Obama Slams BP, Transocean, Halliburton Over Gulf Oil Spill

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Updated at 12:59 p.m. Eastern

President Obama today harshly criticized BP and other companies for "falling over each other to point the finger of blame at somebody else" at recent Congressional hearings into who bears responsibility for the rapidly-expanding environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

"I know BP has committed to pay for the response effort, and we will hold them to their obligation," he said following a meeting with administration officials to discuss the oil leak. "I have to say though I did not appreciate what I considered to be a ridiculous spectacle during the congressional hearings into this matter."

"You had executives of BP and Transocean and Halliburton falling over each other to point the finger of blame at somebody else," he continued. "The American people cannot have been impressed with that display, and I certainly wasn't."

"I will not tolerate more finger pointing or irresponsibility," Mr. Obama later added.

Speaking in the Rose Garden, Mr. Obama said he is "not going to rest or be satisfied until the leak is stopped at the source, the oil in the Gulf is contained and cleaned up, and the people of the Gulf are able to go back to their lives and their livelihoods."

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"I saw firsthand the anger and frustration felt by our neighbors in the Gulf, and let me tell you, it is an anger and frustration that I share as president," he said.

"For too long, for a decade or more, there's been a cozy relationship between the oil companies and the federal agency that permits them to drill," the president said, referencing the Minerals Management Service. "It seems as if permits were too often issued based on little more than assurances of safety from the oil companies. That cannot and will not happen anymore. To borrow an old phrase, we will trust but we will verify."

Mr. Obama said that his Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, recognized the need for reform before the spill but "often-times he has been slammed by the industry, suggesting that somehow these necessary reforms would impede economic growth."

He noted plans to split the agency's inspection and collection divisions to avoid conflicts of interest and said he had asked Salazar "to conduct a top to bottom reform" of the agency.

The president also referenced the fact that scientists are now estimating that the spill may be far larger than government estimate of 5,000 barrels per day. According to one oceanographer, the spill could "easily be four or five times" than that estimate.

Mr. Obama said that because no one can reach the leak, which is 5,000 feet below the surface of the ocean, "we know there is a level of uncertainty." But he added that "our mobilization and response efforts have always been geared toward the possibility of a catastrophic event."

The government is using "every available resource" to address the spill, the president said.

"Over one million feet of barrier boom have been deployed to hold the oil back," according to Mr. Obama. "Hundreds of thousands of gallons of dispersant helped to break up the oil. About four million gallons of oily water have been recovered."

He added that 13,000 people and the National Guard had been deployed to help protect the shoreline and wildlife.

Mr. Obama pushed Congress to pass legislation that he said will help with cleanup efforts, provide unemployment help and jobs training to those affected and aid the economic recovery of the region. It would also help ensure that oil companies, not taxpayers, are on the hook for spills like this in the future, he said.

As his remarks concluded, the president reiterated his support for offshore drilling going forward.

"Domestic oil drilling continues to be one part of an overall energy strategy that now includes more clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency than at any other time in our history," he said. "But it's absolutely essential that going forward we put in place every necessary safeguard and protection so that a tragedy like this oil spill does not happen again."

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[PhilipTortora]

As this environmental disaster of epic proportions drags on ? with the dire consequences yet to be fully determined and realized ? the U.S. government needs to take a more urgent and heavy-handed approach to the clean up. And not publicly designate a company already being accused by many as grossly negligent and incompetent as the primary organization responsible for saving the environment.

Sure, some of this is posturing and our government is letting BP know it has a lot of liability in the matter.

But this oil spill has already spun way too far out of control, and it?s starting to seem like nobody knows what to do or how to stop it.

http://philiptortora.blogspot.com/2010/05/shouldnt-us-government-have-more.html

[greco99-2009]

Wind, solar, smart-grid, fuel-cells - there are practical technologies available today.

Don't listen to the nattering nabobs of negativity who propose the false choice of Drill,Baby, Drill - or sit in the dark. We need to husband out fossil fuel resources intelligently and phase out coal and oil asap. The entrepreneurial engine of the greatest country in the world is already at work. How about an Apollo program for alternative energy? ARPA-e is a great start (thank you Obama admin).

For the good Republicans out there who love the US, I suggest you seize the high ground and support alternative energy rather than supporting spillers who want a disaster bailout or telling people to sit in the dark...

[greco99-2009]

Glad to see the criminal investigation of Massey Energy, where 29 miners died.

If BP had knowledge that there was going to be an explosion and did not take steps to evacuate...and if 11 people died as a direct result of BP's willful misconduct...that would be murder would it not ?

Seems BP has 'lost' a bunch of data from close to the time of the initial explosion. Willful cover-up ?

My reading of the language that Obama used indicating the US government 'will not tolerate irresponsible behavior' is a wake-up call. It means a criminal probe is coming.

If this turns out to be the largest manmade disaster in US history, and there was willful misconduct -- there will be prosecutions down the line from MMS staff who may have received bribes to PR agents who knowingly write fraudulent press releases. Astroturfers/paid-to-post shills your tip-off to lay low is when the client wants to 'avoid a paper trail'...

[kespenship]

last nite some body said its corporate greed.and im sick of being broke.while these money grubbin ******** ruin everything.cap it dont try for syphin off more oil ur done and lucky to get out of it alive.im an american who thought these malicia guys were to "over the top" but im going to sit her "pissed as ive ever been"and watch them.i hate being rite all the time.remember Mossilini? you ******** better take all that money and hide on the other side of the earth ohh u ****** them too.this will be interesting. one more thing whos going to answer to wildlife an game commissions in 5 states? ever see what they do to a person who catches a snook out of season?let alone single handedly wiping out multiple spiecies.ever seen one out work redneck with nothin to lose.imadgine a generation.

[brendett]

BP, Transocean, Halliburton Over Gulf Oil Spill both should be charged with a federal crime for this oil spill..I cant believe that BP has no idea how to clean up the oil spill and stop the Flow of oil spilling into the gulf waters. But BP sure knows how to price gouge the American people!
SHAME ON BP AND HALLIBURTON FOR THE LOST OF ALL THE SEAFOOD YOU NEED TO HELP THE SHRIMPERS AND THE FISHERMEN ECT, FOR THERE LOST!!!!!!

[peggy97478]

If Comrade Obama dislikes Halliburton so much, why did he just give them a $56 BILLION dollar NO-BID CONTRACT? And why haven't we read this in every newspaper on the planet, like we did when George Bush was doing the same thing. (Bill Clinton also gave no-bid contracts but no one made an issue of it.) And I understand Mr. Obama received his fair share of BIG OIL MONEY for his campaign. My, something really smells around here.

[greco99-2009]

Perhaps because he believes in compromise?

But, maybe he should take a firmer approach with these foreign corporations that pay little or no US tax, and which seem to be flouting US laws and harming US citizens...

[Night_Watcher13]

Ok, McCain received the largest amount of donations from big oil giants.Biggest, such as Exxon, Chevron, etc. and this has been many years, since 80's, and helped push the ban against off-shore drilling. Who can forget, the "Drill Baby Drill", seems news media wishes to kick this dirt under the rug. He was asked if he'd consider it, and he did say, "Yes, providing it was done safely".Remember the president really has only power over the armed forces, unless your in Bush family, then anything goes. Clinton received PAC money, too. Obama did accept from CEO's, but, not directly from any federal lobbiest, or activist, such as AIPAC, which both Clinton and McCain accepted. So that is the difference.

[marks6806]

Obama and the congres should start by returning the 19 million bucks they took as influence money from BP. Then they should ask forgiveness from the American people for giving BP free reign to trash our coast with no permit, no impact assessment, and no spill response plan.

Those fingers ALL point to Osama and the filthy congress he runs.

ALL FINGERS POINT TO OUR GOVERNMENT! Don't be taken in by the finger-pointing teleprompter-kool-aid-peddler in the WH. He's a con-artist and we are all paying for it.

[marks6806]

OBAMA LIED AND THE GULF COAST DIED!

[greco99-2009]

The 'blame Obama first' crowd looks pretty silly recently.

1. Initial attempts to blame eco terrorists. The thought of a bunch of hippys planting a ton of explosives 500 feet under the sea is hilarious. A North Korean sub? And, all the explosion evidence hidden so quickly. And, the oil CEOs playing along? Get Real.

2. The oil is natural. Yep sure. Try drinking a shot glass full...c'mon it's small compared with your ignorance.

3. It is Obama's fault. Well, in a way this is partly true. He can and should do more. And, of course, he may have been foolish to listen to BP press manipulations that it is only 1000 barrels per day. But, what is the end product of this line of reasoning...probably to vote green. This line of reasoning does not lead one to think Sara Palin or Dick Cheney would do better.

4. Accept the spill or sit in the dark. There is flood of alternative energy tech that is practical and competitive.

5. Shrill name calling, ad hominem attacks, misapplication of the term socialist, and excessive use of the suffix '-****' -- probably show you are inherently antisocial, have little intellectual content to your posts, and ultimately hurt your cause.

Dear Republicans - supporting foreign companies that pay little or no tax (e.g. BP, Transocean and even Halliburton) - is not that patriotic. And, it probably does not play well on the 'redneck riviera' where a way is life os basically being nuked out of existence...

[marks6806]

If they manage to get a handle on collecting the oil from that broken wellhead they should pump it right into the Oval Office and right up Obama's *******.

[marks6806]

He already has diarrhea of the mouth - the oil will give him a nice loose stool. Something he can point his finger at.

[greco99-2009]

The above posts are a great reason NOT to vote republican.

Obama is clearly correct to warn BP, Transocean and Halliburton that there will be consequences to 'irresponsible acts' such as their willful misconduct. If anything he should do more, like initiate a criminal investigation. THis is probably coming anyway and it will just be a matter of time...

[keister7]

If we don't drill offshore, China or some other country will!!

Let me rephrase that... China and other countrys are already drilling off our shores.

Wake up. idiots...