ChronWatch Interviews Obama (Pretend)

ChronWatch: Mr. President, what is your reaction to the negative criticism you have received over the BP oil spill?

Obama: I don’t understand it at all. After all, I’ve made several speeches and trips to the Gulf Coast. I beat up on BP unmercifully. I personally and publicly insulted Tony Hayward. I forced BP to agree to a $20 billion fund without any legal basis at all. What else could I do?

ChronWatch: The public seems to think you should have acted to control the effects of the spill.

Obama: You’ve been listening to Bobby Jindal. Don’t forget he is a Republican. What do you expect him to say?

ChronWatch: Hayward apologized many times for the spill. He stated over and over that BP would do whatever it took to make things right for those affected. Do you think it was necessary to come down so hard on him publicly?

Obama: Those Brits give me a pain. They think they are so cool. That’s why I sent the Churchill statute back where it belongs. That Hayward guy is way so “Brit cool.” I enjoyed taking advantage of him. Does he really think that $20 million will be the end of it? I learned in Chicago that you kick’em real good while they’re down. Isn’t that what presidential power is all about?
To top it off, Henry Waxman and his fellow weasels pounded on Hayward again. No wonder he went back to London with his tail between his legs. We gave him a good mugging, that’s what.

ChronWatch: So, what is your next step on controlling the spill?

Obama: Now that we have flummoxed BP in every way possible, we can use the incident to stop all off shore drilling. That will really please the environmental groups. Also, I’ll make a couple dozen speeches connecting the spill to global warming. Maybe we can jam through cap and trade like we did health care.

ChronWatch: But, what about the spill?

Obama: Can you tell me what else there is to do? As far as I am concerned my work is done except for a few more speeches. Meanwhile, my cabinet and I can relax and have another snow cone. After that, I plan to get in a round of golf.

Obama: politics trumps environmental concerns

From the outset, the potential environmental impact from the BP oil spill shocked the nation. We watched as BP worked to stop the leak and to control the spill damage. Almost two months later, we sit stunned as we realize the Obama administration has made no effort to assist, none. It has become clear Barack views the catastrophic BP spill as a political opportunity, not an environmental disaster. As a result, the administration has adopted an approach of “do nothing, just blame BP.”

Apparently this is right out of the Rahm Emanuel thesis of “it’s a shame to waste a crisis.” Barack’s only reaction has been to mount relentless attacks on BP. That approach fits right in with his Main Street versus Wall Street theme. All corporations are bad. Oil companies are especially evil. Their product is filthy and nasty. All corporate executives are dishonest. BP’s group leads the pack. Keep pounding on the theme that no punishment is too severe for BP.

In doing so, the administration managed to divert public attention away from falling Obama poll numbers and endless tea parties. However, to Obama’s apparent surprise, the public expected much more from their president. To the public, this event was not unlike 9/11. To the everyday American, the spill crisis represented an unexpected attack on a segment of the traditional American way of life, even if the environmental impact was regional. They expected their president to mount a campaign that attacks and defeats this national problem. Americans expect an effort they can talk about and be proud of. A Chicago style rubbish campaign was the very last thing they expected or wanted. Instead of being proud, they are ashamed.

Minimizing the damage to the environment from the spill would have been an ideal government intervention. Tell BP to concentrate on stopping the spill. That is their area of expertise. Then, put together a national effort to control the oil from the spill. I am sure BP would agree to reimburse the government for such an effort. Put the slimy Waxman inquisitions on hold until the spill is stopped. Tell Eric Holder to stay at home (and be quiet). Advise the trial lawyers to “cool it.” Form a committee of Gulf governors that talks daily with Obama to set priorities. Put out daily reports on the real status of the environmental impact, beach by beach, marsh by marsh. Stop the irrelevant pounding on whether the spill is 10,000 barrels a day or 40,000. Encourage the media to paint a balanced picture of the problem. i.e., we’ve seen enough oil soaked pelicans. In other words, get real, guys.

Ah, but such an effort requires a presidential leader. Instead, we elected an ineffective, and highly political, word machine. This president just doesn’t get it. Sad!