the ground seeing it for yourself. That kind of leadership matters. I’ve seen it first hand in Florida when we’ve had disasters, when the governor was showing that kind of leadership. We need to see that kind of leadership from the president. He can’t outsource this story to others.” LeMieux, who served as chief of staff to Gov. Charlie Crist, I-Fla., while the governor was still a Republican, said he and Crist knew nothing about the allegations of financial improprieties by former Florida GOP chairman Jim Greer. “Absolutely not,” he said. “The governor and I aren’t as much political allies anymore now, because he’s running as an independent and I’m a Republican and I’m supporting Marco [Rubio], but still, the governor didn’t know about this. And this is unfortunately what happens in these criminal investigations is that people seem to be willing to say anything to save their own skin. No one knew about this, that I’m aware of, this third-party entity that he set up, where the allegations are that he was putting money in his pocket. And it’s unfortunate and it breaks the trust of all the people who contributed to the Republican Party.” Watch the full interview with Sen. George LeMieux HERE.
For our “Post Politics” segment, we checked in with Michael Shear, who covers the White House for The Washington Post, on today’s big primary matchups in Nevada, California, Arkansas, and eight other states. Watch the segment with Michal Shear HERE.
Santorum: Money Will Not Defeat Obama, Ideas Will 
Rick Santorum's Full Speech at CPAC 2012
Real Clear Politics has a video of Obama responding to the criticism he’s receiving over his handling of The Leak.
In the video, Obama gets tough and growls, “I don’t sit around just talking to experts because this is a college seminar, we talk to these folks because they potentially have the best answers, so I know whose ass to kick.”
Obama is now taking direction from Spike Lee. Obviously, it’s because he hasn’t got a clue about what to do about The Leak himself.
A leader leads. The Leader stands out front, tells us what we need to do and why we need to do it, and then says follow me. If the People believe him or her and the policy, they will freely follow.
Kicking ass is done from the rear. It’s not leadership. It’s intimidation. It’s classic Chicago. That’s not a leader. That’s a gangster.
GTR640 would venture to say that even Ghandi and MLK would be willing to kick Obama’s ass. Because pacifism, at some level, takes courage. But this guy is just a craven politician, and he deserves it!
And, ladyingray says if you were really kickin’ ass, you wouldn’t have to go on morning news shows sayin’ you were!!!
Example: Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama yesterday blamed “irresponsible decisions” by the Bush administration and Wall Street for the country’s economic woes as government officials said the budget deficit would soar to record heights next year.
That’s not a leader.
And this: Obama told the graduates at Kalamazoo High School not to make excuses.
“Don’t make excuses. Take responsibility not just for your successes, but for your failures as well. … It’s the easiest thing in the world to start looking around for someone to blame.”
Obviously, his speech writers forgot who they were writing for — oh, and he needed the teleprompters to talk to high school kids (video).
The kid over Obama’s left shoulder, the one who passes out cold, (photo) (video) has become an Internet sensation.
The Republican Senators whipped up this list of Obama’s better-known excuses right after his speech. It’s easy to do. Everybody’s got a list. Google returns 6,680,000 items after a search for — Obama excuse — no quotes.
Posted by: JMo | June 8, 2010, 3:45 pm 3:45 pm
If the experts who built the rig dont know how to stop the leak, then how will the federal government stop it. Really. Once again this is a scientific problem and its going to take a scientific solution.This is a moment where we have to come up with a solution that never has been done before. any new drilling will need to have shut off valves at every so many feet of pipe. We’re going to need regulations to prevent this from happening again is the real lesson…. And realize since you want the president to fix this problem, that government will be have to be more expanded than what limited government republicans want… Also it is sickenening to hear republican senators jump the wagon for political points in dissecting and picking apart the presidents statements. Obviously there are Americans that wanted to hear the president’s take on this…. I for one am glad for the transparency instead of a ” Mission Accomplished” banner.
Posted by: TV | June 8, 2010, 4:32 pm 4:32 pm
Whenever our president brings up FACTUAL information regarding the previous administration, he is providing contextual information, not excuses….. The previous administration did leave a host of problems just like any administration can….. There is huge depth and deficits to what was left for this current administration… whenever you need to fix a problem diagnoses of who, what, when and where is always neccesary to make sure the problem isnt repeated. It is also done to hold people accountable.
The previous administration had an eight year blank check to do almostwhatever they wanted. They caused alot of problems… especially with all those high end tax cuts that slashed state and federal revenues. Also their are alot of entrenched interests that only serve their constituents.
For those of you that like to mock the president when he points out Bush/Cheney’s mistakes, remember you will have a chance to blame Obama for something when he leaves office. Especially that horrible plan to provide more Americans with health care and the evil socialist idea of providing more Americans with grant money for college. Bush was eager to go to war and Obama wants to consider the poor. Obama’s the bad one right?…
Posted by: TV | June 8, 2010, 4:46 pm 4:46 pm
Its hard being a republican these days -that glorious invisible hand of the market that needs leaving alone versus a horrendous mess here someone has to ride herd on – this incestuous relationship with politicians and big business that plagues florida, alabama and louisiana…
Posted by: trueblue | June 8, 2010, 8:41 pm 8:41 pm
Why is there a lockdown at the spill site. Why is nobody allowed to fly over, videotape or take pictures of the spill? Why are they using toxic dispersants that will kill the animals and plant life, and destroy the fishing industry that area depends on? Why aren’t they using organic microbes to eat the oil and organically clean up the spill at a fraction of the price?
So many questions, so few answers. This is a collusion of interest of big government and corporate malfeseance… And NOBODY CARES, except those who have to live in these areas… Utterly PATHETIC!!!
Big corporations, big media, and big, bad Obama failed the people and the enviroment in this case, BIG TIME… They not only should be ashamed, they should be criminally charged…
Posted by: CBA | June 9, 2010, 5:42 pm 5:42 pm
The fact is no one knows who the hell Obama is talking about…But he sure as hell isn’t talking about kicking the ass of whoever is responsible..>We all know who that is…So if he “is looking for whos ass to kick” it sounds pretty assinine to me…Yes i know thats mispelled lol.
Posted by: john seymour | June 12, 2010, 12:04 pm 12:04 pm