President Obama's Oval Office Address on BP Disaster and Energy Legislation
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-06-16/president-obamas-oval-office-address-bp-disaster-and-energy-legislation
Grand Isle (Louisiana) Mayor David Camardelle points out areas on a map relating to the BP oil spill during a briefing with President Barack Obama at the U.S. Coast Guard Station in Grand Isle, La., May 28, 2010.
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza via Flickr
The president's oval office address on the BP oil disaster and plans to revive stalled energy legislation. Reaction to the speech and the latest on efforts to help the stricken Gulf Coast region.
Guests
Neil King, Jr.
national reporter, The Wall Street Journal.
Juliet Eilperin
Environmental reporter, Washington Post
Lynn Sweet
Washington bureau chief, "Chicago Sun-Times" and columnist at politicsdaily.com.
Comments
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It is too bad there weren’t others like Jimmy Carter who had the foresight to see through the fog of easy thinking for the importance of developing alternatives to easy access fossil fuels.
Diane, the thing that struck me the most was that I felt President Obama seemed nervous (unusual for him)-- this was amplified by the fact that the speech was given in the sitting down position-- so that the viewer would constantly see his hands were flittering (is that a word?) at the bottom of the TV screen, and I feel that they became distraction from what he was saying. Since most of his speeches are given "stand-up", one never gets this kind of "interference" at the bottom of the screen. I also feel he seemed to rush his speech as well. Quite unusual for him.
It's a shame that this disastrous error by the oil giant BP and and compounded by lax regulation of previous administrations has been allowed to tar the current president when the tar and feathers belong elsewhere. All credit to Diane, but I wish this show was about solutions to the problem rather than commentary on the political fallout. I'm amazed that in all the commentary for months the name "Red Adair" has not been mentioned once. I doubt that old technology applies, but has it been totally forgotten?
I'm extremely disappointed that our President did not speak about the toxic dispersants that BP is using, they are just as harmful to the environment as the oil. BP's outright refusall to obey the EPA's instructions to use another substitute for these chemical dispersants showed a great weakness in Obama's administration. Where is the enforcement? BP needs to conform to our government standards - not the other way around. It's absolutely ridiculous that the EPA rules the dispersants are toxic and then tells BP they have 72 hours to find a substitute and BP responds "No." and then the government accepts? Obama and the EPA has shown extreme weakness, they need to be iron fists.
PANEL: would you agree or disagree?
It seems that most politicians are just talkers. They talk, express outrage, and point fingers without offering realistic solutions. The reality is that we consume 18,000,000 barrels of oil a day. We have to get it from somewhere. Are we going to export the risk of finding oil and import more of our energy needs from outside the country? If so then I guess George Bush was right in going to war in Iraq to protect "our" sources of oil.
Bill
As far as BP holding up dividends... BP should.
There have been reports of grandmother's pensions and other "innocent" people who would lose income if BP dividends are not distributed. These people have invested their money and there is risk involved as with all investments.
People are free to choose to invest or not. I believe the share holders need to take a hit and the dividend money should go to the Gulf states. President Obama is right in demanding that BP take care of the affected people first before rewarding it's share holders.
Grandma should sell her stocks in BP.
Larry in Ohio
It seems that the debate over the spill response is focusing on the wrong thing. Americans either need to learn to live with the drawbacks of our oil-fueled lifestyle (and deal with the spill) or make the decision to move to more responsible renewable energy. Ultimately, we can't have it both ways...
I do understand that BP has the technological know-how our government lacks in stopping the flow of oil, but what I don't understand is the lack of a prompt environmental response. Why does the EPA not have an emergency oil clean-up plan in place and ready to go on day one of a disaster like this?
How exactly are payouts going to help these people who are having there lives destroyed, are they supposed to just stay there beside a poisoned Gulf breathing benzine? Where are they going to move?
your guest notes that BP expected to get 15,000 barrels a day from this well. That raises questions:
1-- does the government have a way to check on how much is pumped from the well each day? Could BP have intended to pump more than 15,000 all along? My understanding is that the oil companies pay based on how much of our natural resources they will be removing.
2-- if the amount available was so grossly underestimated, how can we expect to make safe estimates, safe extraction plans, safe emergency plans, if we can't even accurately predict what the pressures and volumes are that we will be dealing with?
On the topic of what the president can should be doing.
Has the administration reviewed the risk assesments that accompanied the tract leases for the deep water wells. Did the assements correctly quantify the risk. if not are they being reviewed and updated and if the risks are correctly quantified should the deep water well production be halted until new technologies are developed to lower the risk.
Also, can other risk ie(platforms sinking in huricanes) now be better quantified and do new steps need to be taken to mitigate the risk in heavy storms.
I think this oversight is what the governments roll should be. The cleen up is on the company macking the profit and taking the risk.
My thoughts have been along Diane's comments re: world food supply.
What are the ramifications of the evaporation of oil components and dispersants into the weather cycle which then would come down as rain for global farming?
For the time being, why don't we simply lower the speed limit to 55 mph and go back to wearing sweaters in the winter and opening windows and turning off air conditioners in the summer? It worked in the 1970's.
Good morning!
In the discussion regarding the moratorium on drilling there was talk about the rig workers not being able to work or making the same $ while working to clean the spill. Why couldn't they make the same money from BP cleaning up the BP spill? The clean up for this tragic disaster could be an excellent opportunity to create meaningful jobs for people at an acceptable rate of pay.
I don't understand the issue with the moratorium on drilling. As I understand it, it's only on NEW DEEP WATER DRILLING. Aren't there still plenty of jobs on existing shallow and deep water wells already in production?
I commend you, Diane, for providing some balance and perspective in the discussion of President Obama's speech. The lack of such by the reporters present was disappointing. It has been unfortunate how intolerant, impatient and even cruel many of us have been with this President. And now it seems many in the, supposedly impartial media, have joined in the Obama bashing. How many other Presidents have had to handle so many critical matters at one time, built on a very shaking foundation from the beginning.
The American public seems to be making our President the punching bag for everything that is perceived as wrong. It's far too easy to criticize without a willingness to understand the total picture and posit positive solutions.
I do appreciate your practice of having, for the most part, impartial observers on your program. There is far too much personalized, partisan opinion on the airwaves and web waves.
Why has there not been more support from the federal government in ensuring proper access by the media to the oil spoiled wetlands and beaches? It seems there has been serious obstruction of their coverage of this disaster. The pressure on BP would be very different if the full scale of this was made public.
im weary of the political talk and money talk of these reporters and i want to hear about what is going on in the front line of this fight against the spill.
i am sad also about the negative talk about the president. HUZAAA to the caller who is talking about that now..
the president IS rising to the occasion!
these reporters are jaded and we need to hear fresh voices
im weary of the political talk and money talk of these reporters and i want to hear about what is going on in the front line of this fight against the spill.
i am sad also about the negative talk about the president. HUZAAA to the caller who is talking about that now..
the president IS rising to the occasion!
these reporters are jaded and we need to hear fresh voices
Re BP -- Nationalization would only force US to acquire all the headaches, including paying all the bills. Perhaps best plan would be to levy a certain dollar amount initially, and then to be paid a fixed amount of the profits of the company (before stockholder dividends are distributed) for as long a time as necessary to accomplish whatever needs to be done to try to fix the problems (cleanup, compensation for lost jobs, tourism etc.). Given the huge profits BP has made in the past, they could certainly be assessed at something like 10% per annum (which should produce several billion dollars per year for US to pay out as needed until everyone is totally satisfied.) Thanks for listening (?), and please know how much we all esteem your program. Faith Mansell Trueax, Fitzwilliam NH
Re BP -- Nationalization would only force US to acquire all the headaches, including paying all the bills. Perhaps best plan would be to levy a certain dollar amount initially, and then to be paid a fixed amount of the profits of the company (before stockholder dividends are distributed) for as long a time as necessary to accomplish whatever needs to be done to try to fix the problems (cleanup, compensation for lost jobs, tourism etc.). Given the huge profits BP has made in the past, they could certainly be assessed at something like 10% per annum (which should produce several billion dollars per year for US to pay out as needed until everyone is totally satisfied.) Thanks for listening (?), and please know how much we all esteem your program. Faith Mansell Trueax, Fitzwilliam NH
Hi Diane,
I would like to know who is going to take care of the animals and species that are being immediately affected by this Disaster. I also want to understand why the government waited for so long to step in when we all saw BP making a bigger mess. Truth of the matter is that the government let this industry to do whatever they want. We have asked for alternative energy sources and the electric car was taken away from us. Why the government does not provide what we already have, alternative energy sources? We do not need to drill our oceans when we already have other sources of energy. Did you know that any diesel car can run on vegetable oil? The purpose of Diesel was to run on mineral oil. Why the government does not promote or ask the automotive industry to bring back the electric cars and diesel cars that runs on vegetable oil? It might be because their interests in this industry are that big, that we need this type of disaster for a wakeup call.
Thank you,
Mercedes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_engine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_car_history
Although Pres. Obama did not ask us all to make a sacrifice to address the Gulf Oil Spill, we clearly all need to look at our own demand for and consumption of cheap oil. Would you be willing to do a piece on your show about the renewable energy standards adopted by state legislatures and about the programs that some power companies have started that allow customers to pay extra for green energy? I am a member of one of these--GreenCurrents Renewable Rider through DTE Energy (Detroit Edison) in Michigan. Our other major state power provider, Consumer's Power, has a similar program. If people who are still financially secure, as I am, voluntarily paid an "energy tax" to increase use of renewable energy, perhaps we could make a difference. It only costs me $2.50 per month. Please try to inform/motivate more people to take this sort of action by publicizing these options.
This oil spill is the fault of every person that drives a gasoline powered car. BP is supplying what the people demand. Until people refuse to support the oil companies by driving gasoline powered cars, nothing will change. If people are looking for an option, look into a local biofuel producer in your area (which burns very clean) or buy an all electric car. Toyota claims they are bringing an all electric car to the market within a couple years.
The criticisms your guests today leveled at President Obama's address were shallow and irritating. Good Grief! Where does the "piling on" end and the appreciation for President Obama's efforts, considering the magnitude of this disaster, start?
It is most disterssing to hear citizens and reporters picking on President Obama for what they perceive he has failed to do.
When regulations have been watered down and the relationship between the industry and the entity in charge of regulating it, are found to be too cozy for comfort , is it any wonder that accidents such as this occur from time to time. Yes, the last one was 40 years ago, but one such disaster is enough to keep us busy rectifying the situation for years and decades to come. President Obama would have been criticized if he took upon himself to right this mishap(if our government has the expertise to do that) And he is being critisized for not doing enough. Damned if you do and damned if you dont, I guess.
And listening to the "sport fishermen" bemoan their loss of income and those affected by this spill speak against the moratorium on new deep water drilling, leaves me speechless. When will we come together as a country to do what is in the best interest of the nation as a whole?