WH Responds to Critical Reports from Oil Commission

tried to enact South African-style immigration laws in Arizona proma

You mean the same laws that the federal government has but will noy apply?

Better go read some more Rolling Stoned Ma, why don't you drink another glass of kool aid while your at it.

Okay...I'm done laughing now. Rolling Stone is sighted as a 'good read'. That would be the equivalent of citing "Fox News" to make a point to a liberal.

Hey Progressive Mama, what other sources do you have: Archie Comics? The Simpsons? or maybe you wanna cite Chris Matthes, Rachel Maddow, Keith Olberman....lol...cuz they are so unbiased.

progressive mama ---- Now that's funny. Rolling Stone article worth a read? It can't even be used to start a fire.

JJ Olive, you might like this:

"I can count on one hand the key elements I expect to hear in nearly every interview[with a tea party Republican]. One: Every single one of them was that exceptional Republican who did protest the spending in the Bush years, and not one of them is the hypocrite who only took to the streets when a black Democratic president launched an emergency stimulus program. ("Not me — I was protesting!" is a common exclamation.) Two: Each and every one of them is the only person in America who has ever read the Constitution or watched Schoolhouse Rock. (Here they have guidance from Armey, who explains that the problem with "people who do not cherish America the way we do" is that "they did not read the Federalist Papers.") Three: They are all furious at the implication that race is a factor in their political views — despite the fact that they blame the financial crisis on poor black homeowners, spend months on end engrossed by reports about how the New Black Panthers want to kill "cracker babies," support politicians who think the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was an overreach of government power, tried to enact South African-style immigration laws in Arizona and obsess over Charlie Rangel, ACORN and Barack Obama's birth certificate. Four: In fact, some of their best friends are black! (Reporters in Kentucky invented a game called "White Male Liberty Patriot Bingo," checking off a box every time a Tea Partier mentions a black friend.) And five: Everyone who disagrees with them is a radical leftist who hates America.

It would be inaccurate to say the Tea Partiers are racists. What they are, in truth, are narcissists. They're completely blind to how offensive the very nature of their rhetoric is to the rest of the country." (Matt Taibbi, Rolling Stone)

Worth a read:>)

You liberals are crazier than hll. Your still bringing Bush into articles to compare. PLEASE there is no comparing this clueless, ignorant, lying, backstabbing pres we have now to a real President like Bush. Hang it up folks. BO needs to resign. So much for telling the truth.

"ProgressiveMama...Thank You! Thank you very much for the long list of unconstitutional/socialist actions that will destroy this country! " - JJOlive1111

You mean this one?

"Health care reform... check.
Sander's community health centers... check.
Financial regulation reform... check.
Stimulus including progressive-esque investments in infrastructure, rail, green intitiatives, health IT, education, science... check.
student loan reform... check.
Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act... check.
new regulation of the credit card industry... check.
new regulation of the tobacco industry... check.
a national service bill... check
expanded stem-cell research... check.
a nuclear arms deal with Russia ... check.
a new global nonproliferation initiative ... check.
the Hate Crimes Prevention Act ... check.
a sweeping land-protection act, the most sweeping in well over a decade... check.
draw down of troops in Iraq... check." - ProMa

It's no wonder Government Spending is out of control.
That's some list there.
Thanks for nothing Obama.

I thought all of the troops were supposed to be out of Iran by now.

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According to who?

Not Obama.

that was never a promise. I see you don't really pay attention to anything outside your partisan bubble. lol.

Have you read Matt Taibbi's Tea and Crackers? Something about your post brings the article to mind.

Particularly this part:

"In the Tea Party narrative, victory at the polls means a new American revolution, one that will "take our country back" from everyone they disapprove of. But what they don't realize is, there's a catch: This is America, and we have an entrenched oligarchical system in place that insulates us all from any meaningful political change. The Tea Party today is being pitched in the media as this great threat to the GOP; in reality, the Tea Party is the GOP. What few elements of the movement aren't yet under the control of the Republican Party soon will be, and even if a few genuine Tea Party candidates sneak through, it's only a matter of time before the uprising as a whole gets castrated, just like every grass-roots movement does in this country. Its leaders will be bought off and sucked into the two-party bureaucracy, where its platform will be whittled down until the only things left are those that the GOP's campaign contributors want anyway: top-bracket tax breaks, free trade and financial deregulation.

The rest of it — the sweeping cuts to federal spending, the clampdown on bailouts, the rollback of Roe v. Wade — will die on the vine as one Tea Party leader after another gets seduced by the Republican Party and retrained for the revolutionary cause of voting down taxes for Goldman Sachs executives. "

I am still trying to figure this one out: The government under George W. Bush warned the people of New Orleans about Katrina more than a week in advance (but nobody listened to them)...and all the blame fell on Bush (in spite of a corrupt local and state government that did nothing).

Now....our current government has information that may have been helpful in the BP Oil Spill, but decides it's better to not warn anyone. AND..of course the liberal media gives Mr. Obama a pass and actually defends his actions.

Here's the really funny part.....not only does no liberal media blame Mr. Obama for the poor reaction and lack of warning...they actually are still blaming the BP Oil Spill on former President Bush???? (and not one of em has questioned the coincidence between Mr. Obama's huge contributions from BP and the certification/awards that went to the oil rig that failed....funny, huh?).

Librals = Hypocrites.

""""i am so sick of the igotcha stories and i am soooooo tired of the BP story!!!!!!"""""

Posted by: Kay

And just think, it's been over 5 years since Katrina and that was caused by Mother Nature and some idiots that didn't think they needed to leave with almost one week of notice.

ProgressiveMama...Thank You! Thank you very much for the long list of unconstitutional/socialist actions that will destroy this country! You've given us all a wonderful list to Fight Against. You are to be commended for your ability to identify these unlawful and debilitating actions of our currently corrupt government. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!!

Health care reform... check. Unconstitutional and one with bribes while not being read.
Sander's community health centers... check.More entitlements we can't afford
Financial regulation reform... check. Higher interest rates for consumers
Stimulus including progressive-esque investments in infrastructure, rail, green intitiatives, health IT, education, science... check.Porkulus spent to pay off unions for votes and enlarge government
student loan reform... check.
Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act... check.More union pay offs
new regulation of the credit card industry... check. More intrest to consumers
new regulation of the tobacco industry... check. more heavy handed government control over the private sector (also know as socialism)
a national service bill... check
expanded stem-cell research... check.
a nuclear arms deal with Russia ... check.Russia is laughing at Obama for his incompetence while assisting N. Korea and Iran in becoming nuculear enemies
a new global nonproliferation initiative ... check. More foriegn countries Pakistan included laughing at the inept one.
the Hate Crimes Prevention Act ... check.
a sweeping land-protection act, the most sweeping in well over a decade... check. More government control of land for the benifet of mining and oil mineral rights being exploited by the government for the government.
draw down of troops in Iraq... check.
I thought all of the troops were supposed to be out of Iran by now. Another promise broken.
Oh and how is gotmo going? Got anymore foolishness mamma?

Progessive Mama
It seems that you think the Republicans were foot draggers on this? All I can say is we really only have to worry about the goof-ball president for about three months. He will then be a lame duck for two years and a bad memory after that.
Thank God.

i am so sick of the igotcha stories and i am soooooo tired of the BP story!!!!!!

Posted by: Todd |

Well, Todd, Americans like Obama better than Republicans who actually did run the country into the ground and have no new ideas or any solutions. they've voted or demogogued against small business, cops, firefighters, first responders at 9/11, the troops, veteran benefits,children, the middle class, jobs, infrastructure, rail, the uninsured, religious liberty, human rights, immigration, pro-business proposals.

they make no sense. Why do they hate 98% of America? If they hate government so much and want to repeal the 17th amendment why should they elect them to government? Why were so many stimulus hypocrites?

Meanwhile,

Health care reform... check.
Sander's community health centers... check.
Financial regulation reform... check.
Stimulus including progressive-esque investments in infrastructure, rail, green intitiatives, health IT, education, science... check.
student loan reform... check.
Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act... check.
new regulation of the credit card industry... check.
new regulation of the tobacco industry... check.
a national service bill... check
expanded stem-cell research... check.
a nuclear arms deal with Russia ... check.
a new global nonproliferation initiative ... check.
the Hate Crimes Prevention Act ... check.
a sweeping land-protection act, the most sweeping in well over a decade... check.
draw down of troops in Iraq... check.

I guess oil spills aren't so "trancsparent"????

I find it funny that so many left-of-center folks on here, and in the media, are so quick to defend the WH reaction. If this was Bush or another Republican, ABC News would be burying them alive over this....hmmm, kinda like they did with Katrina? and with 9/11?

So...when Obama does not warn/protect the American people...it's "in their best interests". But, when Bush doesn't warn/protect us, it's a "conspiracy".

Do liberals actually follow their own logic?

I'm hoping the criticism serves to improve the responses in the future, and that the Obama admin learns from its mistakes. What I don't count on is for right wingers to have a clue. Its just all knee jerk partisan b.s.

Looks like the jokes on you mamma. Obama isn't smart enough to run a car wash and you expected him to be able to run a country. He has done a fine job of running this country into the ground. Or have we forgot there is no national budget, no answers on tax increases, Obamacare, porkulus, foriegn policy. Obama is headed in a downward spiral right along with his crooked congress. It's like watching a toilet flush. Don't believe me? Go to any poll you choose. The American people have had it with the incompetent one.

The silence of the eco-whackos only goes to prove they are really political organizations and could care less about the enviromemnt. In the mean time we are to consider it news that this regime lies. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

"""""""Obama admin learns from its mistakes. """""

Posted by: progressive mama

That is what you don't understand. Read the story, Obama doesn't believe they made any mistakes. So how would he possibly learn from it?

Transparancy....

You know what's funny, Todd, is you were likely one of the people cheering Republicans on when they kept slowing down the progress of the Oil Spill commission and obstructing. Now there is transparency, and you're whining.

it would unbelievable if it wasn't so typical.

I'm hoping the criticism serves to improve the responses in the future, and that the Obama admin learns from its mistakes. What I don't count on is for right wingers to have a clue. Its just all knee jerk partisan b.s.

What would be the point of the WH alarming everyone with worst case scenarios!?? They didn't hide anything that actually happened. They just didn't go out of their way to freak people out. Bush on the other hand, made stuff up about weapons of mass destrucdtion. Obama simply didn't want to make people freak out for no good reason...it didn't affect how he responded to the crisis at all.

Due to the normal over reaction of the media and people it was a reasonable policy. Nothing was certain. Extreme reaction (HYPE!)by the media and by people who totally believe the media is much harder to deal with.

Slow to respond, but quick to lie!

Transparancy Mr. Liar in cheif. Transparancy, Obamacare, Porkulus. All words that the incompetent one and his followers can remember November 3, 2010.

Where is the outrage from environmentalists? The silence has been deafening.

From AP:
For the first time, the documents - which are preliminary findings by the panel's staff - show that the White House was directly involved in controlling the message as it struggled to convey that it, not BP, was in charge of responding to what eventually became the biggest offshore oil spill in U.S. history.

Citing interviews with government officials, the report reveals that in late April or early May, the White House budget office denied a request from NOAA to make public its worst-case estimate of how much oil could spew from the blown-out well. The Unified Command - the government team in charge of the spill response - also was discussing the possibility of making the numbers public, the report says.

The report shows "the political process was in charge and science really does not have the role that was touted," said Christopher D'Elia, dean of environmental studies at Louisiana State University.

The White House budget office has traditionally been a clearinghouse for administration domestic policy. Why exactly the administration didn't want to emphasize the worst-case scenario is not made clear in the report.

However, Kenneth Baer, a spokesman for the Office of Management and Budget, said the budget office had concerns about the reliability of the NOAA estimates.

"The issue was the modeling, the science and the assumptions they were using to come up with their analysis. Not public relations or presentation," he said. "We offered NOAA suggestions of ways to improve their analysis, and they happily accepted it."

Politics over science?

You bet they did and abc, cnn nbc and the other in bed with Obama news agencies protected him so the believers would think he is a god with his own cloud to fly on. It always come back to haunt and this is a big one. The chief in liar is caught and will suffer for it even more.

What do we expect from parasites? As expected, typical Communist practice.

"We used the best information and the best modeling we had at that time,” the official said, did the current congress try to crucify the last administration for using "the best information and the best modeling we had at that time" for lying to the American people, about Iraq and WMD's?

Obama WH supporters: "He's just behaving like Republicans do, really! It is normal. Nothing to see here...please disperse..."

“changed as the technology got better.”.....What technology changed?

---

Ken, for a slightly more in-depth piece, see "Oil Spill Report Hits White House. Is it Fair?" @ the ecocentric blog at Time.

Where is the front page story of The Chamber of Commerce funneling money to the Republicans? Foreign countries and companies are buying politicians to insure that more of our jobs are sent overseas.

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Oh, also, Political Animal has more on this @ HOW DONOHUE AND THE CHAMBER OPERATES.... (aren't Boehner and Donahue bff's ?)

Money quote: "Donohue -- and his accounting practices -- are now at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which is raising money hand over fist, from countries and governments from around the world, to elect candidates who'll disregard the needs of American consumers and workers. The Chamber claims to have a "system" to stay within the law, but Donohue also has a track record of creating "one big pot" -- and concluding that how it's divided up is "immaterial." (Steve Benen, WaMonthly)

“changed as the technology got better.”.....What technology changed? The only change I saw or heard of in the news was the Government finally pulled it's head from a strange place and opened it's eyes. Another Government whitewash, trying to say they were on top of the crisis when in reality they had no idea what was going on. One lie on top of another - ad nauseum.

Posted by: lfrichar |

Like I said, I'm not interested in who you voted for or did not vote for, but we agree Bush's policies were misguided.

What's peculair is that you want everyone to acknowledge what you claim is your independence, and yet you make sweeping stereotypical accusations. I vote for anyone with a D by their name? Because in this election, where there's a choice between a dem and a republican, I'm choosing Dem, particularly at the national level, but at least in one instance, I'm supporting the more progressive independent? Funny. Funny in a hypocritical, whatever sort of way.

Follow the biggest trend, lfrichar, jump on board and sound cliche, that will certainly convince somebody somewhere of your independent leanings. lol.

rightbehind --- Ah yes, the art of deflection. You and Progressive Mama should get together.

For your information, the "right" hasn't had control of Congress since 2007.

----

And I have a whole heckuva lot of problems with what they did prior to 2007.

I'm not sure what point you think you're making by jumping in with the patented bbbbbut.... response of every right winger that comments here, but thanks for the chuckle. lol.

Where is the front page story of The Chamber of Commerce funneling money to the Republicans? Foreign countries and companies are buying politicians to insure that more of our jobs are sent overseas. What about the security issues of having foreign interests fund American elections? Is it illegal for the Chamber of Commerce to launder foreign money this way? Senator Franken wants an investigation. How can we stop this selling out of the American political process?

Posted by: Amie Keshe |

Good questions Amie. I read a piece on it at Think Progress a couple days ago (Exclusive: Foreign-Funded ‘U.S.’ Chamber Of Commerce Running Partisan Attack Ads ). This morning I read at Plum Line that the US Chamber of Commerce is attacking Think Progress and alleging yet another Soros-inspired conspiracy theory (he's out to silence corporations as if they're people... lol)

Here's the thing,however. In their responses, the US Chamber of Commerce has distracted rather than addressing the facts or refuting the facts head on. See "Inconvenient Facts That The Chamber Hasn’t Refuted"

Faiz Shakir asks some pointed questions. Will the US Chamber of Commerce simply distract again????

progressive mama --- Your "humble" opinion is wrong. It's not my fault this administration is turning out very close to what I expected.

Yes, and we can read a report that says so. Environmentalists on the left were on it.

As for taking some frigging responsibility, it would be nice if you offered the same suggestion to the right, but since you. never. do. you can spare me the lectures and your claims that you're not a Republican. lol.

Posted by: progressive mama
________________________________
For your information, the "right" hasn't had control of Congress since 2007. Obama took control of the White House in 2009. YOUR party ran the show for the past 4 years. Just who on the "right" do you feel deserves the blame?

progressive mama --- If you were curious at all, I didn't vote for Bush BECAUSE of his policies in the middle east. You can cast your vote to anyone with a "D" following their name, I cast mine on what they say they can do compared to what i truly believe they can get done. Hence, I certainly did not vote for the inexperience we have in there now. Alot of talk and very little action.

We all know how well speculation works for wall street. I could only imagine some of the comments. "We should all leave the planet before we drown in oil". I'm glad they concentrated on getting it fixed.

lfichar, your comments indicate you've already picked who you defend and who you're against, imho. I'll call it as I see it, and won't ask permission. You can direct your claims to someone else. I'm not interested in phoney baloneys. But, if you'd like to tell someone else all about it, go for it. I just requested you spare me. lol.

I see a pattern of "lowball" estimates coming out of the Obama administration. First this and then the fact that 2009 unemployment estimates may have been underestimated by as much as 900,000 jobs (off by almost a million) despite the census job fiasco.

"""""you can spare me the lectures and your claims that you're not a Republican. lol.""""

Posted by: progressive mama

Why, because I don't agree with this administrations policies or your ideas? BOTH parties are worthless at this time. While I like the ideas of some Dems and some GOPers, they will never agree. You keep touting this administration while we remain stagnant. You've picked your side, so I will only ask you to allow me the freedom to pick mine. I don't need you to do it for me. Nice try on changing the subject though.

Where is the front page story of The Chamber of Commerce funneling money to the Republicans? Foreign countries and companies are buying politicians to insure that more of our jobs are sent overseas. What about the security issues of having foreign interests fund American elections? Is it illegal for the Chamber of Commerce to launder foreign money this way? Senator Franken wants an investigation. How can we stop this selling out of the American political process?

Take some kind of friggin' responsibility sooner or later. When the spill happened, many said we wwere too slow to respond. Well, many were right.

----

Yes, and we can read a report that says so. Environmentalists on the left were on it.

As for taking some frigging responsibility, it would be nice if you offered the same suggestion to the right, but since you. never. do. you can spare me the lectures and your claims that you're not a Republican. lol.

Open Up drilling now. You'll killing jobs all along the gulf coast... Get out of our lives!
Posted by: Freedom | Oct 7, 2010 9:14:35 AM

Personally, I think the report shows that the government has a role. One of the problems was overreliance on BP's numbers, and overoptimism when it came to industry's ability to handle the problem. As Jeffrey Kluger writes,

"The Obama administration did show regrettable credulousness in accepting BP's initial lowball figure, but there weren't a lot of alternatives since BP was the only party with access to the well and the robot subs that could begin to take the measure of the flow rate. Public cries for the military to "take over" the spill response were always uninformed, since the question that raised was, How? This isn't Venezuela; the oil companies haven't been nationalized and it's those companies that have the best technology and are in the best position to do assessment and repair. If they spin their findings, it can be hard to tell at first.

Things got clearer as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) began to deploy satellite imaging and other tools—and clearer still when scientists at Columbia University; the University of California, Berkeley; and Purdue University conducted studies of their own, using sophisticated analysis of a 30-sec. video of the oil spilling from the riser pipe that BP grudgingly released. The government finally tried to bring these and other analyses together under a single coordinator on May 19 when the Incident Command Group created the Flow Rate Technical Group to study the volume of the oil more precisely." (read more at the ecocentric blog, Time/CNN)

> I find it incredibly vexing that there are still people that are making excuses for obama by waving the "bush" flag. None of us spent the last 8 years lauding the Bush administration. That's why the democrats were able to take control of both houses in 2006. And exactly which "identical tactics that were essentially institutional" are you talking about? I don't recall Bush displaying any tactics concerning blown out oil wells, since there were none. And as far as "institutionalized tactics" for responding to deep oil wells, obama certainly did NOT use anything institutionalized. He refused help when it was offered. He displayed a cavalier attitude towards the unfolding tragedy. He delayed individual states from taking defensive actions to protect the wetlands. The number one tactic in this type of incident was to burn the oil as it surfaced. that was the plan. the match was lit. obama said, NO...WAIT. Then it was too late...the oil got too close to shore...so THAT institutional response was not used. On and on and on.

progressive mama | Oct 6, 2010 7:40:09 PM ----- Wow, nice try on deflecting this report over to the GOP. Take some kind of friggin' responsibility sooner or later. When the spill happened, many said we wwere too slow to respond. Well, many were right.

What do you expect from people who think a 26 year old is a "child"?

Cant wait til the government runs healthcare.