Obama Compares Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill to 9/11

A seven-mile stretch of shoreline at Grand Isle Beach, La., is covered in oil, May 21, 2010.

/ CBS/Mark Strassmann

While the Obama administration has fended off comparisons between its response to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and the Bush administration's response to Hurricane Katrina, the president is not averse to making comparisons with the worst terrorist attack on American soil.

In an interview with Politico.com's Roger Simon on Friday, Mr. Obama likened the effect upon the national psyche of what may become the largest oil spill in history with that of 9/11.

"In the same way that our view of our vulnerabilities and our foreign policy was shaped profoundly by 9/11 . . . I think this disaster is going to shape how we think about the environment and energy for many years to come," Mr. Obama said in an Oval Office interview Friday.

The president said he would make a "bold" push for a new energy law, directing the United States on a course away from its current dependence on fossil fuels. He told Politico that while he couldn't predict whether such a transition would be achieved within his lifetime, the disaster in the Gulf indicated that now is the time to begin the transition and invest in what he called "a new way of doing business when it comes to energy."

"I have no idea what new energy sources are going to be available, what technologies might drive down the price of renewable energies," he said. "What we can predict is that the availability of fossil fuel is going to be diminishing; that it's going to get more expensive to recover; that there are going to be environmental costs that our children, ... our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren are going to have to bear."

The interview came at a time when the White House is pushing even harder on BP to ramp up its containment of the oil spill, which continues to leak tens of thousands of barrels of oil into the Gulf's waters — and onto Gulf States' beaches — per day.

Special Section: Disaster in the Gulf

After a 48-hour deadline imposed by the Coast Guard, BP has announced a new containment plan to capture more than 50,000 barrels of oil per day by the end of June (two weeks earlier than they originally intended), and improve redundancy in their capture operations.

As the Gulf crisis enters its 56th day, Mr. Obama is also stepping up his public exposure on the government's response. On Monday he makes his 4th trip to the Gulf Coast with a two-day visit to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

He will also speak to the nation from the Oval Office on Tuesday about the response efforts; and he has called BP executives to a meeting at the White House on Wednesday to discuss the company's efforts.

He's also canceled a week-long trip to Indonesia and Australia to focus more time on the government's efforts.

In the Politico interview he expressed hope that the right lessons would be drawn from the disaster, admitting that it posed a challenge for presidential leadership beyond his oratorical skills, particularly in capturing the public's imagination and sense of possibility.

"What the public wants to see is us solving this problem," he said. "And that may not make for good TV." Referring to meetings with Cabinet and other administration officials, "looking over maps and figuring out how boom gets someplace," he said that was not "high theater."

But, he said, "ultimately that's going to make the biggest difference in terms of whether or not the Gulf recovers."

Mr. Obama also said that "the overwhelming majority of the American people" have reasonable expectations about the chief executive's response. "What they hope and expect is for the president to do everything that's within his power . . . They don't expect us to be magicians."

[eco2010]

Everyone talks about BO only, forgetting that he does not act alone but is permanently getting advice from lots of experts and counselors.
Making a parallel to 9/11 only shows what people should expect for the future.
As for what is really happening in the Gulf, we surely do not have the proper information about it. The amount of time they (BP) are granting themselves to come up with new "temporary" solutions is just outraging. And we question why would such a big corporation leave millions of gallons of oil freely float over the Gulf waters? Would it not make more sense for them to struggle to collect and drop of it? Oil means money after all, or not? Theories abound, could it be that ... http://make-sustainable-choices.com/2010/07/13/asphalt-volcano-gulf-of-mexico/ ???

[Supermom0219]

As much as it sucks to say, it seems pretty easy to handle. Just seal off the factory, blow it up and it stops the spill. Keeping it up is letting it continue to spread and making it worst for everyone. Problem solved.

[shaneparsley]

This is no accident as any person who can think for themselves can see. Let us keep America dependent on foreign oil, O, by the way we will ignore the very people that know how to clean this up and stop it outright. When the ignorant people of the U.S. have their libertys taken from them then maybe some will begin to think for themselves instead of allowing others as in our politicans to do their thinking for them. In closing, yes the oil spill is like 911,they were both government planned, to promote the governments own agenda.

[nw5052001]

i hear alot of blaming in here. BP or Obama or USA. what does it matter its a global environmental disaster. i think they are all to blame. i for one dont need oil, i would be happy to live in peace with the earth and if that means being cold and having to forage and hunt then so be it. theoretically this isnt even based on money to you and me it is comfort and convenience.(unless you have vested interest's) therefore it leaves people scared to give up such things. guess what? things are getting bad and you may have to fend for yourself sooner or later. are you ready? this could be just the beginning of a bad thing... but i hope they get it stopped soon. they will probably resort to nuking it. what do you think is going to happen if all the pressure and oil is released? do you think there will be some void in the earths crust? well it is not just going to remain a gaping hole in the earth. what if it empties all the pressure and water starts seeping in and fills this gaping hole in the earths crust with massive weight of water. dump an ocean on the earths mantel and see what happens, you might not like it.
i would say everytime they release oil and pressure anywhere on the planet can not be a good thing. rain water will fill the voids on land to a point of disaster over time but in the ocean where the ocean pressure can fill a hole in no time can be a major shock to the planet ? man you better hope the alien theory is accurate

[virtuallypurple]

Please give a second and third thought to the ridiculous notion of boycotting BP stations. These are peoples BUSINESSES, the gas pumpers, cashiers,and such are doing a JOB. A job that keeps food on their families tables, and OFF WELFARE. Boycott? Are you kidding???? All that is, is more attack on the American population. Ransacking these peoples gas stations?? COME ON?? Want to make a statement? Don't buy their STOCK. Write LETTERS to your representatives, and ask why we have turned down ALL HELP? Ask Obama if he has YET to realize not ONLY is he NOT a magician, but he isn't close to superman either. GET HELP!!! So sick of the USA being the first on the scene in every disaster, and now we say, no thank you?? What the hell is that all about? Regarding the boycott, shall I assume that they are the same people who support the insanity of BDS? Oh please. SO FED UP.

[billfitzger]

Obama and his lack of executive experience (if any) now shows with glaring reality. The day that oil rig blew up sealed his fate as a one term president. Thank Heaven for that!

[October1745]

I think almost everyone in the United States who is smart enough to think, believes our government had something to do with what happened with the oil well explosion. It seems like too much of a coincidence to be a coincidence for this to happen at a time when obama is trying to push his energy bill through. (what a disaster that is going to be) the American people need to wake up and realize what is going on in Washington. We no longer have a say in anything - he just keeps taking more and more from us.

[jgg000101]

if obama is comparing the gulf spill to 9/11 is he comparing BP to al qaeda?

[repfdem]

Are you serious

[sgiggles2010]

he needs to stop blaming people and just work out how to fix it. he's the pres. so much for ideas for america. america is part of the oil spill!!!!!HELLO!!!!!!