Katie Couric's Notebook: Obama's Speech

By: Katie Couric
Topics: Katie Couric's Notebook

The disaster in the Gulf may or may not be President Obama's Katrina, but, tonight, it will be his Challenger explosion, his Cuban missile crisis, his Sept. 11.

Unlike those events, this is a long simmering disaster, getting darker by the day. Perhaps that's why the White House hasn't projected the sense of urgency many people have been waiting for. But on day 57 this catastrophe demands a bully pulpit that represents the gravity of the situation, so the president chose this moment for his first oval office address.

He'll discuss one crisis, while confronting a crisis of confidence. Just 38 percent approve of his administration's response to the disaster, and Gulf residents say there's a lack of organization on the ground.

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said today BP has badly mismanaged this effort. The question on everyone's mind is: Why are they still managing it?

The president spent two days in the Gulf making promises. Tonight, the nation needs to hear a plan.

That's a page from my notebook.

I'm Katie Couric, CBS News.

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by mickeybs June 22, 2010 11:50 PM EDT: Katie - Unless your a staunch socialist, you should be asking why or what is all the corruption in the BP clean up? Tony Haywood brother is a lobbyist for the eviornment, George Soros has tons invested in Petrobras. Obama gave Brazil $2B to drill. Isn't this a funny coincedence. And now Obama wants a halt to drilling, which means the rigs will go to Brazil. Now, investigate that. Be a damn JOURNALIST!!!!!!; Reply to this comment


by govmess June 19, 2010 3:01 PM EDT: 68% of Americans didn't watch his speech because they knew he couldn't dig up leadership qualities overnight. Americans are sick of his rhetoric. I find it amusing that there is such a fuss about Alvin Greene in his pursuit of the Senate seat from SC.

Stop and think...1) Greene has more experience than President Barack Obama did since he served in the military. 2) As with Obama, just because he doesn't have a job doesn't mean that he can't campaign on "hope and change" and win.

3) why shouldn't the Dems put up a candidate without principles and who can be manipulated by the radicals who are intent on destroying this nation.

Give him 15 minutes of training on a teleprompter and once he has had a stint in the Senate he can be put on the ballot for President, and bet your bottom dollar the suckers of America will vote him in. What an ironical situation.

As Mr. Reich (a staunch Democrat) said, if you turned the sound off during Obama's speech you would think he was giving a boring lecture on history. 2012 can't come fast enough.; Reply to this comment


by freelittlebook-com June 19, 2010 12:16 PM EDT: I wonder how he is going to handle it once everyone figures out that this is a sign of the 'end times'... just wait until the fingers of the Sun touch the Earth and technology fails....; Reply to this comment


by JayAdlerMusic June 19, 2010 1:23 AM EDT: I remember when Nixon resigned however I do not believe I, as a young man ever read any accounts of the particulars. Was Nixon's decision his own or was he induced to leave by say, powerful members of Congress. I seem to remember in the Clinton impeachment days Congressional members went into his office and asked for his resignation. Otherwise I wonder how resignation prior to an impeachment vote would play out. First of all, resignation ordinarily is accompanied by no trial and can offer justifications.What if high level members of Congress together with officials from the military and intelligence services set out to accomplish an event which is not unprecedented, a resignation requested based on something connected to our survival in the future.; Reply to this comment


by JayAdlerMusic June 19, 2010 1:04 AM EDT: Operationally, the Federal government must enlist a contractor for this type of work. There is no debate about this, BP although not having the best track record in these situations, nevertheless retains the highest level of scientific and engineering personnel, the most up to date equipment and the sheer wealth to be a contractor. There are very few players in this ballpark and I would say Exxon, who surprisingly has a low level of violations of course would not be the politically correct concern to choose. We can in some scenarios add partners to help BP in the clean up. Firing them is probably not a good option because to withdraw their already planted personnel and equipment would cause more repercussions and a huge interruption in the project. Obama should not be on the third hole when the Gulf is dying and the American people have voiced their displeasure with his inordinate love of dating and sports as President. Unfortunately some jobs require long hours and frivolity comes after service.Just remember that you can blame either the administration or Obama for the Gulf Spill but just as any pro fighter can score a knockout at any given time, BP is a pro too and their detractors will have egg on their face if they solve this.; Reply to this comment

by emerge63 June 16, 2010 3:44 PM EDT

Why can't BP and/or the federal govt contract private citizens or groups to help with plugging the oil leaks? Seems to me if Dr. Ballard can find the Titanic and various other sunken ships that are as far down or deeper than the oil well, why can't he help figure out a way to stop the oil? He apparently has the equipment to go that deep. I understand the need and urgency to clean up the oil and get it off the beaches, out of the ocean, but the oil well needs to be plugged and needs it now, not 2 or 3 months down the road. Get people in there that can and will help stop it.

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by JayAdler1 June 19, 2010 9:54 AM EDT: Historically, these home made remedies although looking good on the Tonight Show or Letterman require the typical red tape and agency investigation and due diligence that even if a possibility would take far too much time to implement. The track record of acceptance has not been plentiful. This kind of thing is just like making it in Hollywood by sending your picture out. Anne Margret was discovered by Jack Benny and I think Lana Turner was found in Schwabs Drugstore, those are your odds.


by casey_abbott June 16, 2010 9:39 AM EDT: Stand up and decide to try.; Reply to this comment


by memorilayne June 16, 2010 9:33 AM EDT: People need to get over the "Blame Game" & focus on the reality of the Gulf Crisis, which is the people, wildlife, sea life & our beaches!

On June 13, 2010 the media was attacked for "over-hyping the extent of spill damage". http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/06/13/ftn/main6577858.shtml?tag=contentBody;featuredPost-PE

Katie Couric & the rest of the media are doing their job,and are doing it very well. Reporting the facts to the public. Choose to watch or not watch, listen or not listen, but it's senseless to try to drag Katie & other reporters into any kind of fault. Are people so naive that they think this is not weighing on Katie's heart and head as much as it is on mine or yours?
The fact of the matter is that we have a crisis in the Gulf that is affecting millions. At this point, we need solutions and resolution immediately. Once there is control of the spill in the Gulf and there is a halt in further damage to our people, wildlife, sea life, & shores, then those who are at fault will indeed suffer their consequences.

Thank you Katie and CBS for your support & keeping us informed. I know this has been tough on all of you as well.; Reply to this comment


by wedflow June 16, 2010 5:32 AM EDT: Dear Ms. Couric:
I heard your notebook comments on homosexuality and I do believe your logic is flawed. It sounds like you are saying that increased numbers of homosexuals and the increased awareness of them as a group somehow makes that lifestyle more acceptable for you and your feminist friends. Use that same logic for pediphiles for both are contrary to the word and will of God. Homosexuality is a severe hormonal imbalance for that child who comes out of the womb with gender identity problems. The other two types of homosexuals groups are those who are born with evenly balanced male/female hormones, these two types can be moved to homosexuality by other people or by their own choice. Either way, it's still a lose lose situation. Put them all on an island, how do they reproduce? Only by news casters sympathetic to their plight telling the public how normal homosexuality is.; Reply to this comment

by doug34444 June 15, 2010 11:27 PM EDT

Why has it taken the "YES WE CAN" administration a month an a half to do absolutely nothing about an oil spill that threatens thousands
of americans & their lively hoods? We can, it seems, respond to and send aid to foreign countries within hours. Shouldn't we be using our resources to aid our own citizens and collect from BP as a government instead of making our people beg for their loses? Our president has said that we don't know how to stop the leak and there is a very slight chance he is right. I think it has however, proven to be a tragic mistake not to let our engineers get involved in stopping this leak since it is apparent that BP doesn't have a clue. It makes one wonder if BP would react the same way if the leak was off the English coast...

I listened to President Obama's news conference earlier tonight hoping to get some indication of action - fat chance... The people on the gulf coast can only hope he gets off dead center before every fish,bird and animal in the gulf region is dead and the wetlands,beaches and coral reefs are all ruined.

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by MikeyJay58 June 16, 2010 3:06 PM EDT: "Absolutely nothing"? Seriously. This is just hyperbole. I guess your expectation was that Obama was going to come to the Gulf and plug the leak with his finger? But forgot Obama, do you seriously think that Admiral Thad Allen is deliberately refusing legitimate ideas or offers of assistance. For Bobby Jindal or any of the other local politicians to point to oil in a wetland and complain that BP or the Feds are not doing enough is just politics. It makes for great TV (and the networks eat it up), but it is little more than that.