I have been critical of Mr. Obama's response to date, however...

[LeftyFingerPop]

It appears that he did a hell of a good job with the escrow negotiation. This is big money, and I'm sure it did not happen without some serious pre-negotiation preparation.

Kudos to Mr. Obama.

edit: grammar

[Oregone]

1. Now if only he would set up a fund for me

I only need a few million...shouldn't be too tough

[LeftyFingerPop]

2. I would settle for $500,000. n/t

[Oregone]

8. I would settle for $5 grand, and fuck Mrs Bush for $50K

For $5 million, Rush Limbaugh would be looking pretty to me.


Money isn't everything. But to be able to do what I did today, everyday, is freedom and happiness.

[LeftyFingerPop]

11. You're a sick fuck.

:rofl:

[Oregone]

15. An honest sick fuck

Everyone has a pricetag. Id like to think Im better than the next man, but maybe Im just more expensive on some things. On others, hell, as long as Im not hurtin anyone but myself, Im ready for business.

[LeftyFingerPop]

20. I would chug a few gallons of mayonaise followed by a meal of raw roadkill...

before i did that.

[TheKentuckian]

17. LOL Love ya brother

[Poll_Blind]

3. This was good but this is going to go well beyond 20bln, IMO, and the gusher is....

...still going with no end in sight.

If Obama can stay on track and stay ahead of this, holding BP's feet to the fire (or something like it) for the next couple of years, this will at least hopefully be a good-enough response.

I'm worried about this a few years down the line, especially under the watch of a different administration. But in the short term, this is "good". Not great, IMO, but good.

PB

[LeftyFingerPop]

4. I think the most important thing today is that...

They established that this is not a cap on the funds.

[Poll_Blind]

5. Yeah, exactly. MSNBC is already playing the "This is NOT a cap." soundbyte.

And that's good and what people need to clearly hear.

PB

[NotThisTime]

12. Not only that but individuals and States still have the right to bring suit if they choose. Their

legal rights are still in tact.

This is a hell of a big deal.... Great job to our President, he may not be able to personally stop that well, but getting BP to pay and keep people's rights open is huge... This is not a cap.... I do wish however that we would allow help from outside Countries if there is help to find...

[MineralMan]

6. Correct. And these funds are for paying people who have had

their livelihoods damaged by this spill. The cleanup costs are something completely different.

[LeftyFingerPop]

9. Yes, and I'm changing my opinion about...

having the Government administer this. After some thought, it makes perfect sense to me to have a third party administer this.

I voted for Obama, and I support him, but I have been pulling my hair out about his what I perceive to be a slow response. That being said... the man certainly deserves praise when it is due, and I think it is more than due now. I just hope that money can get into some personal bank accounts really quickly.

[MineralMan]

24. Yeah. Whenever there's a huge disaster, it always takes longer

than we think it should to put resources in place and start solving the problems. Stuff's complicated, and we don't know enough to judge accurately what is possible and what takes a lot longer than we think it should.

President Obama's been telling us all the things that are happening or about to happen all along. Some of those things take a while to get started. Ships have to rig up and steam to the area. Sometimes, they have to leave another job to do this one. It all takes time.

Cleanup people have to be trained, assembled, and even housed and fed in some cases. Fishermen with their boats have to learn how best to deploy oil booms effectively, since that's not what they normally do.

The President got some wrong information from BP early on in this. He knows what's happening now, and has known for some time. Deploying the resources still takes time. Ships are on their way. The National Guards of four states are going to muster, train, and be deployed. It all takes time.

President Obama has been on this from the beginning. It's finally coming together. It's complex. It's huge. 30,000 cleanup people are already on the job, he says. That took some time, and they may not be just where you think they should be, but we don't know all the details of this effort. How many feet of boom are deployed? Millions. Now that took a bunch of time, and is still ongoing.

They're skimming and burning oil to keep it off the shoreline. A smoky mess, but what's the alternative.

Where the oil hits the shore, it appears that crews are on the job. Oil's going to hit the shore. When it does, a crew has to move themselves and equipment to that location. It all takes time.

It's frustrating to watch from a distance. It truly is.

[Laelth]

28. Yes. He protected us from a BP bankruptcy up to a limit of $20 billion.

It is a cap, in that sense, if this money is in an ESCRO account and BP does, in fact, file for bankruptcy.

Otherwise, it's a bunch of unenforceable promises.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Blue_In_AK]

59. It's a hell of a lot better

than what Alaska got out of Exxon. And people here had to wait 20 years for their dime on the dollar.

[malaise]

7. You are 100% correct

This is huge and McCain could not have got this because he would never have gone after it publicly. I also noticed that it was the BP Chairman who took the questions and not the CEO.

[LeftyFingerPop]

10. Agreed...

I can't even imagine how McCain would have handled this.

[Kingofalldems]

13. Also time to pursue indictments in this matter

Let future CEOs know they can't get away with this sort of thing. And mandatory sentencing.

[Nite Owl]

14. I wasn't happy with the speech

last night but this deal looks very good. Maybe he should have waited for tonight for the address.

[Poll_Blind]

19. I find myself agreeing with that. It would have made so much more sense and...

...he would have been able to provide specifics which were noticeably absent last night.

PB

[bobburgster]

16. Cudos to Obama!

He has done a very good job dealing with this whole situation...granted too slowly, but it looks like he's on top of things now.

[Beetwasher]

18. So Wait, Am I Understand That There Is Some Changing Of Minds Going On Today About Obama's Handling

Of this?

Wow. Cool.

[LeftyFingerPop]

21. This is something that will help the people of the Gulf...

That is all that I have personally been wanting. I think it came late, but it happened, and that is a good thing.

I never expected Mr. Obama to "plug the hole himself".

[Beetwasher]

22. I Think People Are Understandably Frustrated And Anxious, But Also Quite A Bit Naive About What's

Involved in the logistics regarding something as massive and unprecendented as this.

It's in Obama's best interest to get things done as quickly as humanly possible and I have no doubt if he could have done this sooner, he would have.

[LeftyFingerPop]

23. Well, the thing is, he refused to talk to BP until now. n/t

[Beetwasher]

25. Where Is This Claim Coming From? How Do You Know That?

And just because maybe Obama personally may not have been talking to them, does that mean NO ONE was?

[LeftyFingerPop]

27. The claim is coming from Obama's lips.

A few weeks ago, he stated that he did not want to talk to BP because they would only tell him what he wanted to hear. Surely you knew that.

[Beetwasher]

32. Obviously They've Been Talking, Otherwise How Would This 20 Billion Deal Get Done

As I said, just because Obama personally may not have been talking to them, someone was, and shit got done.

What's the problem? The problem is, it didn't happen as quickly as YOU think it should have. But really, what do you know about what's really involved? You know more than Obama about this?

[LeftyFingerPop]

45. See the video in post #39. People walked away from that interview...

thinking that the Government and BP were not talking. I know he said that he was not talking directly to them, but he left the general public the impression that there was no communication. All of this in a time of dire stress. Whether they were actually talking is a moot point, because he left the impression on frantic people that they were not talking.

[Whisp]

26. where did you read that? I want to see something instead of a drive-by post.

[LeftyFingerPop]

29. It was all over the news, video included. n/t

[tishaLA]

31. I thought he said he hadn't talked to Hayward, not BP generally

[Whisp]

34. bullshit, give me a link of anything that shows Obama refusing to meet with BP. bullfuckingshit

[LeftyFingerPop]

39. OK, here's a link. Go to 2:10 in this video. No need to apologize. edit to ad link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAbpJxtRCcE

[Whisp]

47. no where does he say he 'refuses to speak'

and that piece of clipped Obama Hatin' vid you can stick up your butt.

[LeftyFingerPop]

49. OK. It is the only video I could fund quickly, but the interview is correct.

I would go and find for you a video of the interview only, but I am busy right now...sticking it up my butt.

[MineralMan]

30. On a personal level, that's true. Don't you imagine, though, that

Obama's people were in constant talks with BP's people all along. The President talks to owners, not flunkies. He has people to talk to flunkies. The President does not have to do all of this by himself. There's a big team already involved.

He has a team of scientists and engineers examining possible solutions to the spill. They'll report to him when they figure something out, and probably in the interim as well. President Obama isn't a scientist or engineer. He can't really help with that. He can sure as heck enable it and get people on the job, though. When they have something, he'll be the first to know.

Lots of things are like that in a huge disaster like this.

[LeftyFingerPop]

33. Flunkies don't make decisions to give up $20b. n/t

[Beetwasher]

35. So Obviously The WERE Talking, Weren't They?

Why should Obama PERSONALLY talk to them before stuff is in place to actually get things done? So they can blow smoke up his ass?

Really, this "Obama didn't personally talk to BP until xxxx" is a very vapid critique. It's not like nothing was being done in the meantime or NO ONE was talking to them.

[LeftyFingerPop]

36. Um...no, it is not obvious to me that someone was talking to them.

If someone was talking to them, perhaps Obama would have said so instead of highly implying to stressed out people in the Gulf that BP was not being talked to.

[Beetwasher]

37. Really? It's Not OBvious? You Mean This 20 Billion Escrow Just Magically Appeared With No One

Discussing it? Wow. That's pretty amazing.

[LeftyFingerPop]

41. I'm thinking the serious negotiations began very recently. n/t

[Beetwasher]

42. You're Thinking? Well! Ok Then!

:rofl:

IOW, you're just pulling stuff out of your ass. Got it.

[LeftyFingerPop]

43. What is with the personal attack?

Did I attack you? No. Show me the same respect. Thank you.

[Beetwasher]

56. I'm Thinking, You're Criticism Is Vapid And Laughable

If you want to take my critique of your critique personally, go right ahead.

[LeftyFingerPop]

58. No, I don't want to critique your personality. I don't even know you...

and I don't take bait easily.

[Beetwasher]

60. You Don't Have To Know Me, I'm An Asshole

Says it all.

[LeftyFingerPop]

61. If you say so. I wouldn't know one way or another.

[Beetwasher]

62. I Am, But I'm A Loveable Asshole

With a heart of gold. I say so.

[northzax]

48. nor do they make the decision to ask for it

that came from Obama. and the people who approached BP about it didn't even need to say that. when the White House approaches you, it's coming from Obama. There are certain people, who in certain circumstances, speak for the President, and negotiate for the President. I think it's a sign of the growing maturity of this White House that the President isn't doing stuff like this before the closing. he should be working with his staff to develop these things, and then get BP to agree to them, before having Obama announce the deal.

[LeftyFingerPop]

51. True, but he gave a misleading interview by implying that there was no communication.

[northzax]

53. it wasn't misleading

obviously there was communication. the Coast Guard had an admiral in charge of the Government reaction who, last I checked, was appointed by the President to that task. there was no direct communication between OBAMA and HAYWARD. that's what he said. how is that misleading? We knew by this point that the Coast Guard was in constant contact with BP, that the DOJ was in constant contact, that Interior was, that Energy was. those are THEIR JOBS, not the President's. the only people this mislead were people with no idea how things work.

[LeftyFingerPop]

54. The people of the Gulf are not dissecting his every word.

The impression left by the interview was that there was not communication. The sound bite was played over and over. Many people, even those on top of politics in DU, were left with the same impression.

[northzax]

64. ahh, so it's the MEDIA

not Obama, you want to blame. got it.

well then, why don't you start blaming the people worth blaming, instead of jumping on the latest meme?

[LeftyFingerPop]

66. I'm not blaming anyone. I am stating the impression he left from his own words. n/t

[MineralMan]

55. You're correct. And neither do Chairs of large corporations,

unless they're forced to. Timing is critical. Public opinion and other factors are involved. Apparently, President Obama picked a time for this when all the factors were in place, and the Chairman of BP had no choice but to comply.

Since it worked, I have no problem with the timing.

[northzax]

44. yes, HE hasn't been talking to Hayward.

what would be the point of that? you don't give the President of BP facetime with the President of the United States until there is something to be said. This deal, like all deals, was worked out by staffers in the White House and probably DoJ. perhaps even with Hayward or his boss fairly directly, but you don't bring in the President, the ultimate closer, until the deal is ready to be closed. that's standard procedure.

[LeftyFingerPop]

46. So what?

You may very well be correct, but he left people hanging...see post 39 again and the impression that was left by that interview.

[northzax]

50. he may have left you hanging

the interview said that he, personally, hadn't called Hayward because there was nothing for them to talk about. I think that's perfectly fair. of course, it was spun as 'he doesn't care' but what would you have had him do? call Hayward and say "hey, Tony? how's about you clean that shit up? thanks" what's the point of that conversation? Rahm Emmanual can do that just fine. what would you have had him do? be specific please.

[LeftyFingerPop]

52. OK. Specifically, he should not have implied in that interview that there was no communication.

This added stress to the already worn thin people of the Gulf.

[northzax]

63. you know full well that's not what he said

even in the context of that absurd video giving the CEO of a company equal footing with a Head of State, you can't miss that.

"I have not spoken to him directly, and here's the reason. My experience is that when you talk to a guy like a BP CEO he's going to say all the right words to me. I'm not interested in words, I'm interested in action." what's your problem with that? is it the same as Matt Lauer's? that you wanted him to call Hayward and yell at him for a while? I'm sure George Bush would have talked to the CEO every day, and listened to what he had to say. I prefer the Obama approach, have other people talk to him, and then tell Obama the truth, not the BP spin. don't you think?

[LeftyFingerPop]

65. I don't have a problem, thanks.

But my concern is that he indicated that there was no communication with BP. I can only say this so many ways. Most people don't hang on every last word of an interview and replay it and youtube it and dissect it and replay it again to see exactly what he said.

[rocktivity]

38. Which probably explains his laid back speech of the night before.

I still wish he hadn't done a prime-time address to the nation if he had to little to say. But apparently he's got BP jumping through at least two hoops.

:headbang:
rocktivity

[WCGreen]

40. I think the media tends to underestimate the ability of our president...

Recommend

[MineralMan]

57. Oh, yes. Getting BP to cough up $20B is a major deal.

The timing worked out just right. Enough negative public opinion was in place, and bankruptcy was on the horizon if they didn't work this out in some way. President Obama walked in and named his terms. BP had no real option, so the Chairman caved.

Not many could pull that deal off.