Cliff Notes of Oil Spill Speech.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

We're trying. It's gonna cost a shitload of money. BP will pay cause I'm gonna tell them to. I told someone to make a plan. Use less oil. Pray to God someone can close down this f!@#er.

[tekisui]

1. I'll add-We are going to make offshore drilling safe!

:crazy:

[AngryOldDem]

2. This speech would have been acceptable immediately after the spill.

But not now.

[zbdent]

3. how many of those who seek compensation for their lost businesses have been screaming

"what about my bailout?" and "Get big government (tm) out of my life!"?

[notesdev]

4. Compensation for damage is not a bailout

Equating people who through no fault of their own have had viable, sustainable lifestyles destroyed by BP with the crooks and swindlers of the too big to fail culture is incorrect.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

18. Not to draw too fine a point but...

...the money would be coming from BP, a private company, not taxpayers.

[zbdent]

20. and that money wouldn't have come without gov't intervention, right?

[dgibby]

5. Might I also add:

Well make the gulf even better than it was (as if that's possible).

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

7. Maybe after they fill in all the wetlands, pave it and make it into an eco-disaster amusement park

[meow mix]

8. sounds nice to to talk, not a chance in hell of happening

this govt sucks to much and the pubs wont allow it

[dgibby]

12. I wonder if he's planning on replacing all those mountaintops

in Appalachia while he's at it. That would be change I could endorse.

[blindpig]

6. Nothing, nothing at all. n/t

[KharmaTrain]

9. That About Sums It Up...

Just saw an interesting documentary on the Science Channel on the blow-out and an inside look (apparently done with BP's blessings) as to how things were being done to close the hole. Despite all the bravado and jargon, it showed one idea after another failing...the situation is way beyond their control and most the efforts shy of a relief well were long shots. Time will come to lay serious blame at to why regulation and oversight were lax but at this point even the smartest minds are at a loss as to how to shut down the flow of oil. This isn't a teevee show where there's always a neat ending...this one will get uglier and uglier.

This is a slow motion disaster...not one that fits easy in the 24/7 news cycle.

[soleft]

10. What if the horror of what's coming down is beyond our comprehension?

how could we have possibly heard what we wanted to hear if it was impossible to say?

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

11. I almost got that impression myself. The praying stuff at the end unnerved me

Plus, I really thought President Obama did not look like himself.

[soleft]

14. Almost felt like I was watching Fred Armisted

It was very weird, very disturbing

[dgibby]

13. Then he should tell us that.

I'm tired of being kept in the dark and fed bullshit. I'm not a mushroom.

[emulatorloo]

15. "Pray to God someone can close down this f!@#er." I love your posts, but that is BULLSHIT

I've heard this said elsewhere on DU, it is a pretty twisted misinterpretaion.

The "prayer section"

=====

The oil spill is not the last crisis America will face. This nation has known hard times before and we will surely know them again. What sees us through -– what has always seen us through –- is our strength, our resilience, and our unyielding faith that something better awaits us if we summon the courage to reach for it.

Tonight, we pray for that courage. We pray for the people of the Gulf. And we pray that a hand may guide us through the storm towards a brighter day. Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.

=====

Tell me which part of "we pray for courage" is Pray to God someone can close down this f!@#er."

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

16. The entire "prayer section"

Each year, at the beginning of shrimping season, the region's fishermen take part in a tradition that was brought to America long ago by fishing immigrants from Europe. It's called "The Blessing of the Fleet," and today it's a celebration where clergy from different religions gather to say a prayer for the safety and success of the men and women who will soon head out to sea -- some for weeks at a time.

The ceremony goes on in good times and in bad. It took place after Katrina, and it took place a few weeks ago -- at the beginning of the most difficult season these fishermen have ever faced.

And still, they came and they prayed. For as a priest and former fisherman once said of the tradition, "The blessing is not that God has promised to remove all obstacles and dangers. The blessing is that He is with us always," a blessing that's granted "...even in the midst of the storm."

The oil spill is not the last crisis America will face. This nation has known hard times before and we will surely know them again. What sees us through - what has always seen us through - is our strength, our resilience, and our unyielding faith that something better awaits us if we summon the courage to reach for it. Tonight, we pray for that courage. We pray for the people of the Gulf. And we pray that a hand may guide us through the storm towards a brighter day. Thank you, God Bless You, and may God Bless the United States of America.

The pray/God/faith stuff is quite long for such a short speech. I personally found it unsettling. My Cliff Notes were just my shorthand general impression of the larger points as I was absorbing them. He used the word "pray" or "prayer" 5 times in those last moments of the speech. My last thought was, "Why do we have to pray so much?, shit, must be worse than I even imagined." You can call that bullshit if you like, but that was my impression.

[emulatorloo]

17. Yeah it was a long section, but none of it was "All we can do is pray"

In the context of the speech it was more about having the courage to finally get something done to get away from our dependence on oil.

I've seen the speech pitched the same way by other posters (The only thing that asshole Obama said was we have to pray for the oil to stop!). But it is simply not what Obama said. I was just surprised at seeing this from you. You have never struck me as someone who would twist words in such a way.

Best Regards.


EDIT - spelling as always, no doubt I missed a few.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

19. I never meant my OP to be taken literally

it's just evidence of a strong cynical streak which often presents in snide humor. I wasn't trying give a highly reasoned and analytical study of the speech or pitch a particular twist.

But, I still don't understand what we are supposed to be praying for and I'd be happy to hear your interpretation. I have reread his last paragraph a number of times now.

I have to say, I have never seen criticism presented in such a kind spirit and I plan to take a page from your book.
:hug: