Asheville News

Did President Obama take oil spill response too lightly when he hit Asheville for vacation?

Jason Sandford June 9, 2010

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

Rolling Stone offers a tough assessment of President Obama’s administration’s repsonse to the big BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Tim Dickinson includes this passage in his report:

[On the day of the spill] the president convened an emergency meeting in the Oval Office with Adm. Thad Allen, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and top White House deputies Rahm Emanuel, Carol Browner and Larry Summers. Obama forcefully instructed his team that the response to the oil spill should be treated as a “number-one priority.”

But then the fog of war set in. The following day, the Coast Guard — relying on assurances from BP — declared that the spill appeared to be limited to oil that was stored aboard the sunken rig. With a worst-case crisis seemingly averted, Obama checked out, heading off for a long weekend in Asheville, North Carolina, where he and the first lady would stop for ribs at a barbecue joint called 12 Bones Smokehouse before checking into the Grove Park Inn, a golf resort and spa. Asked whether the spill would hamper the president’s offshore drilling agenda, spokesman Gibbs made light of the disaster. “I don’t honestly think it opens up a whole new series of questions,” he said. “I doubt this is the first accident that has happened, and I doubt it will be the last.” …

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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3 Comments

Asheville Dweller June 11, 2010

By the same argument, this applies to Bush as well:

"In retrospect, sure you could make this accusation. But he was only going off the information he (and the rest of us) had. Being the president doesn’t mean you have a crystal ball. I do hope he rethinks the Iraq policy*, though."

Just like Food in downtown Asheville Im not buying it.

He is just irresponsible as Bush, maybe worse since he has an ego and a Press that wont bother to critize him but thats changing. A crisis happened the man went on vacation, middle of the crisis goes on vacation AGAIN, Has 2 WH parties with Celebrities and now he has the nerve to meet the BP Chairman on the 16th over 60 days from the time this has started. If this was Bush People would be rioting, what is good for the goose is good for the gander.

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Stephen June 10, 2010

In retrospect, sure you could make this accusation. But he was only going off the information he (and the rest of us) had. Being the president doesn’t mean you have a crystal ball. I do hope he rethinks the off-shore drilling policy, though.

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Dad June 10, 2010

Maybe there is something about his "too cool" demeanor that is shaking people up. I like it but some think it shows he is not engaged enough. Maybe some old fashioned ‘indignation’ would fit the occasion. Saying ‘I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore’ may not be enough.

I think POTUS should throw a hissy fit. Let that pendulum swing Mr. President. I think you could take that BP CEO any day of the week. Toe to toe, eyeball to eyeball. Meet him on the beaches of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida, hand him a shovel and hazmat suit and tell him to clean that sh*t up!

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