Five (5) weeks has now elapsed since the BP oil disaster in the gulf took place. Obama has made one (1) short visit to the gulf area in that time.
One visit.
And, some of Obama's staunchest supporters are, to say the least, disappointed in their hero.
Here's some quotes I came across today:
"He blew it. Obama faces a meltdown akin to the unraveling of his predecessor, George W. Bush. A press conference and a visit to the region are simply too little too late. It doesn't matter whether government could do any better than the oil companies. The political fallout has taken hold. Obama failed to manage a massive crisis. There's no fixing this failure. His only hope now is changing the subject. Good Luck."
Here's another:
"Thinking before doing is one of Barack Obama’s strengths, but not in this oil crisis. The President’s famously deliberative style has not served him well.
When an uncontrollable gusher of this magnitude threatens the economy and ecosystem of an entire region, it’s not enough for Obama to essentially adopt a wait-and-see stance in letting the oil industry tinker and experiment in vain.
The President’s pattern is to swoop in at the last minute and close the deal. He’s good at it.
But sometimes presidents cannot wait to see what everyone else thinks and does before acting. When it comes to the Gulf region in environmental chaos, we needed a starter, not a closer."
And, another:
"[I]t just looks like he's not involved in this! Man, you have got to get down here and take control of this!..."
...Put somebody in charge of this and get this thing moving! We're about to die down here!"
The first quote is by one of Obama's chief water carriers, Craig Crawford, a particularly rabid Liberal propagandist.
The second comes from an article by Mike Lee, who was commenting on Craig Crawford's quote.
The third quote is by former Clinton Strategist, and Obama supporter, James Carville.
For more from Mr. Carville, watch this:
Unlike Liberals, who placed the full weight of the blame for the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina (an unpreventable natural disaster) squarely on George W. Bush's shoulders, I won't blame Obama for the colossal oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. I understand he had nothing to do with the causation of the spill.
However, at least Bush made a fairly timely appearance in Louisiana to assess the situation first hand.
Obama hasn't even attempted a photo op in relation to the oil spill.
Obviously, there is nothing he could have done to prevent the spill, and nothing he could have done to stem the leak. But, he could have at least pretended he was trying to do something.
What is he doing instead, you might ask?
He is appearing in San Francisco, campaigning for California Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer, and when he is done with that, he will be taking a vacation back in sweet home Chicago. Three campaign events, including a stopover at the home of one America's wealthiest families.
Ironically, a family that gained their wealth in the oil industry.
And, skipping the traditional Memorial Day visit to Arlington to honor the nation's war dead on Memorial Day, something that sitting United States Presidents have been doing annually for decades.
But, you know what? I support his decision not to uphold the Presidential tradition of honoring our fallen soldiers on Memorial day. As I said on my Facebook page,
"I think Obama doesn't deserve to share the spotlight with those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country. This celebration should be for those who love this country, not those who hate it."
Now, Blogger buddy Lone Ranger says, "Currently, about one out of five democrats who supported him, now oppose him."
It seems to me the only Democrats left who still support this guy are those who are willfully blind, deaf, and ignorant.
Cross posted at Casting Pearls Before Swine.
Mark,
ReplyDeleteBut P-BO just announced at his better late than never press conference that His regime has been in control "since day one". As well as that BP has done nothing without approval and instruction from the regime. A couple of things pop to mind. 1. Since the CG incident commander wasn't on scene for a week, what exactly does P-BO mean by day one. 2. If the regime has actually been in charge since "day one" doesn't that mean that all of the previous failure to control the leak is their fault. Further, why has the regime not approved Jindal's request for sand bars to block the oil? Why doesn't Jindal just go ahead and do what needs to be done?
If P-BO had been on it since 'Day One' why did it take NINE days before anyone in his administration (including himself) to even make a public mention of the crisis.
ReplyDeleteThis man is incompetent and so completely out of his depth! He is a worse disaster to the gulf states that the oil washing ashore. He's a worse disaster to the ENTIRE 50 states than even Jimmy Carter! Carter was merely incompetent, but Obama! Out of his depth; a toddler in the deep end, his water-wings swiftly losing air.
The man is a disgrace.
Here's another question Craig? Why isn't anyone taking Costner's invention serious? It's actually working?
It only took TWO days for Bush to mobilize, from the time Katrina made landfall on Monday morning to Wednesday afternoon when he finally (he actually was doing some things prior to landfall... he was actually aware of the situation and asking the governor of Louisiana if the government could help) got around to stepping up. But Obama takes 9 days to say or do ANYTHING publicly.
ReplyDeleteIt's not Obama's fault the oil rig exploded any more than it was Bush's fault New Orleans failed to adequately prepare for disaster (Mayor Nagin, especially), but every liberal democrat piled on Bush, mostly for what was beyond his control. And yet it only took Bush TWO days to personally leap into action. The Bush administration was aware and on the job from day one; unfortunately for Bush he had a very public problem with Michael Brown, and a FEMA not up to the task of such a huge natural disaster? But Bush was vilified for his 'inaction'...
Where is the vilification of Obama for waiting 9 days to even talk publicly about the spill? Where's the vilification for Obama waiting 5 weeks before realizing it had a public image problem forcing it to lie about being on top of the spill from 'day one'?
El,
ReplyDeleteAmen, brother. It's kind of humorous. Everyone knows that P-BO isn't responsible for the spill any more then GWB was responsible for Katrina. But the left wasted no time bashing GWB for his response. Honestly had the libs not set the precedent, I'm not sure that anyone would be all over P-BO as much as they have. It's especially comforting to see that so much of the crap is coming from serpent head and those one His own side of the aisle.
As for Costner's invention, it can't be working because it didn't come from the regime. Unless, of course, P-BO sent out an edict on "day one" declaring the use of said invention to be commenced immediately on that very day.
Looking at news reports about Mr. Costner's invention I can make a few guesses why it isn't being used. According to one article the largest machine can process 200 gallons per hour. That simply isn't a fast enough rate to use the machine for surface oil slicks or even the mile-wide undersea plumes. If you could park it's intake right over the leak you might get a good response, but the leak is a mile deep. Sucking oil from that far and that pressure is probably something these machines haven't been tested for. At least those are the reasons that came to me pretty quickly after doing 5 minutes investigating.
ReplyDeleteAs to Gov. Jindall's ideas about sand berms and barrier islands...I have to ask if he has any idea how to move so much material like he's suggesting? It can take months for dredgers to restore a 1 mile beach. Gov. Jindall is blithely suggesting that we could somehow produce 40-50 of miles of 10 ft high sand dunes in days!
Later I'll address some of the other points raised, but these "ideas" have been floating around and they're just impractical after even 5 minutes investigation.
Soooooo.... like the Regime..... you advocate doing nothing because of how little impact inventions and berms will have. I mean, you obviously know more about berms than governor Jindal, right?
ReplyDeleteThe latest Zogby poll puts approval of Obama's handling of this disaster at 16%
ReplyDeleteI don't know about sand berms or whatever, but I remember when my hometown of Kansas City was flooded a few years ago, and significant portions of I-35 were destroyed, the Army Corps of Engineers came in and repaired the highway in a few weeks. Something that highway workers under government contract would have taken a few years to accomplish. I think, under the right motivation and minus all the red tape, this problem could be solved a lot quicker than it will be.
ReplyDeleteAnd, if we wait for Obama to give the go ahead, we may have to wait a lot longer. Unless, of course, he can find some way to make himself look good by getting it done quickly.
After all, everything Obama does is designed to make himself look good. He cares nothing about anything or anybody else.
ReplyDeleteThe point obviously is not whether the sand berms or Costner's invention is the total solution to the problem, but that those solutions are not coming from the regime. Therefore they can't work because they were not promulgated by P-BO.
ReplyDeleteAlso, regarding Costner's invention. It seems as though this would be a great time to test this thing. I can't imagine that it couldn't be scaled up if it works. Probably not in time to make a significant impact here, but it would be good to have in the future. The problem is how can the regime keep Costner from making a profit on this.
Hmmm...I must have nailed it. Dan and Jim and Geoff and the usual suspects remain silent on this one.
ReplyDeleteEither they agree or they can't think of a coherent argument with which to refute me.
Refute what? I think it's clear that Obama should have been more "present" on this situation. He WAS in the region on May 2nd,so his visit this week wasn't the first of the crisis. There is nothing much he can do about stopping the leak. The government doesn't drill so they don't have any expertise at all in the matter.
ReplyDeleteNow he could commandeer a fleet of oil tankers to unload their cargoes immediately and go suck up the oil and the plumes. Of course if he did, you would accuse him of nationalizing the oil companies and expanding government power. But he should just say "f**k that" and do it anyway.
Unlike Liberals, who placed the full weight of the blame for the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina ... squarely on George W. Bush's shoulders
This is absolutely false-false in fact and a false comparison. Nobody blamed Bush for the destruction. They blamed him for his lack of engagement in doing things to help in the aftermath of the storm, things that he could have done.
And, skipping the traditional Memorial Day visit to Arlington to honor the nation's war dead on Memorial Day, something that sitting United States Presidents have been doing annually for decades.
This is also false. Other presidents have visited other cemeteries on Memorial Day, sending representatives to Arlington. From the Washington Post:
"Obama is not the first president to miss the Arlington ceremony. Ronald Reagan spoke at West Point one year, and went to his California ranch another year. George H.W. Bush, a war veteran, did not go at all. Bill Clinton, who did not serve in Vietnam and had a rocky time with the military, went to Arlington all eight years, and George W. Bush, who also avoided combat service in Vietnam, attended from 2003 onward[missing 2001 and 2002]."
He cares nothing about anything or anybody else.
Something you could NEVER know and is belied by the facts.
'Nuf refuti' for you?
Mark I really thought if I let your words stand for a while eventually you would see the massive unfounded arguments you are making. It appears sometimes the obvious must be pointed out. So lets take it piece by piece.
ReplyDelete1. Your three quotes don't actually deal in facts or events. All three are about whether the president appears to be in charge of the gulf oil spill management. I don't care about appearances. I care about whether the administration is actually working and taking steps. From the reports the President and his staff are taking all the actions they can (admittedly few) to stem the leak.
2. "However, at least Bush made a fairly timely appearance in Louisiana to assess the situation first hand. ... Obama hasn't even attempted a photo op in relation to the oil spill."
Obama is a president that trusts his lieutenants and empowered deputies to brief and support him. Bush needed to see things first hand. Different styles of managing, neither better than the other. Although this quote does beg the question, HOW WOULD A PHOTO OP STOP THE LEAK!?
3. President Obama will honor Memorial Day at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery outside Chicago, while Vice President Biden appears at Arlington National Cemetery. But hey don't let the truth stop your rabid stereotyping.
4. "If the regime has actually been in charge since "day one" doesn't that mean that all of the previous failure to control the leak is their fault."
Do you know how to stop a gushing oil well a mile deep under water covered with debris from a sunken oil platform? Can you do it in a day? Neither can BP or anyone else. Blatherskyt! I hate armchair quarterbacks and backseat drivers.
5. Eric 1st comment: "P-BO had been on it since 'Day One' why did it take NINE days before anyone in his administration (including himself) to even make a public mention of the crisis. "
After the Deepwater Horizon first sank BP said the leak was small about 500 gallons a day. It took several days just for remote operated vehicles to clear the site of the leak. Then another day or so before BP started raising the estimate of the size of the leak. Did you hear about the fire sinking of the platform and think about the environmental consequences of a major leak? In 1979 the Ixtoc oil leak off the coast of Mexico spewed for 10 months before it was capped. There have been other underwater oil spills, but the difference here is that it is a MILE DEEP. No one knows how to handle this.
6. Eric 2nd comment: "It only took TWO days for Bush to mobilize, from the time Katrina made landfall on Monday morning to Wednesday afternoon when he finally...got around to stepping up. But Obama takes 9 days to say or do ANYTHING publicly. ... unfortunately for Bush he had a very public problem with Michael Brown, and a FEMA not up to the task."
Why wasn't Bush working to do thing TWO days before Katrina made landfall? Why was FEMA, The Federal Emergency management Agency, unable to handle an emergency? Why does Obama have to do something publicly? What is this conservative fascination with style over substance? All the substantiative reports say the administration was working from day one. Responding and increasing efforts as the situation grew more disastrous.
7. If the president is such a narcissist and must be seen to be doing something before anything can be done, why hasn't he made more than one trip to the gulf? Why hasn't there been a photo op of him shoveling oil sand on the beach? How can you hold the multiple impressions of the man as both uninterested/unimpressed with the crisis, and opportunistic for public acclaim and attention?
The DEM/MSM will STILL continue to look the other way when it involved The One. But you make excellent and truthful points.
ReplyDeleteBZ
BenT:
ReplyDeleteJust in passing, a thought on your #7 because I can see it as I wrote my last comment:
Why? Because there is nothing positive Mr Obama can get for HIMSELF by being even reMOTEly associated with that event. Even HE knows it's far too late for any positive political personal linkage.
BZ
Even HE knows it's far too late for any positive political personal linkage.
ReplyDeleteWhich explains why he went to the gulf on Friday and said he is accountable for seeing that a solution is found and implemented. Right?
And Jim believes him. That explains a lot. Obama wouldn't know the truth if it smacked him in the head, and yet, Jim believes him just because he says so.
ReplyDeleteDo we need to provide a few examples of Obama's lies, Jim?
I agree with BZ's assessment. BHO HAS to do something if only to get millions of his OWN supporters to ease up on the criticism, even though nothing can be gained by shoveling "oil sand" ... perhaps the most overt act of futility and a metaphor for his failure throughout this crisis.
ReplyDeleteHe's not going to waste more time than is necessary on this crisis; he's already lost the battle of public opinion.
And let's not forget that Zogby poll... only 16% approve of his handling of this disaster.
ReplyDelete