President Obama on the Oil Spill: ‘This Will be Contained’

“constant,vigilant attention-now let me finish my cigarette before the next concert starts.”

48 days in and Captain B+ is now realizing that this situation is hurting him politically…
A flashback courtesy of Byron York:
“Obama 2008: I ran a big campaign, so I can handle a Gulf emergency”
It’s not mentioned much now, but in the late summer of 2008, a major hurricane, Gustav, was in the Gulf of Mexico and headed toward New Orleans, threatening a replay of the disastrous Katrina experience. On September 1, 2008, Barack Obama, fresh from his Roman-colonnade speech on the final night of the Democratic convention in Denver, talked to CNN’s Anderson Cooper about Gustav and the Gulf. The question: As president, could he handle an emergency like that? Obama pointed to the size of his campaign and its multi-million dollar budget as evidence of his executive abilities. “Our ability to manage large systems and to execute, I think, has been made clear over the last couple of years,” Obama said. That executive ability, he added, “indicates the degree to which we can provide the kinds of support and good service that the American people expect.”
(continued)
Obama’s argument that his ability to run a good campaign proved he had executive ability, even though he had no executive experience. Now we are in a situation that cries out for executive experience and leadership — ironically enough, in the Gulf again — and some who accepted Obama’s argument back in 2008 are rethinking things this time around.
Better “plug that hole” Big O or Malia will be on your case all summer!

“indicates the degree to which we can provide the kinds of support and good service that the American people expect.”
tjp612 | Jun 7, 2010 2:28:33 PM
Yes, if we only had a better President all that oil would magically disappear, managed away.

The good thing about Matt Drudge, he digs up the the ABC stories ABC hides on it’s own website. Like the ABC/WashPost results on Obama’s handling of this spill.
smartlillena | Jun 7, 2010 2:40:50 PM
You mean the poll they ‘hid’ under the top-line, largest font banner lead headline on the front page?
“EXCLUSIVE POLL: Govt. Response to Spill Rated Worse Than Katrina”

“Yes, if we only had a better President all that oil would magically disappear, managed away.”
You quoted Obama’s words not mine. Remember, almost exactly two years ago in early June 2008 Obama proclaimed “this was the moment the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal”. If Obama can heal the planet and stop the rise of the oceans, what’s so difficult about stopping an oil leak and cleaning up a spill?

If Obama can heal the planet and stop the rise of the oceans, what’s so difficult about stopping an oil leak and cleaning up a spill?
tjp612 | Jun 7, 2010 3:00:14 PM
Yes, if we only had a better President all that oil would magically disappear, managed away. And I quoted your words this time, just in case you can’t grasp the basics of English context in debate. Although your cherry picking of Obama statements strongly suggests you have no concept of context.
If a guy is run over by a bus, it doesn’t matter how good his doctor is he may never walk the same again.

“Yes, if we only had a better President all that oil would magically disappear, managed away.”
Again, jhw, it is Obama who made such (foolish) claims as being able to “heal the planet” and “slow the rise of the oceans”. Management of an oil spill should not be difficult to One with such capabilities.
The arrogant reap what they sow.

“Seems that “healing the planet” and “slowing the rise of the oceans” are much more difficult tasks than containing a localized spill”
Difficulty as measured by what? Time? Money? Energy? or a relationship between more than one? You’re playing with semantics. Trying to hit a 90mph fastball might use alot less energy than hauling a quarter ton of gravel by wheelbarrow but it’s probably much more difficult.

.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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the BP’s “cap” CLEARLY is a DRAMATICALLY WRONG idea!!!
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don’t wait more DAYS or WEEKS to do something better!!!
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take a look and adopt NOW my NEW idea just published!!!
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it can STOP up to 100% of the leak in a matter of days!!!
.
.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
.

Obama didn’t have time to even talk about D-Day, but he has the time to go to ANOTHER concert???

“Because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal;…”
tjp612 | Jun 7, 2010 4:12:04 PM
Lets see, a timeframe of generations, and a reference to slowing climate change that has been documented to be causing a slow rise in ocean levels. I’ll let those reading decide what that has to do with being able to do more to contain a massive oil blowout in the Gulf (more than deploying 1000+ boats, dozens of military air craft, tens of thousands of personnel, about a million feet of boom, etc.).

Just one question-if Obama knew from Day 1 about the magnitude of this spill and the difficulty of stopping it,why didn’t he get out in front of it as a leader should?
Nephron | Jun 7, 2010 4:35:11 PM
No one knew the magnitude from day 1, but could you define SPECIFICALLY how he would “get out in front of it as a leader should”? With 20/20 hindsight, it should be pretty easy. More photo ops looking angry on the beaches? Conjuring up fire boom equipment that the government simply did not own? Teleporting skimmer equipment from the Persian Gulf, 3-5 weeks by sea away? What specifically?

“EXCLUSIVE POLL: Govt. Response to Spill Rated Worse Than Katrina”
Posted by: jhw539
—
Comments, jw?

What you don’t get (or do not want to believe) is that Candidate Obama implied that because the Democratic party selected him as their nominee, if the unwashed masses got behind his agenda the “earth would begin to heal” and “the rise of the oceans would slow”. He would be the catalyst and provide the leadership for such change.
…Obama had other priorities – demonizing Arizona’s immigration law (a bill he has not admitted to reading)
…notice not one peep from The One regarding the epic flooding in Tennessee). Priorities indeed.
tjp612 | Jun 7, 2010 4:41:25 PM
I voted for Obama as did many of my friends. And not one of us believed this nonsense about him being The One. You’ve repeated your propaganda so often you seem to actually believe it. We expected him to continue stabilizing the banks (done), not screw up the too-costly wind down in Iraq (done), focus on Afghanistan/Pakistan (done), stimulate the economy (done), refund research and infrastructure (done), take on teacher unions to really reform education (done), deal with health insurance reform (done), properly regulate banks (almost done), etc. I expect more of the same pragmatic work out of the next 2/3rds of his term, hopefully the competence of Clinton without the personal decay.
“A bill he has not admitted to reading”. What sort of tortured language is that? He has discussed the law in terms that make clear he is familiar with it, indeed that he has read it.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with every American who has been impacted by the severe weather and flooding in the southeast… I would also like to extend my gratitude to the local first responders who have been working tirelessly… I have spoken with the Governors in the most severely impacted states, and yesterday I dispatched FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate to Tennessee to view the flood damage first hand and to report back on any unmet needs. Federal officials have been dispatched to the region and we will continue working in close coordination with state and local officials to support response and recovery efforts.” President Obama, May 4th, 2010
I think that counts as a peep about the flooding in the South East. Not to mention the rapid federal disaster declaration that freed up additional funding and aid. But I guess that DOCUMENTED REALITY didn’t get through your partisan filters.

Posted by: jhw539 | Jun 7, 2010 4:48:10 PM
What? I thought you were a believer that Big Government / The Nanny State could do everything? Afterall, you are a believer that Big Government is far better equipped to handle healthcare decisions we, the unwashed masses, are not equipped to handle on our own. You are a believer that Big Government can actually “create jobs”. You believe Big Government should dictate energy policies, regardless of economic soundness. You consistently promote the infallibility of Obama and his policies yet now you have changed course? Hmm… Change of ideology? I think not. Covering for Obama’s shortcomings of leadership? More likely.

What? I thought you were a believer that Big Government / The Nanny State could do everything? Afterall, you are a believer that Big Government is far better equipped to handle healthcare decisions
tjp612 | Jun 7, 2010 5:02:51 PM
You are quite wrong. Although I believe, based on the documented experience of every other first world nation on Earth, that the government is best equipped to regulate health insurance, yes. And I believe the government can indeed create jobs, based on little things like the creation (and fostering into the public arena) the internet, Hoover dam essentially opening three states for industry, universal literacy, and our world-leading research institutions (many public universities).

“I voted for Obama as did many of my friends. And not one of us believed this nonsense about him being The One”
Well, many in the “mainstream media” believe it (e.g., “he is like a God” Joe Klein). Based on their belief in his infallibility (as manifested in their rabid defense of his job performance and dismissal of reality) many of his supporters believe it. And, as manifested by his narcissism and arrogance, Obama believes it himself.
Let’s recall when The One addressed anxious Democrats in Congress who were very nervous about their re-election chances based on the “healthcare reform” bill. As re-counted by Rep. Marion Berry (D-AR) in January 2010:
Berry recounted meetings with White House officials, reminiscent of some during the Clinton days, where he and others urged them not to force Blue Dogs “off into that swamp” of supporting bills that would be unpopular with voters back home.
“I’ve been doing that with this White House, and they just don’t seem to give it any credibility at all,” Berry said. “They just kept telling us how good it was going to be. The president himself, when that was brought up in one group, said, ‘WELL, THE BIG DIFFERENCE HERE AND IN ’94 WAS YOU’VE GOT ME.”
Stunning arrogance from The Won.

He is not mandated by Federal statute to cure cancer.But he is mandated to protect the coasts during an oil spill.Obviously that is not happening.He just isn’t up to it.
Nephron | Jun 7, 2010 5:12:34 PM
Now you sound as absurd as the folks who were literally blaming President Bush *for* Katrina. The Feds are responding with everything they’ve got, threatening and cajoling BP into doing the same, and even with 20/20 hindsight no one can rationally point out where they could have done much better.

jhw – You are probably a believer that the “European way of life” is a goal to which we knuckle-dragging Americans should aspire (despite the fact that the EU/Euro is on the verge of collapse).
tjp612 | Jun 7, 2010 5:22:19 PM
If I did, I would move there. As it is, I’m pretty happy in America, the most prosperous and productive free nation mankind has ever seen. And I believe it is only improving BECAUSE of the best government system in the world laid out by the Founding Fathers (also the worst government system in the world – except for all the other options).

“no one can rationally point out where the could have done much better”Sums up the Obama administration in a nutshell-we can’t do any better.And affirmative action had nothing to do with this man?

“The Feds are responding with everything they’ve got, threatening and cajoling BP into doing the same, and even with 20/20 hindsight no one can rationally point out where they could have done much better. ” – One Short of 540
The feds can threaten BP all they want but none of that is a fly fart compared to the economic hit BP is taking. That is sufficient enough to have BP give it all they’ve got.
I don’t know why you say no one can rationally point out where the administration could have done better. Millions have been doing that for more than a month now. The NoBo administration could have easily gotten to the current level of action being taken in half the time they took. They didn’t need 45 days if they were competent.

Posted by: jhw539 | Jun 7, 2010 5:33:58 PM
BTW – In fairness to Obama, we Americans shouldn’t expect much from Obama in terms of responding to this catastrophe….After all, his life’s accomplishment do not offer any indication that he would be prepared to deal with an event such as this which requires executive leadership experience (community organizin’ school didn’t teach much beyond rabble-rousing 101 and race-baiting 102).

“This is OVER 1 month after the spill and they hadn’t “determined the need”???” – wheresmymoney
Cmon wheresmymoney, give NoBo a break. I don’t think his commission is done figuring out what to do yet.

Cmon wheresmymoney, give NoBo a break. I don’t think his commission is done figuring out what to do yet.
Posted by: Noz | Jun 7, 2010 6:06:31 PM
**********
Ha! jhw thinks he has had it all figured out since DAY 1, and just didn’t have the equipment. They REFUSED HELP! I wish someone would ask the President why.

Ha! jhw thinks he has had it all figured out since DAY 1, and just didn’t have the equipment. They REFUSED HELP! I wish someone would ask the President why.
wheresmymoney | Jun 7, 2010 6:16:01 PM
You are grossly distorting my position to the point of lying. And they also ACCEPTED HELP, from Mexico and Norway. I would guess they had good reason to not accept all the help offered, for example it is unlikely Croatia’s offer would have been of much real assistance (although the gesture is generous).

“They have NOT been making statements of where the response was poor,…”
According to Washington Post, 69% of Americans think the government is doing a poor job in this matter, (even more than the handling of Katrina), while 28% think the government is doing a good job.

This too will pass… I couldn’t agree more…
But in the meantime he should dial back his criticism of BP… when the investigation is complete… he will be much embarrassed at the number of people in his administration and his party that have oil on their hands…

“They have NOT been making statements of where the response was poor,…”
According to Washington Post, 69% of Americans think the government is doing a poor job in this matter, (even more than the handling of Katrina), while 28% think the government is doing a good job.
Sigmonde | Jun 7, 2010 7:36:50 PM
People are ticked off. Duh. Now where are those specific statements of where the government missed an opportunity to do better in the response? Jindal has been trying hard to come up with some for his 2012 campaign and the best he can do is they took time to research if piling massive quantities of dredges along sensitive marsh was a good idea.

Mr. Obama should dial back his criticism of BP. They employ over 120,000 people, many of them Americans, and many more indirectly.
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I don’t believe employing Americans is a valid reason for not holding BP accountable for its actions.
Also the President has not been that critical of BP. He has expressed frustration at the lack of success with attempts to stop the gushing oil. And he has cautioned BP not to ‘nickel and dime’ the people along the Gulf being effected by this spill.
Both seem fair comment given the drastic nature of the situation.

The gusher of oil in the gulf is nothing compared to the gusher of public debt in our economy…
…………..
What’s interesting is that both link directly back to Republican policies applied without discretion and leading to crises. Their policies and practices and politics have failed us.
Given that, I was happy to read the WH’s response to oil shills like Jindal. See Climate Progress, White House smacks down Jindal and other Big Oil shills like Barbour who demand a premature end to the moratorium on deepwater drilling
June 7, 2010
Now we have to get him to do something about BP Atlantis: see Kenneth Abbott, Whistleblower seeking to force shutdown of BP Atlantis oil rig, another potential Gulf disaster

Come on, Do we actually pay people to come up with this stuff for the President to hold a press conference? Of course it will be contained, SOMEDAY, Quit messing around trying to save face and just take care of business. This whole situation is a complete joke! You have BP setting up hotlines manned with personel that have no knowlege of the oilfield business. I gave a suggestion on how to cap the well and asked the operator to read back what she typed and she couldn’t because she didn’t even type anything! It’s all for show! They don’t even give a referral number to your suggestion or anything. It’s been 4 days and I haven;t heard anything. Obama is up there in his office doing a lot of talking but quite frankly they need to stop talking and hold BP accountable for this!!! The government needs to bypass all this red tape, pay to have this taken care of and bill BP for the damages!!! This image control on both parts is pathetic!!!

jhw539, President Obama promised in his campaign that he can fix all the problems we are having in the WORLD, now we find out he can’t fix sh…….he can’t even govern but I do have to say he can give good parties at the WH at taxpayers expense. He is good at playing the blame game, but as a die- hard democrat when you’re ask to jump you ask how high.

It will never work people ! God is comming ! The End OF days Is here ! REPENT , and God Will HEal The Land ! NOT OBAMA , The Fake MESSIAH !