Obama Lashes Out at BP's PR Spin

(CBS)  In New Orleans Friday, President Obama lashed out at BP over reports that it plans to spend $50 million on an ad campaign to improve its image and $10 million on dividends for shareholders.

"What I don't wanna hear is when they're spending that kind of money on their shareholders and spending that kind of money on TV advertising that they're nickel and diming fisherman," Mr. Obama said.

Special Section: Disaster in the Gulf

The president then headed for Grand Isle, La., where a thick ooze is washing ashore and residents are divided over who's to blame, CBS News Correspondent Chip Reid reports.

Herman Daigle said he's angry at BP but not angry at the president.

"The man's doin' all he can, I think," said Daigle. "His hands are tied behind his back to a certain extent."

Local businessman Jerry LaFont disagreed.

"I'm angry at the president," said LaFont. "I'm angry at the way they're handling things. I think it's taken too long to get things done."

LaFont said one thing that makes him even angrier than the slow response was the president's decision to impose a six-month moratorium on deepwater exploratory drilling.

"The oil spill was the nail and what the president just did he hammered the nail all the way through, he just killed our economy," LaFont said.

In an editorial at the top of Friday's front page, New Orleans' Times-Picayune complained that the moratorium could make "20,000 oil-services jobs vanish."

That could decimate the local economy, which is already in dire straits. Beaches in Grand Isle would normally be packed on a Friday in June. Just knowing what's in the water washing ashore has turned them into wastelands.

"Right now anyone who's wanting to go to the beach, they're comin to look at oil," Grand Isle resident Brandy Stanford said.

The absence of tourists has many feeling utter despair.

"It's completely shut it down," said resident Courtney Keller. "There's no more business, no more business here at all."

As for the moratorium on new deepwater drilling, the president said he's willing to try to shorten it, but he said he's not going to let it start again until he's sure it's safe.

The president arrived in Grand Isle late Friday afternoon and was only expected to spend about two hours there meeting with local businessmen and fishermen.

Mr. Obama had hoped to spend more time in Grand Isle, but bad weather forced him to cancel his helicopter ride and to take a two-hour motorcade from New Orleans. When is he coming back? That's not clear. The White House won't say, but he canceled a foreign trip next week, so he might come back then.

More Oil Spill Coverage

Poll: Majority Now Opposes More Offshore Drilling
No Apologies for Light-Hearted Events on Obama's Schedule During Oil Spill Crisis
Louisiana Looks to President Obama for Economic Relief
Obama: It's "Way Too Early to be Optimistic"
Obama to Larry King: "Furious" Over Gulf Oil Spill
Obama Cancels Foreign Trip Amid Oil Disaster

[lily777]

Where is Obama today--handling the CRISIS--NO--pushing his healthcare bill to seniors in Maryland----He has cut funding to the states, the states have run out of money for the unemployed, and now this is going on in New York, and probably other states--The biggest cuts in Paterson's latest proposal would be to hospitals, $110 million; public health programs, $100 million; nursing homes, $72 million; home care, $26 million; and managed-care services, $61 million. Paterson's measure would end or reduce popular public health programs meant to address cancer care, arthritis, eating disorders, shaken baby syndrome, obesity, lead paint, infant mortality, and spinal-cord injuries. State lawmakers, who have been fighting with Paterson and among themselves over how to close the huge deficit, are between a rock and a hard place on the cutbacks because if they reject the governor's budget extender, the state would shut down.He doesn't care about your health--he cares about raising money for his insurance industry buddies!!!!!

[txstxd]

Admiral Thad Allen, US Coast Guard; National INcident Commander~~
Do You actually think " This (leak)is a Siege and IT is holding everybody Hostage ? Its OIL. (I now wonder WHAT would happen if our COASTs were actually INVADED/under siege, by troops with guns and bombs and all?? Where the hell is the Reserves? (All) service branches??? (You) have had 49 days & Millions of taxpayers $$$ with access to The BEST FlEET of Ships, boats,equipment and MANPOWER in the world -- What are you commanding? Our COAST IS (still) unprotected ! Shame on You ~ Retired senior citizens are more involved in cleaning up(your)Coast: U FAIL !! THIS WAS A NATIONAL INCIDENT the moment ELEVEN LIVES were LOST - USGovernment oFFicials should of responded a hell of a lot sooner than YOU DID ! QUIT picking on the "Brit" and FIX IT.

[user000049586849302948602]

Your tirade is so much more legitimate when you capitalize to add emphasis... not. And thank for citing all those authoritative sources. Otherwise, we might just assume you were making up facts as you went along.

[txstxd]

My tirade ? not. My opinion IS based on facts and experiences. You are welcome. Maybe you learned something. Now citing you: "And thank_for" if used, spellcheck would of caught that elementary error for you darlin'... sure glad(we) did not ASS~ume anything about you... have a nice day

[LIBERALS-lie]

Can Obama lash out at his OWN MEDIA/PR SPIN ?

[user000049586849302948602]

Uh-huh. All Obama's fault... blah, blah blah.

[huffie04]

The American people should be mad at Obama too. For his spin on the oil spill and his lack of action. With all at his disposal this should have been done with weeks ago. The only good thing is it will affect the next election and stop the Obama train from continuing to destroy this great nation.

[user000049586849302948602]

Shouldah, wouldah, couldah... It's all Obama's fault. You are definitely NOT, NOT, are a racist.

[wfw3536]

This is just a show. The media and polls said he needed to become more involved and passionate about this disaster, and Obama came through. How sad as what the folks in the golf region need is a leader, not someone trying to please the press.

[moosegil]

Please help get the word out...OSE II has been covered by our local [WAFB-Baton Rouge(CBS) & ABC26-New Orleans] news as a safe alternative to toxic oil dispersant being used in the gulf. IT IS FOR CLEAN-UP AND IT WILL ALSO GET RID OF THE COREXIT!!! It was approved by the EPA in 1996. BP has used it in Europe and all 5 branches of the US MILITARY use it. Our State and Parish officials say their hands are tied when it comes to telling BP what to do because of the huge oil revenues our state receives!
PEOPLE DOWN HERE KNOW ABOUT OSE II they use it in the plants and at the railroad!!!
OSE'S listing on the EPA's Official Nat. Oil Spill Contingency Plan:
http://www.epa.gov/oem/content/ncp/products/oseater.htm
http://www.osei.us/videos12.php

VIDEO PROOF OF OSE WORKING IN HOUMA, LA A FEW DAYS AGO
http://www.osei.us/videos12.php
EPA NEW NATIONAL CONTINGENCY PLAN MAY 2010
OSE II IS ON PG 13. THEY HAVE A DISTRIBUTOR IN DENHAM SPRINGS, LA READY TO GO
http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/docs/oil/ncp/schedule.pdf

INFO ON COREXIT DISPERSANT being used in the Gulf:
http://www.osei.us/Tech%20Manual/OSEII_Competition-%20dispersant.pdf
IT IS SO TOXIC IT IS ILLEGAL IN EUROPE. OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS DOWN THERE TRYING TO SAVE OUR WETLANDS AND THEIR LIVELIHOODS ARE BEING EXPOSED TO THIS ON A DAILY BASIS

[nolieshere]

GIVE 'EM H3LL, BARRY!!

[deohgee]

by catmomtx June 5, 2010 10:02 PM EDT
Interesting that you would slam the President of the United States who IS actually doing everything he can

That's the problem. If he IS actually doing everything he can and it's not working. He lacks leadership and knowledge. Oh, but he can talk!

[cleantheDCcesspool]

obamao criticizes BP for spin? What has he been doing since being elected but flying around the country -- naw, let's face it, the world -- putting his spin into speeches. At least BP spends their own money to do it. obamao spends taxpayers money to do it, while leaving a huge carbon footprint in the armada of planes and vehicles that accompany him on every trip. What a hypocrit.

[MIO42]

What I don't wanna hear

Hear this then Obama '' The US Government is just as responsible for the Gulf fiasco as is BP . Let's not forget the cazillions of tax dollars that flow into Gov't coffers from Big OIL. If your not part of the Solution , then your part of the PROBLEM !