Oil Spill Gives Unexpected Boost To Gulf State Governors

USA Today:

For politicians, the daily drip-drip-drip of bad news can be devastating. Yet the oil that gushed into the Gulf of Mexico for three months appears to have helped governors in the area. It hurt President Obama -- but not as much as crises crippled his predecessors.

Read the whole story: USA Today

Comments

[BVictor1]

10:58 AM on 08/06/2010

It's the south, what else do you expect.

[Takebackourmoney]

03:13 PM on 08/05/2010

I was not impressed by any of the governor's there. All they did was parade around for photo ops.

[new beginning]

05:24 PM on 08/05/2010

I have to disagree. They were the boots on the ground - involved trying to manage the day to day crises - and to get the Coast Guard and the EPA to get up off the couch and take action to mitigate the damage.

[Takebackourmoney]

05:36 PM on 08/05/2010

Yes, they were certainly screaming for big government to get there. JINDAL TO BIG GOVERNMENT: NEED TO SEND ALL RESOURCES NOW.

http://wwwwakeupamericans-spree.blogspot.com/2010/05/bobby-jindal-on-oil-spill-damage-we.html

[BocaMom]

02:10 PM on 08/05/2010

Charlie Crist should become a Democrat before the election instead of afterwards, if he wants all the Democrats to vote for him.

[BeVeryAfraid]

03:06 PM on 08/05/2010

Dems don't have to vote party line. They have a brain.

[Puller58]

02:05 PM on 08/05/2010

Polls? Pshaw.

[OliverTwist]

02:05 PM on 08/05/2010

It just goes to show that politicians who make backroom deals that screw their constituents but grab the microphone and loudly complain and blame others for the harm done are loved by their constituents.

[LucieLee]

01:55 PM on 08/05/2010

This oil leak/spill or whatever one wants to call it exposed these governors (except Charlie Crist) for the hypocrites that they are......they touted how they wouldn't accept stimulus money from the Recovery Act because it came from the "big" government they are so against, yet they complain when the government did what was expected of them and they whine about the government not doing enough........

[new beginning]

05:25 PM on 08/05/2010

Uh, the Federal government DIDN"T do enough.

[lisaman]

01:32 PM on 08/05/2010

I will just use one of these governors as an example of how wrong this is. Haley Barbour. Let's look at some articles about the man.

In this article he talks about the oil not being a problem.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/06/haley-barbour-oil-what-oi_n_602088.html

This is an article about his run for President and being caught with an aide making racist remarks.

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/06/24/haley_barbour

And this article is about how just a little over a month after stating the oil was no big deal, he is begging for supplies to fight the "no big deal" oil.

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/bp-oil-spill-mississippi-coast-polluted-gov-haley/story?id=11037777

[FoonTheElder]

02:26 PM on 08/05/2010

Jindal wasn't any better. He claimed that no oil was spilled during Katrina in his play for offshore drilling.

"Making a push for expanded offshore oil drilling, Jindal repeated the myth that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused “no major” oil spills in the state. Jindal called it a “great unwritten success story”:

Q: Real fast, Governor, the price of oil went up five bucks a barrel today. You’ve been drilling off the coast of Louisiana for a number of years. Any oil spills to worry about?

JINDAL: You know, that’s one of the great unwritten success stories, after Katrina and Rita, these awful storms, no major spills.

Jindal is clueless about the reality in his own state. As noted in the Wonk Room, the Hurricanes caused offshore oil spills so large that they could be seen from space (check out a picture here.) The Minerals Management Service reported that 113 oil platforms were “totally destroyed” — a total of 124 offshore spills.

In fact, oil seeped onshore into southeast Louisiana, which saw 44 onshore and offshore oil spills. The EPA called the spills “worse than the worst-case scenario.” Even oil industry representatives admitted: “nature can always topple you.”

It’s hard to see how this is a “great unwritten success story.” "
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/06/27/jindal-katrina-oil-spill/

[lisaman]

08:57 AM on 08/06/2010

I am sure the other governors are no better! Thanks for the link, just more proof of what I already knew, Jindal is an idiot.

[new beginning]

05:26 PM on 08/05/2010

Obama was the one who told us the oil was no big deal.

[lisaman]

08:09 AM on 08/06/2010

I never heard him say that but if he did I am sure you can link me to the quote the way Foon and I linked you, right?

[SRAC]

01:11 PM on 08/05/2010

It's good to see more governors acting independently and moving forward with their own plans for their own states. The federal government is incompetent, corrupt and actively engaged in destroying the USA. Any change for the better will have to come from the States. The Presidency and federal government are massive failures.

[RoofinReality]

01:18 PM on 08/05/2010

Thank you for your opinion. Now,
Go look at your bank statement and see how many fees have disappeared because the Fed Gov't now requires the banks to stop fleecing you.
Go look at your 401k statements from last year and this year. See a difference? An uptick in the value? That was the President's stimulus policy to keep us from going into a deep recession that saved your money (and actually recouped much of mine).
See the $20 Billion that BP put up? Boehner was in favor of having you, the taxpayer pick up part of the bill and Barton was apologizing for the shakedown of $20 bill to make sure BP covered the costs.
So, try again with a more informed opinion next time.

[Ashley Anderson Isadore]

01:22 PM on 08/05/2010

Don't get me started on that fool Barton...

[UpNorthGuyWI]

01:28 PM on 08/05/2010

You have to be kidding. ATM fees will rise and free checking will go away due to the sham financial reform bill.

[lisaman]

01:22 PM on 08/05/2010

Let me guess, you listen to Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity. You vote republican but consider yourself to be not only a devout Christian but also a Patriot. I bet you have a gun permit and carry your gun everywhere you go. And I bet if Sarah Palin ran for president you would happily vote for her. One last thing, you never complained when Bush did anything and you voted for him both times.

If any of the above is true and I bet it is, then you are not smarter than a 5th grader and should learn to think before you speak.

[UpNorthGuyWI]

01:28 PM on 08/05/2010

Rachel Maddow is that you?

[Ashley Anderson Isadore]

12:55 PM on 08/05/2010

For the record not all of us here on the Gulf Coast think are governers are no longer mindless... I still do...

[Ashley Anderson Isadore]

12:55 PM on 08/05/2010

I live in pensacola, fl, one of the many area's affect by BUSH..oh I mean BP...
This country was left in such a mess and Obama is the maid...Lets be for real here...The reason why everyone brings up Bush is because he let the repubs deregulate everything during his presidency...There are lots of major problems in the USA that Obama has to deal with on a daily basis

Come on..use your brain...I do...I am not going to sit here and say I was totally happy with Obama's response...was he slow...as a turtle...However it seems as if you guys where waiting on him to wave the magic wand that you guys know he is hiding and make everything better...

He doesn't work for BP, what did you want him to do...put on a wet suit and start diving...
What I can say is that I am totally happy with the outcome...He went to bat for us and to me THAT counts...

When he was here in my town you could see it in his eyes...he was just as pissed as we all were. He took the information he learned here and made sure BP would be held responsible...THATS MY PRESIDENT...HE DID THAT...
If you don't want him for your president, move...please move..

[SRAC]

01:14 PM on 08/05/2010

I'll simply point out that Bush could not have inflicted so much damage to the country without the support and votes of many, many Democrats. The President's personal feelings of frustration and failure don't move me. He was hired to do better than he has.

[Ashley Anderson Isadore]

01:21 PM on 08/05/2010

And he did...thats my point...You CANNOT compare Bush to Obama...
His feelings moved me cause he cared...and thats something we can all agree that Bush didn't...care...about anyone other than himself and his buddies...

[RoofinReality]

01:32 PM on 08/05/2010

With cooperation, he can. But without a filibuster-proof Senate, he can't get done what he wants done. The Repubs have simply said No.
Or, better yet, please show me a bill where the Repubs have offered up more than 8 votes. By the way, 8 votes is about 20% of the Repubs in the Senate.
I'll wait.
On the other hand, you're correct in pointing out that the war in Iraq, for example, had bi-partisan support.
And, the tax cuts pushed thru in 2001 and 2003 had Dems voting for it.
My question is, again, when will the GOP say "You won and we'll try to work with you on SOMETHING?" I don't see it, and as such,it's just difficult to get much done when the Repubs say no and filibuster everything they can.

[seniorfellow]

12:43 PM on 08/05/2010

and the heartbreak of the enviro whackjobs that they can't extend the crisis

[SRAC]

01:15 PM on 08/05/2010

I'll take an enviromentalist over a whackjob like you every day. The politicians whisper in your ears and you follow like a lemming.

[Grunty1]

02:40 PM on 08/05/2010

[whackjobs ]

You really need to take that mirror down from over your monitor...

[goldiekins]

11:37 AM on 08/05/2010

Of course, instead of being grateful the spill is over and the damage is less than expected, we will now blame President Obama for everything we can think of.

[OLJW00]

11:54 AM on 08/05/2010

Nah....we'll just blame him for just the stuff he is screwing up

[Stacey Scott]

11:59 AM on 08/05/2010

Funny how some can forget the Bush Admin decisions.. People think for yourselves and stop getting your news or talking points from Fox.. GOD gave you a brain so use common sense. What do you want from this president? He’s making BP accountable for this mess and making sure the victims of this disaster will be compensated. He is doing a great job. Admit the truth, you don’t want a black man running this country..

[Hank10303]

12:32 PM on 08/05/2010

I remember in February and March the southern red states were screaming succession; how you were against any bailouts not matter how bad the situation was.

Yet, once disaster hit all we saw were republican voters screaming how they wanted the President they love to call an illegal immigrant to come and see and bring his check book. Now you were all for a bailout while your governor kissed up to BP and Big boi Tony. Now you give them credit for what. What did they do for you - nothing. The real work was done by the Obama administration. The best your Jindel nut came up with were a line of barges.

You southern states and your worship of anything NOT intelligent is an international embarrassment.

[SRAC]

01:23 PM on 08/05/2010

The spill isn't over. The damage has just begun. The President will move on and leave another mission accomplished sign over a disaster that will devastate the Gulf for decades to come. After more than 20 years, you can fill a cup with sand from beaches around the Exxon Valdez disaster and you will find oil in your cup. It is BP and the President and his administration who are telling us things are OK. They are lying and you are buying it.

[Ashley Anderson Isadore]

01:41 PM on 08/05/2010

UMm..no thats not what Obama does...thats what ur buddy Bush did

[BeVeryAfraid]

02:58 PM on 08/05/2010

You need to watch other things besides Fox. They are not know for dealing in "facts".

[Vince Weiguang Li]

11:13 AM on 08/05/2010

? ? ? ?
We have gone from the worst environmental disaster in the history of man, to they can't find the spilled oil, to most of the oil is gone (dispersed, burnt, or eaten by bacteria), to now governors becoming more popular?

I am confused, next thing it will become lore that the oil spill provided jobs, redistributed shareholder wealth of those that invest in oil to people negatively affected by oil operations, etc, such that it was a totally positive event almost bonanza for economic and political purposes.

[hypnotoad72]

12:48 PM on 08/05/2010

They'll tell people not to boycott the local gas stations because that will help pay for the costs too.

One-dimensional right-wing radio shock jock hosts are already using that shtick. By Monday, the one in my area will say how the jobless need to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps and take accountability for their own lives (again).

[Takebackourmoney]

03:17 PM on 08/05/2010

Pretty soon they will say Bush provided excellent leadership to clean up gulf oil spill.

[javajava]

11:11 AM on 08/05/2010

Obama broke the well..right? Obama worte the rules governing offshore drilling..right? Obama is in the employ of Haliburton, Trans Ocean and British Petroleum..right? Of course it's his fault..who fault could it be?

[new beginning]

12:11 PM on 08/05/2010

The accident was not his fault. His handling of the aftermath is.

[hypnotoad72]

01:18 PM on 08/05/2010

Agreed.

The President needs to come down hard on BP. And with Boehner already being an example, it won't be easy to ensure taxpayers don't end up paying for BP's bootstraps.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/06/boehner-government--ie-taxpayers--should-help-pay-for-oil-spill.php

[BeVeryAfraid]

10:02 AM on 08/06/2010

Your lack of knowledge is not accident, it is a learned behavior.

http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/10/obama-sends-scientists-to-meet-bp-team/

[behindEnemyLines]

12:36 PM on 08/05/2010

Obama announced expanded drilling operations days before this happened. Obama appointed the head of the MMS last year. Obama is the president. And last I check no one is blaming him for the explosion they are faulting him for his lack of response.

[maxwelldog]

01:11 PM on 08/05/2010

As per usual spin...
Obama DID call for more drilling...but...NOT deepwater.
Some jerkwater morons from Arizona, Alaska and Maryland kept hooting and hollering for "deeper wells" and farther out!

Obama is also the guy who found an Indiana sized chunk of land in Alaska to drill in, under strict regulations.
Regulations. That's a strange word for Republicans, isn't it?
Oh press that seatbelt crap at us, but let big business be. They'll straighten things out. Keep pot illegal becuase it's harmless, but, oh...Please let's keep dumping oil and poison into the gulf.

[new beginning]

11:06 AM on 08/05/2010

Obama's lack of leadership in the Gulf Oil Crisis was breathtaking despite his claims that he was in charge. Heaven help us in whatever crises may arise in his presidency - and lets hope they don't require quick decisions - or actual leadership. The man is sadly just no up to the challenge.

[gomezrules]

11:09 AM on 08/05/2010

That "3 AM" phone call Hillary warned about just might prove prophetic after all.

[justme1990]

11:12 AM on 08/05/2010

The last major oil spill in the gulf, Ixtec, took ONE YEAR to contain. This oil spill took 3 MONTHS to contain and the steps taken were transparent to every one on the web.

[new beginning]

12:12 PM on 08/05/2010

We will never know how quickly the spill could have been contained and environmental damage averted if the leader of the free world had actually taken charge.