Obama sees 'massive, potentially unprecedented' Gulf oil disaster

[babylonsister]

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/95539-obama-sees-massive-and-potentially-unprecedented-gulf-disaster


Obama sees 'massive, potentially unprecedented' Gulf oil disaster
By Sam Youngman - 05/02/10 08:06 PM ET

snip//

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said later that Obama and officials discussed well-capping procedures, the economic implications of the spill and the environmental impact to the marsh.

Gibbs also said that Jindal thanked the president for coming to the Gulf personally.

Obama stopped and spoke with local fishermen after meeting with Coast Guard and administration officials, noting that the disaster could "jeopardize the livelihoods of thousands of Americans who call this place home."

Obama again stressed that British Petroleum is ultimately responsible for the cost of the cleanup.

"Let me be clear, BP is responsible for this leak," Obama said. "BP will be paying the bill."

Both BP and government officials are struggling to cap the well and contain the leaks while at the same time protect the coasts and investigate the cause of the disaster.

Obama said officials are trying their best, but "because this leak is unique and unprecedented, it could take many days to stop."

Allen told the group of fishermen that BP is saying they might be able to put the experimental funnel or dome in place by May 9.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said that the same technique was used after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita but at much shallower depths than the current leak.

[MannyGoldstein]

1. "Drill Baby Drill"

Became a bipartisan meme as of April 1. Good luck trying to disgorge the evil thing.

As to holding BP responsible - who has Obama ever actually held responsible for anything?

[madmax]

3. Geez, Manny

"As to holding BP responsible - who has Obama ever actually held responsible for anything?"

In your opinion, has he done anything at all right? Please, I've read many of your posts and they all contain the undercurrent theme, of no matter what this man does - it will never be enough.

Obama inherited a huge fucking mess regarding so many complex issues, he can't turn it all on a dime.

Are you young and impatient, or old and cranky ;p

[goclark]

4. +1

[MannyGoldstein]

7. So... Who Has Obama Held Responsible For Anything?

I helped elect a Democrat and got a Reagan Republican instead, who caters to the privileged and disavows all promises made to the other 99% of us - perhaps you can understand my disappointment.

Other than going after teachers unions, I haven't seen him sink his teeth into anyone for anything. But please - set me right. Or perhaps I *am* right.

[MadBadger]

8. You lose all the credibility you never had when you call him a Reagan Republican

[MannyGoldstein]

9. So... What's Your Take?

I see Obama, so far, as privatizing everything he can, hugely increasing the federal debt, savaging unions, greatly helping the hyper-wealthy while giving the back of his hand to the Middle Class. He's pro-oil and pro-nuke, and lets the CIA and NSA do what they please with zero consequences. And now we have a panel to fix entitlements where "nothing's off the table", staffed by folks who've called for slashing social security and other programs.

One big difference was that Reagan actually worked hard to avoid military conflict.

Am I off base here? Counter-examples and rebuttals, please.

[madmax]

10. To quote a great writer

and member of DU - The 'Great' Will Pitt, 'Oh fer Chrisakes!.

Not this shit again. You wrote the comment. I'm asking *you* if there is anything, anything at all this President has done right or is trying to rectify that statifies you in the least little bit. You respond with aside from going after the teacher's union.

Ok, thanks. Obviously until he rights all wrongs within his first 4 year term or sooner, he's a Reagan Republican.

[MannyGoldstein]

13. I First Asked The Question Of Who Obama's Held Responsible

Which you've bashed, but declined to answer thus far.

I'll be happy to answer your question after mine is answered.

[madmax]

17. I'll give you this Manny

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x533518

He should seize on this and go further left. Pity that it takes a catasrophe.

Sorry I haven't posted specific points. I'm tired. Next time we meet...

I know there are so many with special near and dear to their hearts changes who are less than thrilled with our President such as DADT, Gay Marriage, and a host of others. But, hell he's only been in office a little over a year. Maybe he's being too cautious but, I prefer he weigh all sides and move us left slowly and get somethings done rather than go off half cocked and fuck it all up.

[madmax]

12. One question

Who was your first choice for Dem candidate in 2008?

[MannyGoldstein]

15. Obama. nt

[tekisui]

18. Obama screwed himself and the Democratic Party with that.

“Oil rigs today generally don't cause spills,” Mr. Obama insisted on April 2, two days after he announced he would allow drilling in the Atlantic Ocean from Virginia to Florida and in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. “They are technologically very advanced. Even during Katrina, the spills didn't come from the oil rigs; they came from the refineries on shore.”

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/oil-spill-threatens-to-sink-obamas-energy-plan/article1554337/

[HereSince1628]

2. Leaks are like fingerprints...every damn one of them is unique

For any given oil rig a collapse is unprecedented.
But oil rig fires and collapses are hardly unprecedented.
Local communities and ecosystems may be ruined
but big corporations see this as a business right-off.

Get out the checkbook, the CEO is gonna earn a bonus for this!

[depakid]

5. Seeing as a how a very similar one- also involving Halliburton JUST happened last September

Off the coast of Northwest Australia, one cannot rightly claim that it was unforeseeable....

Check out Seafan's journal for the details:

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/seafan/3886

[Cha]

6. Yes, BP is responsible and so are bush and cheney

for their deregulation mania.

Anyone who tries to blame this on Obama is showing their ignorance or just malicious intent.

[Arkana]

11. Guessing Jindal will be right back to bashing Obama the minute AF1 is in the air.

[madmax]

14. Jindal should have been on his knees... nt

[Dr Morbius]

16. Mr. President, I wonder if BP is really going to pay for it.

You MAY be able to get BP to pay for direct cleanup costs. But the cost to gulf fisheries and shrimp beds; BP ain't a-gonna cover that, are they? And the loss to tourism and the rest of the ecologically diverse gulf region; BP isn't going to cover that either, I bet.

The cost of this disaster is going to run to twelve figures. That's hundreds of billions, when taking the full economic impact in tow. Since the nation's GDP is less than 16 trillion, we're talking about one or two percent of the total lost, due to an oil spill that might well have been prevented had our government not been in the pocket of big oil.

Is BP going to pay for this, Mr. President? I suspect they're only going to bear a portion of the real cost, and I also suspect BP will fight even that for all they're worth - and Mr. Geithner will settle for less.