With the exception of a slavishly democratic Paul Begala I can find no positive appreciation of Mr. Obama. Full disclosure: I was watching Yanks-Phils, then the NBA finals, but the substance as disclosed yesterday afternoon matched with what was said.
The president of the USA, last time I checked, does not have the power to ORDER BP to pay what they should pay via corporate conscience. But he claims he did just that.He maintains he will keep oil workers on deep well rigs and all who derive income from those wells out of work until it is determined what caused the accident (THAT WILL BE > A YEAR, BET ON IT), and we can be sure of what caused this accident right now, carelessness and greedy dedication to pump at any cost, including documented ignoring warning from engineers, bordering on or exceeding the line of negligent manslaughter. In other words, an individual circumstance. It might be reasonable to immediately reinspect all BP rigs. Isn't it bad enough what has been done to the beaches, fish, shrimp, crab, and oyster fisheries?And the BIG issue, is what HAS been done.Where is the Manhattan Project sense of urgency to build barrier islands, sand berms, booms from around the world? Why wasn't the president in rain gear on the prow of some boat along with the fisherman helping out FOR AN HOUR? THREE WEEKS AGOWhy, as late as yesterday afternoon, was there no response to calls from overseas offering help for what is a Valdez sized disaster every five days?Why does this TEN YEAR OLD CHILD CONTINUE TO BLAME OTHERS?
This accident is not Obama's fault, even if his people gave BP the last waiver(s), but the response REQUIRED from a federal govt to help with stopping the oil from destroying fisheries, protect shorelines, and GIVE COMPLETE LEAVE to state and locals govts to act in their own best interests in a reverse Dunkirk was stupefyingly missing. All Obama had to say was ..GO, PROTECT YOURSELVES AND I'LL BACK YOU UP
DOWD : Man, she is off himOlberman: "It was a great speech if you were on another planet for the last 57 days."WaPo: The main impression left by President Obama's address on the oil spill is the chasm between the ambition of its commitments and the thinness of its policiesMSNBC:Olbermann: "It was a great speech if you were on another planet for the last 57 days."

Matthews compared Obama to Carter.

Olbermann: "Nothing specific at all was said."

Matthews: "No direction."

Howard Fineman: "He wasn't specific enough."

Olbermann: "I don't think he aimed low, I don't think he aimed at all. It's startling."

Howard Fineman: Obama should be acting like a "commander-in-chief."

Matthews: Ludicrous that he keeps saying [Secretary of Energy] Chu has a Nobel prize. "I'll barf if he does it one more time."

Matthews: "A lot of meritocracy, a lot of blue ribbon talk."

Matthews: "I don't sense executive command." [Image] Related articles by ZemantaObama's Oil Speech Panned: Short On Details, Broader Climate Plan (huffingtonpost.com)Video: MSNBC hosts dump on Obama's speech (hotair.com)5 more fresh articles... [Image]