| Commentary and Philosophy Non-Fiction posted June 20, 2010 | Chapters: |
...25 26 -27- 28... 
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It makes me wonder
A chapter in the book Take Me Back To The Good Ol' USA
A New Question Has Occured To Me
by LovnPeace
The author has placed a warning on this post for language.
It feels like a long period of time has passed since the President took office, with a parade of expectations, applause and pride in our electing a Black President. I am now beginning to question, if that carries some weight in why he has gotten away with such disgraceful behavior. Illegal actions even. A white President would have been impeached by now.
Even his own party is beginning to turn against him. The media and newspapers who were instrumental in his being elected are beginning to criticize. He is becoming a joke.
Is there a fear about what might happen if he is called on this behavior? Are he and his cronies, feeling smug and safe because of racial issues he himself alludes to? I believe we are all in shock and bewilderment as to what to do. Every effort to call him on his actions are thwarted, by yet another of his crisis and dramas in an effort to create diversions. Is there a legitimate fear. Some watchers are looking for any bandwagon to jump onto to cry discrimination.
I am posting a day by day account of his and the administrations actions since the gulf explosion.
You will need to scroll down to the first day of this article for the beginning. I know it is long. Two and a half months worth. They say he has had thirty-nine golf days and any number of parties.
Instead of honoring our fallen soldiers on Memorial Day week-end he was partying with terrorist supporters on his Chicago vacation. He recently took his second vacation.
I now believe, he named Biden as his vice-presidential running mate, because Biden is a joke, offered no threat to Obama and would make us, not want anything to happen to make Biden President. Just my suspicions now.
The following article is long, but it is very informative.
Much of this information was backed up in previous postings.
The following is a copy and paste. I am not responsible for any errors in it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Disaster in the Gulf: 62 Days and Counting ...
Published June 20, 2010
| FOXNews.com
The Obama administration claims it has been on top of the Gulf oil spill disaster since "day one." Here's a look at what the president and administration have been doing every day since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded April 20, triggering the massive spill. The following daily updates are based on a review of White House schedules, news releases and news coverage and do not cover every activity in the Gulf or in Washington:
June 20
In the Gulf: Louisianans observe a day of prayer over the oil spill.
At the White House: President Obama has no public events scheduled.
June 19
In the Gulf:As Gulf states struggled to deal with the up to 120 million gallons of oil that have escaped from a blown-out undersea well, BP chief executive Tony Hayward took time off Saturday to attend a glitzy yacht race off England's Isle of Wright. In a statement, BP described Hayward's day off as "a rare moment of private time" and said that "no matter where he is, he is always in touch with what is happening within BP" and can direct recovery operations if required.
At the White House: President Obama and Vice President Biden went golfing together.
June 18
In the Gulf:Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said an estimated 2,000 private boats in the so-called "vessels of opportunity" program will be more closely linked through a tighter command and control structure to direct them to locations less than 50 miles offshore to skim the oil. Allen, the point man for the federal response to the spill, previously had said surface containment efforts would be concentrated much farther offshore.
At the White House:Kenneth Feinberg, who was chosen by President Obama and BP to oversee a program processing claims from the oil spill, said a plan to handle the remaining damage claims will be in place in 30 to 45 days.
June 17
In the Gulf:A relief well meant to stanch a gushing flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico is ahead of schedule and could reach its target in three to four weeks, says Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen. He said a rig has drilled nearly 10,000 feet below the seafloor and should be within 10 feet of the existing well within weeks. It will then bore down about 1,000 feet to intersect with the damaged well farther underground. Allen says the final push of drilling is the most difficult. The well originally was slated for completion in mid-August.
On Capitol Hill :A grim-faced BP chief executive Tony Hayward said Thursday he was "deeply sorry" for his company's catastrophic oil spill. "I understand the seriousness of the situation, the frustrations and fears that continue to be voiced," he told a House investigations subcommittee. He also said, "The fire and explosion on the Deepwater Horizon never should have happened and I'm deeply sorry that it did." And, while "we need to know what went wrong" Hayward also said there is still "extensive work to do" before anyone can say what caused the blowout.
June 16
In the Gulf: Trying to shrink the amount of crude polluting the Gulf of Mexico, BP started burning oil siphoned from the leaking well. The firm was continuing to work after a lightning strike Tuesday started a fire and forced operations to stop for hours.
At the White House: President Obama announced that BP has agreed to set up a $20 billion account to compensate spill victims following his first meeting with top-level executives. BP's chairman, who publicly apologized for the disaster, also announced that the company would not pay out any more dividends for the rest of the year.
June 15
In the Gulf: As BP continued to siphon leaking oil to the surface, the company faced new questions about documents turned up by congressional investigators that suggested BP was cutting corners with the Deepwater Horizon well when it came to design and safety measures.
At the White House: President Obama was scheduled to tour an emergency resource center in Pensacola, Fla., where oil has not yet hit the beaches but local officials are preparing. The president was meeting again with Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, before returning to Washington where he planned to deliver his first Oval Office address to the nation.
June 14
In the Gulf: BP submitted a plan to the Coast Guard to speed up the containment of oil gushing out of the blown-out well. Under the new timeline, BP claims it can capture more than 50,000 barrels a day by the end of June. Under the prior timeline, that target wouldn't be reached until mid-July. The company said it plans to bring in vessels from Europe and South America to keep on schedule.
At the White House: President Obama made his fourth trip to the Gulf Coast to survey the oil spill damage. He landed in Biloxi, Miss., to meet with local officials before heading to Alabama. Obama said he was pressing to make sure local residents suffering from economic damages are adequately compensated.
June 13
In the Gulf: BP was to submit a plan for a faster containment of the oil after it multiplied estimates last week about the number of barrels pouring into the Gulf each day. Adm. Thad Allen, the national incident commander, said more than 4,000 vessels are in the water trying to help catch the oil. The oil, however, continues to wash ashore in Alabama. Sensors are also being placed on the sea floor to determine how much oil is being collected.
At the White House: The White House announced that President Obama will address the nation on Tuesday night after his return from a two-day trip to the Gulf region. The White House also is planning an escrow fund for BP to contribute money for local businesses. It will be managed by a third party
June 12
In the Gulf: BP announced it will donate its share of the proceeds generated by selling the oil captured from the well to fund efforts to protect and restore wildlife habitat along the Gulf Coast. But the company has not released specifics on how the fund will work and said it doesn't know how much money might be raised. Yet once the oil is brought to shore, it will creep into the world's economic supply chain unnoticed by consumers.
At the White House:Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the Obama administration's point man for the oil spill, said that since the leak began, 4 million gallons (15 million liters) of crude have been siphoned off the leaking well using tubes and caps. An additional 18 million gallons (68 million liters) have been skimmed from the ocean surface, he said. The skimmed liquid is generally only 10 to 15 percent oil.
June 11
In the Gulf: The situation turned out to be more dire than previously thought after new scientific estimates were released that showed oil flowing at a rate of up to 2.1 million gallons a day -- more than twice the previous estimate. That means more than 100 million gallons may have already spilled into the Gulf of Mexico.
At the White House: President Obama received a briefing on the oil spill, before meeting with small business owners and delivering remarks about his small business initiative. The White House released new details of the president's upcoming trip to the Gulf, his fourth since the oil rig explosion. Obama plans to visit Gulfport, Miss.; Theodore, Ala.; and Pensacola, Fla., on Monday and Tuesday.
June 10
In the Gulf: BP awaited the arrival of a second vessel to help pump more oil from the ruptured well up to the surface -- the containment cap was capturing 630,000 gallons a day, but the second vessel is expected to double that. Meanwhile, local business owners and workers who have filed damage claims were complaining that BP is slow to respond and not paying them enough for their losses.
At the White House: President Obama was scheduled to meet in the afternoon with the families of those killed on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. He was also receiving a briefing on the oil spill in the morning and meeting with business leaders and energy experts to discuss energy reform after his meeting with the families.
June 9
In the Gulf: BP said it is dialing back a prediction by its chief operating officer that the leaking oil would be reduced to a "relative trickle" by next week. COO Doug Suttles now says it will take more time to reach that point.
At the White House: Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, who is heading the U.S. oil spill response, said the containment operation is now catching up to 630,000 gallons (2.3 million liters) a day and that the amount could nearly double by next week as processing of the captured oil is expanded.
June 8
In the Gulf: While the wellhead has been capped, oil that was still leaking and oil that has already leaked was separating and spreading out along the Gulf shore. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen warned the day before that the slick is no longer a "large, monolithic spill." Rather, it is an "aggregation of hundreds or thousands of patches of oil that are going a lot of different directions." Local officials continued to express concerns about the impact the spill would have on the economy as tourism season begins.
At the White House: President Obama was receiving a briefing on the spill in the morning before leaving to conduct a "tele-town hall meeting" on health care issues concerning seniors. He and first lady Michelle Obama were holding a congressional picnic at the White House later in the day.
June 7
In the Gulf: Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen reported that the cap on the wellhead was capturing 460,000 gallons of oil a day -- up from 250,000 on Friday. At that rate, the cap could be diverting as little as 37 percent or as much as 77 percent of the oil leaking from the Gulf floor. Patches of oil were spreading out all along the Gulf region. Florida's Panama City Beach was expected to get hit by oil within 72 hours, while Pensacola Beach continued to have tar balls wash ashore.
At the White House: President Obama and top federal officials were briefed in Washington by Allen on the BP spill. The president said the Gulf region will "bounce back" from the crisis and be "stronger than ever." Obama was scheduled to participate in a high school graduation ceremony in Kalamazoo, Mich., later in the evening.
June 6
In the Gulf: BP CEO Tony Hayward said the container collected 10,500 barrels in 24 hours. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said the spill is killing tourism though the beaches in his state are not suffering badly from the oil. National Incident Commander Adm. Thad Allen told morning news shows that progress is being made but the relief well is the ultimate solution.
At the White House: More Coast Guard are being sent to the region for direct oversight of the contractors. Allen said he reports to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and President Obama but he is the on-scene coordinator and he makes the calls in the gulf.
June 5
In the Gulf: BP worked on its latest attempt to tame the runaway well by capping it and trying to siphon off some of the crude. The damaged rig has disgorged at least 22 million gallons of crude in the Gulf.
At the White House: In his weekly radio and Internet address recorded from the Gulf, President Obama promised to fight the oil spill and maintained his increasingly forceful tone toward BP.
June 4
In the Gulf: BP engineers adjusted a sophisticated cap over the Gulf oil gusher, trying to collect the crude now fouling four states. Engineers hoped to close several open vents on the cap throughout the day in the latest attempt to contain the oil.
At the White House: President Obama was in Louisiana, his second trip in a week and the third since the disaster unfolded.
June 3
In the Gulf: BP CEO Tony Hayward hailed the company's work after underwater robots successfully sheared off a busted oil pipe spewing millions of gallons of crude into the Gulf, telling reporters that the company would have a "fully sealed" containment system in place by the end of June.
At the White House: The White House announced President Obama will return to the Louisiana Gulf Coast Friday, his third trop to the region since the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion on April 20
.
June 2
In the Gulf: BP's effort to contain the oil gusher hit a snag when a saw became stuck in a thick pipe on a blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said the goal was to free the saw and finish the cut later in the day.
At the White House: The Justice Department has announced it started criminal and civil probes into the spill, although the department did not name specific targets for prosecution.
June 1
In the Gulf: BP is moving to start its first major pipe cut as soon as Wednesday, after which they will attempt to place a cap-like containment device over the leaking riser that would siphon the mixture to the surface.
At the White House: President Obama gave the leaders of an independent commission investigating the Gulf oil spill marching orders to thoroughly examine the disaster and its causes to ensure that the nation never faces such a catastrophe again. He said if any laws were broken, people will be prosecuted.
May 31
In the Gulf: Transocean, which owned the rig that it leased to BP, said it would like its liability limited. The beach at Grand Isle, La., which was hit with oil from the spill, and other areas along the coast were opened but swimming and fishing was prohibited.
At the White House: The White House confirmed that its national incident commander Thad Allen will begin on Tuesday to hold daily press briefings from the scene of the spill. The Justice Department announced Attorney General Eric Holder and U.S. attorneys will meet with state attorneys general and hold a press conference on Tuesday.
May 30
In the Gulf: BP says it will try another containment effort beginning on Monday or Tuesday.
At the White House: Obama remained in Chicago for the Memorial Day weekend vacation. The White House released a summary of a discussion between Obama and chief liaison Thad Allen, which said the government is tripling its environmental cleanup team in areas affected by the spill. Environmental adviser Carol Browner appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press." She said 150 government scientists are on the case.
May 29
In the Gulf: BP offered few details on its latest bid to plug the well as progress was difficult to measure from BP's "spillcam" of mud, gas and oil billowing from the seafloor.
At the White House: Obama returns to Chicago for his Memorial Day weekend vacation.
May 28
In the Gulf: BP continues to try the "top kill" method, but also tries shooting rubber and other man-made "junk" into the well.
At the White House: Obama tours the Louisiana coastline. He says the federal government is treating the spill as its highest priority -- he says the government has deployed 1,400 National Guard troops, 1,400 vessels and 3 million feet of boom
May 27
In the Gulf: BP continues to shoot heavy mud into the well, a process that appears to be making progress.
At the White House: Several developments related to the spill emerge in Washington. Minerals Management Service director Elizabeth Birnbaum resigns. The Obama administration announces new restrictions on offshore oil drilling, canceling and delaying certain projects. Obama holds a major press conference in which he declares the federal government is "in charge" and pledges to stop the leak. Obama leaves for a family vacation in Chicago at night.
May 26
In the Gulf: BP attempts to use the "top kill" method to shoot mud into the well. Meanwhile, BP says 25,000 claims for economic losses have been submitted, and that it has already paid close to $30 million.
At the White House: Obama visits a solar facility in Fremont, Calif.
May 25
In the Gulf: BP agrees to show a live feed of the "top kill" procedure under pressure from the Obama administration.
At the White House: Obama meets Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, then travels to San Francisco for fundraisers for Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
May 24
In the Gulf: BP continues to prepare for the "top kill" procedure, as oil moves deeper into the Louisiana marshes.
At the White House: Obama meets with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano lead a Senate delegation to the Gulf region.
May 23
In the Gulf: BP says it will take at least another two days before crews can start to implement the "top kill" plan to plug the leaking well. BP continues to siphon out some oil from the leak.
At the White House: Obama orders top administration officials back to the Gulf to monitor the response.
May 22
In the Gulf: BP says it intends to continue using chemical dispersants after the EPA raises concerns about their long-term effects. Oil continues to wash ashore.
At the White House: Obama announces a presidential commission to investigate the disaster. He says in his weekly radio address that the panel, which is given six months to complete its work, is intended to figure out the "root causes" of the explosion and figure out how to make offshore drilling safer. The president speaks at the West Point commencement ceremonies in the morning.
May 21
In the Gulf: BP continues to prepare for the "top kill" procedure, while officials find animals covered in oil.
At the White House: No public events.
May 20
In the Gulf: BP continues to siphon out oil from the busted well. The company begins preparing for a new plan to stop the oil leak called a "top kill." The plan involves injecting mud into the top of the well and then sealing the area with cement.
At the White House: No public events.
May 19
In the Gulf: U.S. officials reportedly hold talks with Cuban officials on response efforts amid concerns that the oil slick is spreading even farther.
At the White House: Obama welcomes Mexican President Felipe Calderon to Washington. Both heads of state publicly criticize Arizona's new immigration law. The president hosts a state dinner for Calderon at night.
May 18
In the Gulf: A U.S. official says it is "increasingly likely" the oil will be swept out to the Florida coastline.
At the White House: Obama visits a factory in Youngstown, Ohio.
May 17
In the Gulf: BP claims the tube is sucking out more than 42,000 gallons a day from the Gulf floor to a tanker ship. That's still a fraction of the oil leaking out from the well.
At the White House: Obama hosts the NCAA tournament champion University of Connecticut women's basketball team.
May 16
In the Gulf: BP crews successfully hook the tube to the oil pipe to siphon oil to a tanker ship. Researchers say the oil has entered a current that could carry it toward the Keys.
At the White House: No publicn events.
May 15
In the Gulf: BP struggles to install the tube into the oil pipe, but expresses optimism in the plan. The company continues to drill a relief well, which is considered the permanent, though time-consuming, solution to the problem. The process is about halfway done.
At the White House: Obama speaks at the National Peace Officers Memorial Service. He delivers his weekly radio address on "Wall Street Reform."
May 14
In the Gulf: BP uses robots to try to insert a small tube into the leaking pipe on the Gulf floor, in an attempt to seal it off and siphon oil to the surface.
At the White House: Obama honors TOP COPS award recipients at the White House.
May 13
In the Gulf: BP prepares to suck oil away from the spewing well before trying to place the smaller containment box on top.
At the White House: Obama flies to Buffalo, N.Y., for a tour and town hall meetings at a local factory. He later travels to New York City for a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee event.
May 12
In the Gulf: Crews lower the new, smaller containment box to the Gulf of Mexico floor.
At the White House: Obama meets with Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the White House, then takes questions from the press.
May 11
In the Gulf: Response crews replenish fuel and water in preparation for long-term relief efforts.
At the White House: Reports surface that the Obama administration has proposed splitting up the Minerals Management Service, the agency responsible for overseeing offshore drilling. One arm would be tasked with inspecting rigs and enforcing regulations while the other would oversee drilling leases.
May 10
In the Gulf: BP announces it will try to place a smaller dome over the leaking oil well in the Gulf of Mexico.
At the White House: Obama meets with Cabinet officials and senior staff at the White House to discuss the oil spill response.
May 9
In the Gulf: BP officials say, after the 100-ton box fails to stop the leak, that they may try to do the same thing with a smaller box. Approximately 3.5 million gallons of oil have spilled into the Gulf at this point.
At the White House: Obama speaks to graduates at Hampton University in Virginia.
May 8
In the Gulf: Balls of tar begin washing up on Alabama's beaches. Meanwhile, the 100-ton box meant to capture the leak is not working.
At the White House: Obama delivers his weekly radio address on holding insurance companies more accountable.
May 7
In the Gulf: Robots place a 100-ton box over the oil well on the ocean floor, in an unprecedented attempt to stop the flow. Officials expand the coastal area closed to fishing due to the spill.
At the White House: No public events.
May 6
In the Gulf: Officials confirm that oil has made landfall on the Louisiana coastline. BP prepares to lower a giant box over the oil well to capture the leak.
At the White House: Obama participates in a national security meeting on Afghanistan and Afghanistan.
May 5
In the Gulf: BP caps one of the three oil leaks, though thousands of barrels of oil continue to leak into the Gulf.
At the White House: Obama attends a Cinco de Mayo celebration at the White
House.
May 4
In the Gulf: Winds in the Gulf of Mexico calm down, giving crews a chance to lay down boom by the shorelines. BP tries to cap a small leak while preparing to place a containment dome over the main leak.
At the White House: Obama speaks at the Business Council in Washington. There he pledges to minimize economic damage from the oil spill.
May 3
In the Gulf: BP's executive says crews are reducing the amount of oil reaching the surface by using dispersants. He pledges that BP will pay "all necessary and appropriate" costs associated with the clean-up.
At the White House: The administration, holding a meeting with BP executives, presses BP to explain how it will cover those clean-up costs. The president has a conference call with Allen and local officials to discuss the response.
May 2
In the Gulf: More vessels and response teams are deployed. Fishing is shut down from the Mississippi River to the Florida panhandle.
At the White House: Obama travels to the Gulf coast to survey the damage and meet with local officials. He calls the spill a "potentially unprecedented" disaster and pledges a "relentless" federal response. Obama is later briefed on the attempted Times Square bombing.
May 1
In the Gulf: Two more offshore platforms are shut down in the Gulf of Mexico as a precaution. Crews continue using dispersants by the leak. The slick from the explosion has tripled in size. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen is put in charge.
At the White House: Obama speaks at the University of Michigan commencement. Obama later attends the White House Correspondents Dinner.
April 30
In the Gulf: Oil reportedly begins to wash ashore in Louisiana's wetlands. High winds make coastal protection efforts difficult.
At the White House: Obama again addresses the spill in public remarks. He suspends new offshore oil drilling but reaffirms his commitment to domestic oil production. The president order an immediate review on rig safety and sends top administration officials to the Gulf coast.
April 29
In the Gulf: The Coast Guard says the oil spill could soon reach landfall, while mitigation efforts continue.
At the White House: Obama, in his first public remarks on the spill, pledges to deploy "every single available resource" in response. He speaks with the governors from five Gulf states, while Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano declares a "spill of national significance."
April 28
In the Gulf: Crews start to set fire to select sections of the spill. The Coast Guard reports that it has found a new leak, and updates its estimate of the spill from 1,000 to 5,000 barrels a day.
At the White House: Obama talks about the economy in Missouri. He later travels to Illinois to talk about financial reform. He is briefed on Air Force One about the spill on the way back to Washington.
April 27
In the Gulf: More boats are deployed to the Gulf. Coast Guard officials say they're considering lighting the spill on fire.
At the White House: The Obama administration launches an investigation into the explosion. Administration officials meet with BP executives. Obama meets with the newly formed debt and deficit commission, then travels to Iowa to speak at an energy facility.
April 26
In the Gulf: About 15,000 gallons of dispersants and 21,000 feet of boom are used at the spill site to mitigate the damage from the leak.
At the White House: Obama greets the New York Yankees at the White House, then speaks at an entrepreneurship summit.
April 25
In the Gulf: The Coast Guard estimates up to 1,000 barrels are leaking in the Gulf every day in the wake of the blast. Dozens of boats and hundreds of response workers are deployed to contain the spill.
At the White House: Obama leaves Asheville to attend a memorial service for the West Virginia miners who died in the Upper Big Branch explosion.
April 24
In the Gulf: The Coast Guard discovers oil leaking from the ocean floor.
At the White House: Obama plays golf in North Carolina.
April 23
In the Gulf: The Coast Guard ends the search for the missing 11 workers, who are presumed dead, at the end of the day. The Coast Guard reports that oil does not appear to be leaking from the well head, though they are trying to contain what spilled in the explosion.
At the White House: Obama and the first family travel to Asheville, N.C., for vacation.
April 22
In the Gulf: The Deepwater Horizon rig sinks, while search-and-rescue efforts continue.
At the White House: Representatives from 16 federal agencies collaborate as part of a national response team to the Gulf disaster. Obama travels to New York City to discuss his financial regulatory bill. The president later holds a meeting in the Oval Office about the response to the oil rig tragedy. The White House releases a statement saying Obama is ensuring the government is offering "all assistance needed" in the rescue effort and in responding to the environmental impact.
April 21
In the Gulf: Coast Guard helicopters search for 11 missing oil rig workers.
At the White House: Obama meets with Senate Judiciary Committee members at the White House to discuss the Supreme Court vacancy. He later hosts a reception for G20 labor officials.
April 20
In the Gulf: An offshore oil drilling rig owned by Transocean and operated by BP explodes in the Gulf of Mexico nearly 50 miles of the Louisiana coast.
At the White House: The president returns to Washington from Los Angeles, where he was attending a set of Democratic fundraisers the night before.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This President is affecting my health and indeed the health of our entire country.
God we need you, Bless America.
It feels like a long period of time has passed since the President took office, with a parade of expectations, applause and pride in our electing a Black President. I am now beginning to question, if that carries some weight in why he has gotten away with such disgraceful behavior. Illegal actions even. A white President would have been impeached by now.
Even his own party is beginning to turn against him. The media and newspapers who were instrumental in his being elected are beginning to criticize. He is becoming a joke.
Is there a fear about what might happen if he is called on this behavior? Are he and his cronies, feeling smug and safe because of racial issues he himself alludes to? I believe we are all in shock and bewilderment as to what to do. Every effort to call him on his actions are thwarted, by yet another of his crisis and dramas in an effort to create diversions. Is there a legitimate fear. Some watchers are looking for any bandwagon to jump onto to cry discrimination.
I am posting a day by day account of his and the administrations actions since the gulf explosion.
You will need to scroll down to the first day of this article for the beginning. I know it is long. Two and a half months worth. They say he has had thirty-nine golf days and any number of parties.
Instead of honoring our fallen soldiers on Memorial Day week-end he was partying with terrorist supporters on his Chicago vacation. He recently took his second vacation.
I now believe, he named Biden as his vice-presidential running mate, because Biden is a joke, offered no threat to Obama and would make us, not want anything to happen to make Biden President. Just my suspicions now.
The following article is long, but it is very informative.
Much of this information was backed up in previous postings.
The following is a copy and paste. I am not responsible for any errors in it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Disaster in the Gulf: 62 Days and Counting ...
Published June 20, 2010
| FOXNews.com
The Obama administration claims it has been on top of the Gulf oil spill disaster since "day one." Here's a look at what the president and administration have been doing every day since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded April 20, triggering the massive spill. The following daily updates are based on a review of White House schedules, news releases and news coverage and do not cover every activity in the Gulf or in Washington:
June 20
In the Gulf: Louisianans observe a day of prayer over the oil spill.
At the White House: President Obama has no public events scheduled.
June 19
In the Gulf:As Gulf states struggled to deal with the up to 120 million gallons of oil that have escaped from a blown-out undersea well, BP chief executive Tony Hayward took time off Saturday to attend a glitzy yacht race off England's Isle of Wright. In a statement, BP described Hayward's day off as "a rare moment of private time" and said that "no matter where he is, he is always in touch with what is happening within BP" and can direct recovery operations if required.
At the White House: President Obama and Vice President Biden went golfing together.
June 18
In the Gulf:Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said an estimated 2,000 private boats in the so-called "vessels of opportunity" program will be more closely linked through a tighter command and control structure to direct them to locations less than 50 miles offshore to skim the oil. Allen, the point man for the federal response to the spill, previously had said surface containment efforts would be concentrated much farther offshore.
At the White House:Kenneth Feinberg, who was chosen by President Obama and BP to oversee a program processing claims from the oil spill, said a plan to handle the remaining damage claims will be in place in 30 to 45 days.
June 17
In the Gulf:A relief well meant to stanch a gushing flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico is ahead of schedule and could reach its target in three to four weeks, says Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen. He said a rig has drilled nearly 10,000 feet below the seafloor and should be within 10 feet of the existing well within weeks. It will then bore down about 1,000 feet to intersect with the damaged well farther underground. Allen says the final push of drilling is the most difficult. The well originally was slated for completion in mid-August.
On Capitol Hill :A grim-faced BP chief executive Tony Hayward said Thursday he was "deeply sorry" for his company's catastrophic oil spill. "I understand the seriousness of the situation, the frustrations and fears that continue to be voiced," he told a House investigations subcommittee. He also said, "The fire and explosion on the Deepwater Horizon never should have happened and I'm deeply sorry that it did." And, while "we need to know what went wrong" Hayward also said there is still "extensive work to do" before anyone can say what caused the blowout.
June 16
In the Gulf: Trying to shrink the amount of crude polluting the Gulf of Mexico, BP started burning oil siphoned from the leaking well. The firm was continuing to work after a lightning strike Tuesday started a fire and forced operations to stop for hours.
At the White House: President Obama announced that BP has agreed to set up a $20 billion account to compensate spill victims following his first meeting with top-level executives. BP's chairman, who publicly apologized for the disaster, also announced that the company would not pay out any more dividends for the rest of the year.
June 15
In the Gulf: As BP continued to siphon leaking oil to the surface, the company faced new questions about documents turned up by congressional investigators that suggested BP was cutting corners with the Deepwater Horizon well when it came to design and safety measures.
At the White House: President Obama was scheduled to tour an emergency resource center in Pensacola, Fla., where oil has not yet hit the beaches but local officials are preparing. The president was meeting again with Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, before returning to Washington where he planned to deliver his first Oval Office address to the nation.
June 14
In the Gulf: BP submitted a plan to the Coast Guard to speed up the containment of oil gushing out of the blown-out well. Under the new timeline, BP claims it can capture more than 50,000 barrels a day by the end of June. Under the prior timeline, that target wouldn't be reached until mid-July. The company said it plans to bring in vessels from Europe and South America to keep on schedule.
At the White House: President Obama made his fourth trip to the Gulf Coast to survey the oil spill damage. He landed in Biloxi, Miss., to meet with local officials before heading to Alabama. Obama said he was pressing to make sure local residents suffering from economic damages are adequately compensated.
June 13
In the Gulf: BP was to submit a plan for a faster containment of the oil after it multiplied estimates last week about the number of barrels pouring into the Gulf each day. Adm. Thad Allen, the national incident commander, said more than 4,000 vessels are in the water trying to help catch the oil. The oil, however, continues to wash ashore in Alabama. Sensors are also being placed on the sea floor to determine how much oil is being collected.
At the White House: The White House announced that President Obama will address the nation on Tuesday night after his return from a two-day trip to the Gulf region. The White House also is planning an escrow fund for BP to contribute money for local businesses. It will be managed by a third party
June 12
In the Gulf: BP announced it will donate its share of the proceeds generated by selling the oil captured from the well to fund efforts to protect and restore wildlife habitat along the Gulf Coast. But the company has not released specifics on how the fund will work and said it doesn't know how much money might be raised. Yet once the oil is brought to shore, it will creep into the world's economic supply chain unnoticed by consumers.
At the White House:Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the Obama administration's point man for the oil spill, said that since the leak began, 4 million gallons (15 million liters) of crude have been siphoned off the leaking well using tubes and caps. An additional 18 million gallons (68 million liters) have been skimmed from the ocean surface, he said. The skimmed liquid is generally only 10 to 15 percent oil.
June 11
In the Gulf: The situation turned out to be more dire than previously thought after new scientific estimates were released that showed oil flowing at a rate of up to 2.1 million gallons a day -- more than twice the previous estimate. That means more than 100 million gallons may have already spilled into the Gulf of Mexico.
At the White House: President Obama received a briefing on the oil spill, before meeting with small business owners and delivering remarks about his small business initiative. The White House released new details of the president's upcoming trip to the Gulf, his fourth since the oil rig explosion. Obama plans to visit Gulfport, Miss.; Theodore, Ala.; and Pensacola, Fla., on Monday and Tuesday.
June 10
In the Gulf: BP awaited the arrival of a second vessel to help pump more oil from the ruptured well up to the surface -- the containment cap was capturing 630,000 gallons a day, but the second vessel is expected to double that. Meanwhile, local business owners and workers who have filed damage claims were complaining that BP is slow to respond and not paying them enough for their losses.
At the White House: President Obama was scheduled to meet in the afternoon with the families of those killed on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. He was also receiving a briefing on the oil spill in the morning and meeting with business leaders and energy experts to discuss energy reform after his meeting with the families.
June 9
In the Gulf: BP said it is dialing back a prediction by its chief operating officer that the leaking oil would be reduced to a "relative trickle" by next week. COO Doug Suttles now says it will take more time to reach that point.
At the White House: Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, who is heading the U.S. oil spill response, said the containment operation is now catching up to 630,000 gallons (2.3 million liters) a day and that the amount could nearly double by next week as processing of the captured oil is expanded.
June 8
In the Gulf: While the wellhead has been capped, oil that was still leaking and oil that has already leaked was separating and spreading out along the Gulf shore. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen warned the day before that the slick is no longer a "large, monolithic spill." Rather, it is an "aggregation of hundreds or thousands of patches of oil that are going a lot of different directions." Local officials continued to express concerns about the impact the spill would have on the economy as tourism season begins.
At the White House: President Obama was receiving a briefing on the spill in the morning before leaving to conduct a "tele-town hall meeting" on health care issues concerning seniors. He and first lady Michelle Obama were holding a congressional picnic at the White House later in the day.
June 7
In the Gulf: Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen reported that the cap on the wellhead was capturing 460,000 gallons of oil a day -- up from 250,000 on Friday. At that rate, the cap could be diverting as little as 37 percent or as much as 77 percent of the oil leaking from the Gulf floor. Patches of oil were spreading out all along the Gulf region. Florida's Panama City Beach was expected to get hit by oil within 72 hours, while Pensacola Beach continued to have tar balls wash ashore.
At the White House: President Obama and top federal officials were briefed in Washington by Allen on the BP spill. The president said the Gulf region will "bounce back" from the crisis and be "stronger than ever." Obama was scheduled to participate in a high school graduation ceremony in Kalamazoo, Mich., later in the evening.
June 6
In the Gulf: BP CEO Tony Hayward said the container collected 10,500 barrels in 24 hours. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said the spill is killing tourism though the beaches in his state are not suffering badly from the oil. National Incident Commander Adm. Thad Allen told morning news shows that progress is being made but the relief well is the ultimate solution.
At the White House: More Coast Guard are being sent to the region for direct oversight of the contractors. Allen said he reports to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and President Obama but he is the on-scene coordinator and he makes the calls in the gulf.
June 5
In the Gulf: BP worked on its latest attempt to tame the runaway well by capping it and trying to siphon off some of the crude. The damaged rig has disgorged at least 22 million gallons of crude in the Gulf.
At the White House: In his weekly radio and Internet address recorded from the Gulf, President Obama promised to fight the oil spill and maintained his increasingly forceful tone toward BP.
June 4
In the Gulf: BP engineers adjusted a sophisticated cap over the Gulf oil gusher, trying to collect the crude now fouling four states. Engineers hoped to close several open vents on the cap throughout the day in the latest attempt to contain the oil.
At the White House: President Obama was in Louisiana, his second trip in a week and the third since the disaster unfolded.
June 3
In the Gulf: BP CEO Tony Hayward hailed the company's work after underwater robots successfully sheared off a busted oil pipe spewing millions of gallons of crude into the Gulf, telling reporters that the company would have a "fully sealed" containment system in place by the end of June.
At the White House: The White House announced President Obama will return to the Louisiana Gulf Coast Friday, his third trop to the region since the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion on April 20
.
June 2
In the Gulf: BP's effort to contain the oil gusher hit a snag when a saw became stuck in a thick pipe on a blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said the goal was to free the saw and finish the cut later in the day.
At the White House: The Justice Department has announced it started criminal and civil probes into the spill, although the department did not name specific targets for prosecution.
June 1
In the Gulf: BP is moving to start its first major pipe cut as soon as Wednesday, after which they will attempt to place a cap-like containment device over the leaking riser that would siphon the mixture to the surface.
At the White House: President Obama gave the leaders of an independent commission investigating the Gulf oil spill marching orders to thoroughly examine the disaster and its causes to ensure that the nation never faces such a catastrophe again. He said if any laws were broken, people will be prosecuted.
May 31
In the Gulf: Transocean, which owned the rig that it leased to BP, said it would like its liability limited. The beach at Grand Isle, La., which was hit with oil from the spill, and other areas along the coast were opened but swimming and fishing was prohibited.
At the White House: The White House confirmed that its national incident commander Thad Allen will begin on Tuesday to hold daily press briefings from the scene of the spill. The Justice Department announced Attorney General Eric Holder and U.S. attorneys will meet with state attorneys general and hold a press conference on Tuesday.
May 30
In the Gulf: BP says it will try another containment effort beginning on Monday or Tuesday.
At the White House: Obama remained in Chicago for the Memorial Day weekend vacation. The White House released a summary of a discussion between Obama and chief liaison Thad Allen, which said the government is tripling its environmental cleanup team in areas affected by the spill. Environmental adviser Carol Browner appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press." She said 150 government scientists are on the case.
May 29
In the Gulf: BP offered few details on its latest bid to plug the well as progress was difficult to measure from BP's "spillcam" of mud, gas and oil billowing from the seafloor.
At the White House: Obama returns to Chicago for his Memorial Day weekend vacation.
May 28
In the Gulf: BP continues to try the "top kill" method, but also tries shooting rubber and other man-made "junk" into the well.
At the White House: Obama tours the Louisiana coastline. He says the federal government is treating the spill as its highest priority -- he says the government has deployed 1,400 National Guard troops, 1,400 vessels and 3 million feet of boom
May 27
In the Gulf: BP continues to shoot heavy mud into the well, a process that appears to be making progress.
At the White House: Several developments related to the spill emerge in Washington. Minerals Management Service director Elizabeth Birnbaum resigns. The Obama administration announces new restrictions on offshore oil drilling, canceling and delaying certain projects. Obama holds a major press conference in which he declares the federal government is "in charge" and pledges to stop the leak. Obama leaves for a family vacation in Chicago at night.
May 26
In the Gulf: BP attempts to use the "top kill" method to shoot mud into the well. Meanwhile, BP says 25,000 claims for economic losses have been submitted, and that it has already paid close to $30 million.
At the White House: Obama visits a solar facility in Fremont, Calif.
May 25
In the Gulf: BP agrees to show a live feed of the "top kill" procedure under pressure from the Obama administration.
At the White House: Obama meets Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, then travels to San Francisco for fundraisers for Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
May 24
In the Gulf: BP continues to prepare for the "top kill" procedure, as oil moves deeper into the Louisiana marshes.
At the White House: Obama meets with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano lead a Senate delegation to the Gulf region.
May 23
In the Gulf: BP says it will take at least another two days before crews can start to implement the "top kill" plan to plug the leaking well. BP continues to siphon out some oil from the leak.
At the White House: Obama orders top administration officials back to the Gulf to monitor the response.
May 22
In the Gulf: BP says it intends to continue using chemical dispersants after the EPA raises concerns about their long-term effects. Oil continues to wash ashore.
At the White House: Obama announces a presidential commission to investigate the disaster. He says in his weekly radio address that the panel, which is given six months to complete its work, is intended to figure out the "root causes" of the explosion and figure out how to make offshore drilling safer. The president speaks at the West Point commencement ceremonies in the morning.
May 21
In the Gulf: BP continues to prepare for the "top kill" procedure, while officials find animals covered in oil.
At the White House: No public events.
May 20
In the Gulf: BP continues to siphon out oil from the busted well. The company begins preparing for a new plan to stop the oil leak called a "top kill." The plan involves injecting mud into the top of the well and then sealing the area with cement.
At the White House: No public events.
May 19
In the Gulf: U.S. officials reportedly hold talks with Cuban officials on response efforts amid concerns that the oil slick is spreading even farther.
At the White House: Obama welcomes Mexican President Felipe Calderon to Washington. Both heads of state publicly criticize Arizona's new immigration law. The president hosts a state dinner for Calderon at night.
May 18
In the Gulf: A U.S. official says it is "increasingly likely" the oil will be swept out to the Florida coastline.
At the White House: Obama visits a factory in Youngstown, Ohio.
May 17
In the Gulf: BP claims the tube is sucking out more than 42,000 gallons a day from the Gulf floor to a tanker ship. That's still a fraction of the oil leaking out from the well.
At the White House: Obama hosts the NCAA tournament champion University of Connecticut women's basketball team.
May 16
In the Gulf: BP crews successfully hook the tube to the oil pipe to siphon oil to a tanker ship. Researchers say the oil has entered a current that could carry it toward the Keys.
At the White House: No publicn events.
May 15
In the Gulf: BP struggles to install the tube into the oil pipe, but expresses optimism in the plan. The company continues to drill a relief well, which is considered the permanent, though time-consuming, solution to the problem. The process is about halfway done.
At the White House: Obama speaks at the National Peace Officers Memorial Service. He delivers his weekly radio address on "Wall Street Reform."
May 14
In the Gulf: BP uses robots to try to insert a small tube into the leaking pipe on the Gulf floor, in an attempt to seal it off and siphon oil to the surface.
At the White House: Obama honors TOP COPS award recipients at the White House.
May 13
In the Gulf: BP prepares to suck oil away from the spewing well before trying to place the smaller containment box on top.
At the White House: Obama flies to Buffalo, N.Y., for a tour and town hall meetings at a local factory. He later travels to New York City for a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee event.
May 12
In the Gulf: Crews lower the new, smaller containment box to the Gulf of Mexico floor.
At the White House: Obama meets with Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the White House, then takes questions from the press.
May 11
In the Gulf: Response crews replenish fuel and water in preparation for long-term relief efforts.
At the White House: Reports surface that the Obama administration has proposed splitting up the Minerals Management Service, the agency responsible for overseeing offshore drilling. One arm would be tasked with inspecting rigs and enforcing regulations while the other would oversee drilling leases.
May 10
In the Gulf: BP announces it will try to place a smaller dome over the leaking oil well in the Gulf of Mexico.
At the White House: Obama meets with Cabinet officials and senior staff at the White House to discuss the oil spill response.
May 9
In the Gulf: BP officials say, after the 100-ton box fails to stop the leak, that they may try to do the same thing with a smaller box. Approximately 3.5 million gallons of oil have spilled into the Gulf at this point.
At the White House: Obama speaks to graduates at Hampton University in Virginia.
May 8
In the Gulf: Balls of tar begin washing up on Alabama's beaches. Meanwhile, the 100-ton box meant to capture the leak is not working.
At the White House: Obama delivers his weekly radio address on holding insurance companies more accountable.
May 7
In the Gulf: Robots place a 100-ton box over the oil well on the ocean floor, in an unprecedented attempt to stop the flow. Officials expand the coastal area closed to fishing due to the spill.
At the White House: No public events.
May 6
In the Gulf: Officials confirm that oil has made landfall on the Louisiana coastline. BP prepares to lower a giant box over the oil well to capture the leak.
At the White House: Obama participates in a national security meeting on Afghanistan and Afghanistan.
May 5
In the Gulf: BP caps one of the three oil leaks, though thousands of barrels of oil continue to leak into the Gulf.
At the White House: Obama attends a Cinco de Mayo celebration at the White
House.
May 4
In the Gulf: Winds in the Gulf of Mexico calm down, giving crews a chance to lay down boom by the shorelines. BP tries to cap a small leak while preparing to place a containment dome over the main leak.
At the White House: Obama speaks at the Business Council in Washington. There he pledges to minimize economic damage from the oil spill.
May 3
In the Gulf: BP's executive says crews are reducing the amount of oil reaching the surface by using dispersants. He pledges that BP will pay "all necessary and appropriate" costs associated with the clean-up.
At the White House: The administration, holding a meeting with BP executives, presses BP to explain how it will cover those clean-up costs. The president has a conference call with Allen and local officials to discuss the response.
May 2
In the Gulf: More vessels and response teams are deployed. Fishing is shut down from the Mississippi River to the Florida panhandle.
At the White House: Obama travels to the Gulf coast to survey the damage and meet with local officials. He calls the spill a "potentially unprecedented" disaster and pledges a "relentless" federal response. Obama is later briefed on the attempted Times Square bombing.
May 1
In the Gulf: Two more offshore platforms are shut down in the Gulf of Mexico as a precaution. Crews continue using dispersants by the leak. The slick from the explosion has tripled in size. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen is put in charge.
At the White House: Obama speaks at the University of Michigan commencement. Obama later attends the White House Correspondents Dinner.
April 30
In the Gulf: Oil reportedly begins to wash ashore in Louisiana's wetlands. High winds make coastal protection efforts difficult.
At the White House: Obama again addresses the spill in public remarks. He suspends new offshore oil drilling but reaffirms his commitment to domestic oil production. The president order an immediate review on rig safety and sends top administration officials to the Gulf coast.
April 29
In the Gulf: The Coast Guard says the oil spill could soon reach landfall, while mitigation efforts continue.
At the White House: Obama, in his first public remarks on the spill, pledges to deploy "every single available resource" in response. He speaks with the governors from five Gulf states, while Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano declares a "spill of national significance."
April 28
In the Gulf: Crews start to set fire to select sections of the spill. The Coast Guard reports that it has found a new leak, and updates its estimate of the spill from 1,000 to 5,000 barrels a day.
At the White House: Obama talks about the economy in Missouri. He later travels to Illinois to talk about financial reform. He is briefed on Air Force One about the spill on the way back to Washington.
April 27
In the Gulf: More boats are deployed to the Gulf. Coast Guard officials say they're considering lighting the spill on fire.
At the White House: The Obama administration launches an investigation into the explosion. Administration officials meet with BP executives. Obama meets with the newly formed debt and deficit commission, then travels to Iowa to speak at an energy facility.
April 26
In the Gulf: About 15,000 gallons of dispersants and 21,000 feet of boom are used at the spill site to mitigate the damage from the leak.
At the White House: Obama greets the New York Yankees at the White House, then speaks at an entrepreneurship summit.
April 25
In the Gulf: The Coast Guard estimates up to 1,000 barrels are leaking in the Gulf every day in the wake of the blast. Dozens of boats and hundreds of response workers are deployed to contain the spill.
At the White House: Obama leaves Asheville to attend a memorial service for the West Virginia miners who died in the Upper Big Branch explosion.
April 24
In the Gulf: The Coast Guard discovers oil leaking from the ocean floor.
At the White House: Obama plays golf in North Carolina.
April 23
In the Gulf: The Coast Guard ends the search for the missing 11 workers, who are presumed dead, at the end of the day. The Coast Guard reports that oil does not appear to be leaking from the well head, though they are trying to contain what spilled in the explosion.
At the White House: Obama and the first family travel to Asheville, N.C., for vacation.
April 22
In the Gulf: The Deepwater Horizon rig sinks, while search-and-rescue efforts continue.
At the White House: Representatives from 16 federal agencies collaborate as part of a national response team to the Gulf disaster. Obama travels to New York City to discuss his financial regulatory bill. The president later holds a meeting in the Oval Office about the response to the oil rig tragedy. The White House releases a statement saying Obama is ensuring the government is offering "all assistance needed" in the rescue effort and in responding to the environmental impact.
April 21
In the Gulf: Coast Guard helicopters search for 11 missing oil rig workers.
At the White House: Obama meets with Senate Judiciary Committee members at the White House to discuss the Supreme Court vacancy. He later hosts a reception for G20 labor officials.
April 20
In the Gulf: An offshore oil drilling rig owned by Transocean and operated by BP explodes in the Gulf of Mexico nearly 50 miles of the Louisiana coast.
At the White House: The president returns to Washington from Los Angeles, where he was attending a set of Democratic fundraisers the night before.
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This President is affecting my health and indeed the health of our entire country.
God we need you, Bless America.
Even his own party is beginning to turn against him. The media and newspapers who were instrumental in his being elected are beginning to criticize. He is becoming a joke.
Is there a fear about what might happen if he is called on this behavior? Are he and his cronies, feeling smug and safe because of racial issues he himself alludes to? I believe we are all in shock and bewilderment as to what to do. Every effort to call him on his actions are thwarted, by yet another of his crisis and dramas in an effort to create diversions. Is there a legitimate fear. Some watchers are looking for any bandwagon to jump onto to cry discrimination.
I am posting a day by day account of his and the administrations actions since the gulf explosion.
You will need to scroll down to the first day of this article for the beginning. I know it is long. Two and a half months worth. They say he has had thirty-nine golf days and any number of parties.
Instead of honoring our fallen soldiers on Memorial Day week-end he was partying with terrorist supporters on his Chicago vacation. He recently took his second vacation.
I now believe, he named Biden as his vice-presidential running mate, because Biden is a joke, offered no threat to Obama and would make us, not want anything to happen to make Biden President. Just my suspicions now.
The following article is long, but it is very informative.
Much of this information was backed up in previous postings.
The following is a copy and paste. I am not responsible for any errors in it.
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Disaster in the Gulf: 62 Days and Counting ...
Published June 20, 2010
| FOXNews.com
The Obama administration claims it has been on top of the Gulf oil spill disaster since "day one." Here's a look at what the president and administration have been doing every day since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded April 20, triggering the massive spill. The following daily updates are based on a review of White House schedules, news releases and news coverage and do not cover every activity in the Gulf or in Washington:
June 20
In the Gulf: Louisianans observe a day of prayer over the oil spill.
At the White House: President Obama has no public events scheduled.
June 19
In the Gulf:As Gulf states struggled to deal with the up to 120 million gallons of oil that have escaped from a blown-out undersea well, BP chief executive Tony Hayward took time off Saturday to attend a glitzy yacht race off England's Isle of Wright. In a statement, BP described Hayward's day off as "a rare moment of private time" and said that "no matter where he is, he is always in touch with what is happening within BP" and can direct recovery operations if required.
At the White House: President Obama and Vice President Biden went golfing together.
June 18
In the Gulf:Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said an estimated 2,000 private boats in the so-called "vessels of opportunity" program will be more closely linked through a tighter command and control structure to direct them to locations less than 50 miles offshore to skim the oil. Allen, the point man for the federal response to the spill, previously had said surface containment efforts would be concentrated much farther offshore.
At the White House:Kenneth Feinberg, who was chosen by President Obama and BP to oversee a program processing claims from the oil spill, said a plan to handle the remaining damage claims will be in place in 30 to 45 days.
June 17
In the Gulf:A relief well meant to stanch a gushing flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico is ahead of schedule and could reach its target in three to four weeks, says Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen. He said a rig has drilled nearly 10,000 feet below the seafloor and should be within 10 feet of the existing well within weeks. It will then bore down about 1,000 feet to intersect with the damaged well farther underground. Allen says the final push of drilling is the most difficult. The well originally was slated for completion in mid-August.
On Capitol Hill :A grim-faced BP chief executive Tony Hayward said Thursday he was "deeply sorry" for his company's catastrophic oil spill. "I understand the seriousness of the situation, the frustrations and fears that continue to be voiced," he told a House investigations subcommittee. He also said, "The fire and explosion on the Deepwater Horizon never should have happened and I'm deeply sorry that it did." And, while "we need to know what went wrong" Hayward also said there is still "extensive work to do" before anyone can say what caused the blowout.
June 16
In the Gulf: Trying to shrink the amount of crude polluting the Gulf of Mexico, BP started burning oil siphoned from the leaking well. The firm was continuing to work after a lightning strike Tuesday started a fire and forced operations to stop for hours.
At the White House: President Obama announced that BP has agreed to set up a $20 billion account to compensate spill victims following his first meeting with top-level executives. BP's chairman, who publicly apologized for the disaster, also announced that the company would not pay out any more dividends for the rest of the year.
June 15
In the Gulf: As BP continued to siphon leaking oil to the surface, the company faced new questions about documents turned up by congressional investigators that suggested BP was cutting corners with the Deepwater Horizon well when it came to design and safety measures.
At the White House: President Obama was scheduled to tour an emergency resource center in Pensacola, Fla., where oil has not yet hit the beaches but local officials are preparing. The president was meeting again with Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, before returning to Washington where he planned to deliver his first Oval Office address to the nation.
June 14
In the Gulf: BP submitted a plan to the Coast Guard to speed up the containment of oil gushing out of the blown-out well. Under the new timeline, BP claims it can capture more than 50,000 barrels a day by the end of June. Under the prior timeline, that target wouldn't be reached until mid-July. The company said it plans to bring in vessels from Europe and South America to keep on schedule.
At the White House: President Obama made his fourth trip to the Gulf Coast to survey the oil spill damage. He landed in Biloxi, Miss., to meet with local officials before heading to Alabama. Obama said he was pressing to make sure local residents suffering from economic damages are adequately compensated.
June 13
In the Gulf: BP was to submit a plan for a faster containment of the oil after it multiplied estimates last week about the number of barrels pouring into the Gulf each day. Adm. Thad Allen, the national incident commander, said more than 4,000 vessels are in the water trying to help catch the oil. The oil, however, continues to wash ashore in Alabama. Sensors are also being placed on the sea floor to determine how much oil is being collected.
At the White House: The White House announced that President Obama will address the nation on Tuesday night after his return from a two-day trip to the Gulf region. The White House also is planning an escrow fund for BP to contribute money for local businesses. It will be managed by a third party
June 12
In the Gulf: BP announced it will donate its share of the proceeds generated by selling the oil captured from the well to fund efforts to protect and restore wildlife habitat along the Gulf Coast. But the company has not released specifics on how the fund will work and said it doesn't know how much money might be raised. Yet once the oil is brought to shore, it will creep into the world's economic supply chain unnoticed by consumers.
At the White House:Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the Obama administration's point man for the oil spill, said that since the leak began, 4 million gallons (15 million liters) of crude have been siphoned off the leaking well using tubes and caps. An additional 18 million gallons (68 million liters) have been skimmed from the ocean surface, he said. The skimmed liquid is generally only 10 to 15 percent oil.
June 11
In the Gulf: The situation turned out to be more dire than previously thought after new scientific estimates were released that showed oil flowing at a rate of up to 2.1 million gallons a day -- more than twice the previous estimate. That means more than 100 million gallons may have already spilled into the Gulf of Mexico.
At the White House: President Obama received a briefing on the oil spill, before meeting with small business owners and delivering remarks about his small business initiative. The White House released new details of the president's upcoming trip to the Gulf, his fourth since the oil rig explosion. Obama plans to visit Gulfport, Miss.; Theodore, Ala.; and Pensacola, Fla., on Monday and Tuesday.
June 10
In the Gulf: BP awaited the arrival of a second vessel to help pump more oil from the ruptured well up to the surface -- the containment cap was capturing 630,000 gallons a day, but the second vessel is expected to double that. Meanwhile, local business owners and workers who have filed damage claims were complaining that BP is slow to respond and not paying them enough for their losses.
At the White House: President Obama was scheduled to meet in the afternoon with the families of those killed on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. He was also receiving a briefing on the oil spill in the morning and meeting with business leaders and energy experts to discuss energy reform after his meeting with the families.
June 9
In the Gulf: BP said it is dialing back a prediction by its chief operating officer that the leaking oil would be reduced to a "relative trickle" by next week. COO Doug Suttles now says it will take more time to reach that point.
At the White House: Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, who is heading the U.S. oil spill response, said the containment operation is now catching up to 630,000 gallons (2.3 million liters) a day and that the amount could nearly double by next week as processing of the captured oil is expanded.
June 8
In the Gulf: While the wellhead has been capped, oil that was still leaking and oil that has already leaked was separating and spreading out along the Gulf shore. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen warned the day before that the slick is no longer a "large, monolithic spill." Rather, it is an "aggregation of hundreds or thousands of patches of oil that are going a lot of different directions." Local officials continued to express concerns about the impact the spill would have on the economy as tourism season begins.
At the White House: President Obama was receiving a briefing on the spill in the morning before leaving to conduct a "tele-town hall meeting" on health care issues concerning seniors. He and first lady Michelle Obama were holding a congressional picnic at the White House later in the day.
June 7
In the Gulf: Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen reported that the cap on the wellhead was capturing 460,000 gallons of oil a day -- up from 250,000 on Friday. At that rate, the cap could be diverting as little as 37 percent or as much as 77 percent of the oil leaking from the Gulf floor. Patches of oil were spreading out all along the Gulf region. Florida's Panama City Beach was expected to get hit by oil within 72 hours, while Pensacola Beach continued to have tar balls wash ashore.
At the White House: President Obama and top federal officials were briefed in Washington by Allen on the BP spill. The president said the Gulf region will "bounce back" from the crisis and be "stronger than ever." Obama was scheduled to participate in a high school graduation ceremony in Kalamazoo, Mich., later in the evening.
June 6
In the Gulf: BP CEO Tony Hayward said the container collected 10,500 barrels in 24 hours. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said the spill is killing tourism though the beaches in his state are not suffering badly from the oil. National Incident Commander Adm. Thad Allen told morning news shows that progress is being made but the relief well is the ultimate solution.
At the White House: More Coast Guard are being sent to the region for direct oversight of the contractors. Allen said he reports to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and President Obama but he is the on-scene coordinator and he makes the calls in the gulf.
June 5
In the Gulf: BP worked on its latest attempt to tame the runaway well by capping it and trying to siphon off some of the crude. The damaged rig has disgorged at least 22 million gallons of crude in the Gulf.
At the White House: In his weekly radio and Internet address recorded from the Gulf, President Obama promised to fight the oil spill and maintained his increasingly forceful tone toward BP.
June 4
In the Gulf: BP engineers adjusted a sophisticated cap over the Gulf oil gusher, trying to collect the crude now fouling four states. Engineers hoped to close several open vents on the cap throughout the day in the latest attempt to contain the oil.
At the White House: President Obama was in Louisiana, his second trip in a week and the third since the disaster unfolded.
June 3
In the Gulf: BP CEO Tony Hayward hailed the company's work after underwater robots successfully sheared off a busted oil pipe spewing millions of gallons of crude into the Gulf, telling reporters that the company would have a "fully sealed" containment system in place by the end of June.
At the White House: The White House announced President Obama will return to the Louisiana Gulf Coast Friday, his third trop to the region since the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion on April 20
.
June 2
In the Gulf: BP's effort to contain the oil gusher hit a snag when a saw became stuck in a thick pipe on a blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said the goal was to free the saw and finish the cut later in the day.
At the White House: The Justice Department has announced it started criminal and civil probes into the spill, although the department did not name specific targets for prosecution.
June 1
In the Gulf: BP is moving to start its first major pipe cut as soon as Wednesday, after which they will attempt to place a cap-like containment device over the leaking riser that would siphon the mixture to the surface.
At the White House: President Obama gave the leaders of an independent commission investigating the Gulf oil spill marching orders to thoroughly examine the disaster and its causes to ensure that the nation never faces such a catastrophe again. He said if any laws were broken, people will be prosecuted.
May 31
In the Gulf: Transocean, which owned the rig that it leased to BP, said it would like its liability limited. The beach at Grand Isle, La., which was hit with oil from the spill, and other areas along the coast were opened but swimming and fishing was prohibited.
At the White House: The White House confirmed that its national incident commander Thad Allen will begin on Tuesday to hold daily press briefings from the scene of the spill. The Justice Department announced Attorney General Eric Holder and U.S. attorneys will meet with state attorneys general and hold a press conference on Tuesday.
May 30
In the Gulf: BP says it will try another containment effort beginning on Monday or Tuesday.
At the White House: Obama remained in Chicago for the Memorial Day weekend vacation. The White House released a summary of a discussion between Obama and chief liaison Thad Allen, which said the government is tripling its environmental cleanup team in areas affected by the spill. Environmental adviser Carol Browner appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press." She said 150 government scientists are on the case.
May 29
In the Gulf: BP offered few details on its latest bid to plug the well as progress was difficult to measure from BP's "spillcam" of mud, gas and oil billowing from the seafloor.
At the White House: Obama returns to Chicago for his Memorial Day weekend vacation.
May 28
In the Gulf: BP continues to try the "top kill" method, but also tries shooting rubber and other man-made "junk" into the well.
At the White House: Obama tours the Louisiana coastline. He says the federal government is treating the spill as its highest priority -- he says the government has deployed 1,400 National Guard troops, 1,400 vessels and 3 million feet of boom
May 27
In the Gulf: BP continues to shoot heavy mud into the well, a process that appears to be making progress.
At the White House: Several developments related to the spill emerge in Washington. Minerals Management Service director Elizabeth Birnbaum resigns. The Obama administration announces new restrictions on offshore oil drilling, canceling and delaying certain projects. Obama holds a major press conference in which he declares the federal government is "in charge" and pledges to stop the leak. Obama leaves for a family vacation in Chicago at night.
May 26
In the Gulf: BP attempts to use the "top kill" method to shoot mud into the well. Meanwhile, BP says 25,000 claims for economic losses have been submitted, and that it has already paid close to $30 million.
At the White House: Obama visits a solar facility in Fremont, Calif.
May 25
In the Gulf: BP agrees to show a live feed of the "top kill" procedure under pressure from the Obama administration.
At the White House: Obama meets Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, then travels to San Francisco for fundraisers for Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
May 24
In the Gulf: BP continues to prepare for the "top kill" procedure, as oil moves deeper into the Louisiana marshes.
At the White House: Obama meets with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano lead a Senate delegation to the Gulf region.
May 23
In the Gulf: BP says it will take at least another two days before crews can start to implement the "top kill" plan to plug the leaking well. BP continues to siphon out some oil from the leak.
At the White House: Obama orders top administration officials back to the Gulf to monitor the response.
May 22
In the Gulf: BP says it intends to continue using chemical dispersants after the EPA raises concerns about their long-term effects. Oil continues to wash ashore.
At the White House: Obama announces a presidential commission to investigate the disaster. He says in his weekly radio address that the panel, which is given six months to complete its work, is intended to figure out the "root causes" of the explosion and figure out how to make offshore drilling safer. The president speaks at the West Point commencement ceremonies in the morning.
May 21
In the Gulf: BP continues to prepare for the "top kill" procedure, while officials find animals covered in oil.
At the White House: No public events.
May 20
In the Gulf: BP continues to siphon out oil from the busted well. The company begins preparing for a new plan to stop the oil leak called a "top kill." The plan involves injecting mud into the top of the well and then sealing the area with cement.
At the White House: No public events.
May 19
In the Gulf: U.S. officials reportedly hold talks with Cuban officials on response efforts amid concerns that the oil slick is spreading even farther.
At the White House: Obama welcomes Mexican President Felipe Calderon to Washington. Both heads of state publicly criticize Arizona's new immigration law. The president hosts a state dinner for Calderon at night.
May 18
In the Gulf: A U.S. official says it is "increasingly likely" the oil will be swept out to the Florida coastline.
At the White House: Obama visits a factory in Youngstown, Ohio.
May 17
In the Gulf: BP claims the tube is sucking out more than 42,000 gallons a day from the Gulf floor to a tanker ship. That's still a fraction of the oil leaking out from the well.
At the White House: Obama hosts the NCAA tournament champion University of Connecticut women's basketball team.
May 16
In the Gulf: BP crews successfully hook the tube to the oil pipe to siphon oil to a tanker ship. Researchers say the oil has entered a current that could carry it toward the Keys.
At the White House: No publicn events.
May 15
In the Gulf: BP struggles to install the tube into the oil pipe, but expresses optimism in the plan. The company continues to drill a relief well, which is considered the permanent, though time-consuming, solution to the problem. The process is about halfway done.
At the White House: Obama speaks at the National Peace Officers Memorial Service. He delivers his weekly radio address on "Wall Street Reform."
May 14
In the Gulf: BP uses robots to try to insert a small tube into the leaking pipe on the Gulf floor, in an attempt to seal it off and siphon oil to the surface.
At the White House: Obama honors TOP COPS award recipients at the White House.
May 13
In the Gulf: BP prepares to suck oil away from the spewing well before trying to place the smaller containment box on top.
At the White House: Obama flies to Buffalo, N.Y., for a tour and town hall meetings at a local factory. He later travels to New York City for a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee event.
May 12
In the Gulf: Crews lower the new, smaller containment box to the Gulf of Mexico floor.
At the White House: Obama meets with Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the White House, then takes questions from the press.
May 11
In the Gulf: Response crews replenish fuel and water in preparation for long-term relief efforts.
At the White House: Reports surface that the Obama administration has proposed splitting up the Minerals Management Service, the agency responsible for overseeing offshore drilling. One arm would be tasked with inspecting rigs and enforcing regulations while the other would oversee drilling leases.
May 10
In the Gulf: BP announces it will try to place a smaller dome over the leaking oil well in the Gulf of Mexico.
At the White House: Obama meets with Cabinet officials and senior staff at the White House to discuss the oil spill response.
May 9
In the Gulf: BP officials say, after the 100-ton box fails to stop the leak, that they may try to do the same thing with a smaller box. Approximately 3.5 million gallons of oil have spilled into the Gulf at this point.
At the White House: Obama speaks to graduates at Hampton University in Virginia.
May 8
In the Gulf: Balls of tar begin washing up on Alabama's beaches. Meanwhile, the 100-ton box meant to capture the leak is not working.
At the White House: Obama delivers his weekly radio address on holding insurance companies more accountable.
May 7
In the Gulf: Robots place a 100-ton box over the oil well on the ocean floor, in an unprecedented attempt to stop the flow. Officials expand the coastal area closed to fishing due to the spill.
At the White House: No public events.
May 6
In the Gulf: Officials confirm that oil has made landfall on the Louisiana coastline. BP prepares to lower a giant box over the oil well to capture the leak.
At the White House: Obama participates in a national security meeting on Afghanistan and Afghanistan.
May 5
In the Gulf: BP caps one of the three oil leaks, though thousands of barrels of oil continue to leak into the Gulf.
At the White House: Obama attends a Cinco de Mayo celebration at the White
House.
May 4
In the Gulf: Winds in the Gulf of Mexico calm down, giving crews a chance to lay down boom by the shorelines. BP tries to cap a small leak while preparing to place a containment dome over the main leak.
At the White House: Obama speaks at the Business Council in Washington. There he pledges to minimize economic damage from the oil spill.
May 3
In the Gulf: BP's executive says crews are reducing the amount of oil reaching the surface by using dispersants. He pledges that BP will pay "all necessary and appropriate" costs associated with the clean-up.
At the White House: The administration, holding a meeting with BP executives, presses BP to explain how it will cover those clean-up costs. The president has a conference call with Allen and local officials to discuss the response.
May 2
In the Gulf: More vessels and response teams are deployed. Fishing is shut down from the Mississippi River to the Florida panhandle.
At the White House: Obama travels to the Gulf coast to survey the damage and meet with local officials. He calls the spill a "potentially unprecedented" disaster and pledges a "relentless" federal response. Obama is later briefed on the attempted Times Square bombing.
May 1
In the Gulf: Two more offshore platforms are shut down in the Gulf of Mexico as a precaution. Crews continue using dispersants by the leak. The slick from the explosion has tripled in size. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen is put in charge.
At the White House: Obama speaks at the University of Michigan commencement. Obama later attends the White House Correspondents Dinner.
April 30
In the Gulf: Oil reportedly begins to wash ashore in Louisiana's wetlands. High winds make coastal protection efforts difficult.
At the White House: Obama again addresses the spill in public remarks. He suspends new offshore oil drilling but reaffirms his commitment to domestic oil production. The president order an immediate review on rig safety and sends top administration officials to the Gulf coast.
April 29
In the Gulf: The Coast Guard says the oil spill could soon reach landfall, while mitigation efforts continue.
At the White House: Obama, in his first public remarks on the spill, pledges to deploy "every single available resource" in response. He speaks with the governors from five Gulf states, while Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano declares a "spill of national significance."
April 28
In the Gulf: Crews start to set fire to select sections of the spill. The Coast Guard reports that it has found a new leak, and updates its estimate of the spill from 1,000 to 5,000 barrels a day.
At the White House: Obama talks about the economy in Missouri. He later travels to Illinois to talk about financial reform. He is briefed on Air Force One about the spill on the way back to Washington.
April 27
In the Gulf: More boats are deployed to the Gulf. Coast Guard officials say they're considering lighting the spill on fire.
At the White House: The Obama administration launches an investigation into the explosion. Administration officials meet with BP executives. Obama meets with the newly formed debt and deficit commission, then travels to Iowa to speak at an energy facility.
April 26
In the Gulf: About 15,000 gallons of dispersants and 21,000 feet of boom are used at the spill site to mitigate the damage from the leak.
At the White House: Obama greets the New York Yankees at the White House, then speaks at an entrepreneurship summit.
April 25
In the Gulf: The Coast Guard estimates up to 1,000 barrels are leaking in the Gulf every day in the wake of the blast. Dozens of boats and hundreds of response workers are deployed to contain the spill.
At the White House: Obama leaves Asheville to attend a memorial service for the West Virginia miners who died in the Upper Big Branch explosion.
April 24
In the Gulf: The Coast Guard discovers oil leaking from the ocean floor.
At the White House: Obama plays golf in North Carolina.
April 23
In the Gulf: The Coast Guard ends the search for the missing 11 workers, who are presumed dead, at the end of the day. The Coast Guard reports that oil does not appear to be leaking from the well head, though they are trying to contain what spilled in the explosion.
At the White House: Obama and the first family travel to Asheville, N.C., for vacation.
April 22
In the Gulf: The Deepwater Horizon rig sinks, while search-and-rescue efforts continue.
At the White House: Representatives from 16 federal agencies collaborate as part of a national response team to the Gulf disaster. Obama travels to New York City to discuss his financial regulatory bill. The president later holds a meeting in the Oval Office about the response to the oil rig tragedy. The White House releases a statement saying Obama is ensuring the government is offering "all assistance needed" in the rescue effort and in responding to the environmental impact.
April 21
In the Gulf: Coast Guard helicopters search for 11 missing oil rig workers.
At the White House: Obama meets with Senate Judiciary Committee members at the White House to discuss the Supreme Court vacancy. He later hosts a reception for G20 labor officials.
April 20
In the Gulf: An offshore oil drilling rig owned by Transocean and operated by BP explodes in the Gulf of Mexico nearly 50 miles of the Louisiana coast.
At the White House: The president returns to Washington from Los Angeles, where he was attending a set of Democratic fundraisers the night before.
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This President is affecting my health and indeed the health of our entire country.
God we need you, Bless America.
Clinton had a blow-job. Obama is fucking the entire nation.
Pays
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