One thing Obama could have done was insure the released data was accurate.

[Kablooie]

By allowing BP to spin the thing makes him seem complicit in a cover-up. A cover-up that is futile because in the long run the data will come out anyway. It's going to wash up on our shores. Trying to play down the disaster makes the truth more shocking and damages the administration's reputation. He should have stepped in and taken control of the spin immediately.

Also he should not have allowed BP to try half way methods that were designed to recover the oil instead of shutting down the well. Closing off the well as quickly as possible should have been the only goal and Obama should have insisted on this.

Being easy on BP and letting them approach things in a way that favors themselves gives the impression he values corporations over the American people and American environment.

That has been major, major mistake and I'm afraid he will have to pay for it.

[Angry Dragon]

1. Very good post

[seabeyond]

2. the problem discussing or arguing what he could have should have.... i dont know shit about oil

business. so what i should expect of obama, bp or any other group on this is emptiness. because i dont know shit.

i pretty much dont know shit about what obama has or has not done

i dont know shit about the reasons people have tried and not tried various things

it doesnt seem that any great mind has THE answer from any quarters. so why we expect obama to have it is amazing.

it leaves argument of whether incompetence or not even exists.

on some threads, listening to posters, it seems some would prefer obama and gang to run in circles to "appear" to be doing something, if nothing else

i think i will have to wait to see if obama was derelict.