Poll: Majority disapprove of spill response

[nmbluesky]

AP poll found 52 percent unhappy with Obama's handling of disaster


The survey found that 52 percent don't approve of Obama's handling of the spill, a significant increase from last month when a significant chunk of Americans withheld judgment. But Obama's overall job performance rating didn't take a hit; it stayed virtually the same at 50 percent. That's consistent with the public's attitudes throughout his young presidency; people generally like him but don't necessarily agree with his policies.


The public is directing most of its ire at the oil company that leased the rig. A stunning 83 percent disapprove of BP's performance in the aftermath of the April 20 explosion that killed 11 workers and triggered the spill of millions of gallons of crude. That number of Americans disapproving also was a big jump from May.


But public attitudes have shifted dramatically as Americans already reeling over a recession and angry at institutions of all types — from corporations to Congress — watched oil continue to gush while both BP and the government struggled to find a solution and clean up the mess.

Far more people are focused on the spill now as oil coats beaches, kills wildlife and cripples the Gulf economy; 87 percent now say the issue is extraordinarily important to them personally, second only to the economy. And far more rate the environment — 72 percent — as very important than did last month.

More than half reported strong feelings of anger over the speed of the government's response, and about a third said they felt a strong degree of shame about what's happening in the Gulf. Nearly a third expressed strong feelings of doubt over whether the government could really help them if they were a disaster victim and more than half doubted that the government's response to the oil spill, thus far, has had any impact.

read more:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37709543/ns/politics-white_house/

[mopinko]

1. really? i am shocked

shocked i tell you that after 6 weeks of bashing 24/7 people are unhappy with the response. shocked.

[flyarm]

2. Last night on Anderson Cooper it was 70% disapproval! eom

[elocs]

3. A good many Republicans saw nothing wrong with Bush's response to Katrina

although all of us here at DU did. In fact many Republicans today still deny that Bush and how he handled Katrina had anything to do with his declining approval numbers and the downfall of the Republican party.

Likewise most Democrats see nothing wrong with Obama's handling of the BP oil gushing/spill/disaster. We will also deny that it will have anything to do with any declining poll numbers that Obama might have or if the Republicans retake control of either or both houses of congress.

The White House should have realized that perception is everything and if the American people had perceived and had confidence that their president was truly in charge and on top of this disaster then most of them would be grateful and inspired. Most are not.

People are pissed and getting more pissed and the results won't be pretty and we won't like them. Then we will have a chance to explain away everything.

Everybody loves a ride on the River Denial.

[jefferson_dem]

5. A good many DUers see nothing right with Obama's ...

presidency. They will claim "HUGH" outrage regardless... So I agree with you on the denial part.

Then there's this, from the AP write-up:

But Obama's overall job performance rating didn't take a hit; it stayed virtually the same at 50 percent. That's consistent with the public's attitudes throughout his young presidency; people generally like him but don't necessarily agree with his policies.

The public is directing most of its ire at the oil company that leased the rig. A stunning 83 percent disapprove of BP's performance in the aftermath of the April 20 explosion that killed 11 workers and triggered the spill of millions of gallons of crude. That number of Americans disapproving also was a big jump from May.

[Cha]

10. Thank you for that, Jefferson...

It's an impossible situation and those trying to bring down the President because of the mediawhores' perception of him are just trying to score cheap political points.

[elocs]

13. Probably a greater number of freepers saw everything right with Bush's presidency.

Democrats tend to expect more from their own and are more easily disappointed by their own. Here at DU after 8 years of opposition to Bushco it is hard to escape that mindset and we feel more free to question authority and our leaders than do Republicans who like to line up like good little soldiers.

It is simplistic thinking to believe that anyone who disagrees with Obama or is critical of him is somehow "always" against him just as much as it is to call those who agree with Obama "cheerleaders". I think that a lot of the criticism of Obama comes from those who are really disappointed with some of the things he has done and at heart really, really want him to succeed.

What we do not need here at DU is to be dismissive of those with whom we disagree calling them either Obama "haters" (shades of Hillary Haters) or "cheerleaders", in the same way that many are so often dismissive of somebody who truly has a question with the "thanks for the concern" retort. How clever.
I would hope here at DU we could mostly get past the petty labeling and name-calling in an attempt to support our point of view because doing that is intellectually lazy.

[nmbluesky]

14. yeah... the sometime Media are annoy

They really want to see Obama's angry? GOP wants to see him failed? Fox News wants to see Obama looks so bad

Crazy!!!!

[Cha]

9. Many of us knew exactly what the President was doing from

Day One..so NO.. we are not in denial no matter how many times you accuse.

And, those who listen to the constant barrage of saying the President isn't doing this or isn't doing that.. would be taking a stupid mediawhore poll such as AP..

President's Remarks on May 2, 2010

“We're dealing with a massive and potentially unprecedented environmental disaster. The oil that is still leaking from the well could seriously damage the economy and the environment of our
Gulf states and it could extend for a
long time. It could jeopardize the livelihoods of thousands of Americans
who call this place home.”


RESPONSE TO OIL GUSHER FROM DAY ONE

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Since the moments after the oil rig explosion on the night of April 20, DHS has played a lead role in federal response efforts—deploying the U.S. Coast Guard to search and rescue the 126 people aboard the rig, and quickly leading efforts to establish a command center on the Gulf Coast to address the potential environmental impact of the event and to coordinate with all state and local governments. Secretary Napolitano leads the National Response Team, an organization of 16 federal departments and agencies responsible for coordinating emergency preparedness and response to oil and hazardous substance pollution events.

U.S. Coast Guard
The Coast Guard has played a major role from the very beginning, when it responded to the explosion on a search and rescue mission to save lives. Pursuant to the National Contingency Plan, Rear Admiral Mary Landry was named the Federal On-Scene Coordinator to lead a Regional Response Team which was stood up that included DHS, DOC/NOAA, DOI and the EPA, as well as state and local representatives. As the event escalated, Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen was announced as the National Incident Commander for the administration’s continued, coordinated response—providing additional coordinated oversight in leveraging every available resource to respond to the BP oil spill and minimize the associated environmental risks.

Department of the Interior (DOI)
The morning after the explosion, Secretary of the Interior deployed Deputy Secretary David J. Hayes to the Gulf Coast to assist with coordination and response to the event, and provide hourly reports back to the administration. Since then, DOI has played a vital role in overseeing BP’s response efforts while—at the President’s request—working to deliver a report with recommendations on what, if any, additional safety measures should be required for offshore operations. Secretary Salazar has announced that inspections of all deepwater rigs and platforms are underway.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Since the BP Oil Spill, EPA has provided full support to the U.S. Coast Guard and is monitoring and responding to potential public health and environmental concerns. Environmental data, including air quality and water samples, will be posted and frequently updated on this site as it is collected and validated by EPA’s response teams along the impacted coastlines. This data is meant to determine potential risks to public health and the environment: http://www.epa.gov/bpspill

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
As the nation’s leading scientific resource for oil spills, NOAA has been on the scene of the Deepwater Horizon spill from the start, providing coordinated scientific weather and biological response services to federal, state and local organizations: http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/deepwaterhorizon
Weather Forecast: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lix/

Small Business Administration
SBA is making low-interest loans available to small businesses in the Gulf Coast regions of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi suffering financial losses following the April 20 Deepwater BP oil spill that shut down commercial and recreational fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) are available immediately in designated counties and parishes of each of the four states to help meet the financial needs of qualifying small businesses following the oil spill: http://www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance/

Department of Defense (DOD)
DOD continues to support the ongoing response effort by lending Naval and Air Force bases to provide vital staging areas for boom deployments and other activities, and providing C-130 aircraft equipped with Modular Aerial Spray Systems, which dispense chemical dispersant—capable of covering up to 250 acres per flight. DOD also plays a significant role in the National Response Team, helping to lead the coordination of response actions for the federal government. Secretary of Defense Gates has authorized use of Title 32 status for up to 17,500 National Guard members in four states: Alabama (3,000), Florida (2,500), Louisiana (6,000) and Mississippi (6,000).

Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service
The Fish and Wildlife Service continues to support the joint agency response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico with experienced specialists, land managers, and support personnel. Booms to capture and deflect anticipated oil are being deployed at Breton National Wildlife Refuge, where thousands of brown pelicans and shorebirds are currently nesting. The Service also is initiating Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration activities in this incident to assess and address the long-term damage to impacted resources: http://www.fws.gov/home/dhoilspill

Department of the Interior’s National Park Service
The National Park Service is focused on human safety and resource protection in eight national parks in the Gulf area. These parks are working to assess resources, collect baseline data, coordinate boom placements, plan for responsible cleanup, install barriers for shore bird and turtle nest protection, and plan for potential park closures, if necessary: http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/oil-spill-response.htm

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Oil spill response workers may be exposed to many different chemical, physical, biological, and psychological hazards. These hazards vary depending on the type and location of the oil spill, type and stage of response, degree of coordination between entities involved in response and recovery, and the workers’ specific tasks. Therefore, occupational and environmental hazards need to be identified, assessed, and monitored in each oil spill response: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/oilspillresponse

Daily Updates
A chronology of the ongoing administration-wide response to the Deepwater BP Oil Spill, beginning on April 20, is available here.

Information on Air, Food, and Water Safety
Air: With the prevalence of vapor concerns from oil near the Gulf coast and the controlled burning to help contain the spread of oil, air quality is a health concern. EPA has initiated an air monitoring effort to ensure the safety of local residents and track any developing air quality changes.

Food: Although crude oil has the potential to taint seafood with flavors and odors caused by exposure to hydrocarbon chemicals, the public should not be concerned about the safety of seafood in stores at this time. There is no reason to believe that any contaminated product has made its way to the market.

Water: NOAA is restricting fishing for a minimum of ten days in federal waters most affected by the BP oil spill, largely between Louisiana state waters at the mouth of the Mississippi River to waters off Florida’s Pensacola Bay. The closure is effective immediately. Fishermen who wish to contact BP about a claim should call 1-800-440-0858.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/deepwater-bp-oil-spill

[Webster Green]

11. Much of that is overblown.

BP is still continuing to hide evidence. A marine biologist just told Randi Rhodes that marine animal carcasses were disappearing from the beaches in the dead of night. BP is actively involved in hiding the damage they caused, and they are allowed to do it. Why?

Workers are still not allowed to use respirators, and they are getting ill as a result. Why? (Answer: It doesn't look good for BP if there's a sense that anything toxic is present.)

A long list of "government responses" from a government website doesn't really do it for me.

BP is obviously still running the show, and the primary concern is mitigating the disaster to BP's image, and the fines they may face.

[Cha]

12. The government is doing everything

they possibly can in an impossible situation. Of course, there's still shit going on but I'm not joining the chorus of those blaming the President for not "being emotional enough".."not doing enough".."being too thin skinned", etc, etc, etc.

[Webster Green]

15. Really?

Nobody can tell BP to fuck off, and let the workers wear respirators?

Really? :silly:

[Cha]

16. I would tell BP to fuck off and wear my own respirator.

But, that's just me.

[Webster Green]

17. I guess you would be escorted out of the area.

This is unacceptable. It's certainly not "doing the best they can".

You are correct. Someone needs to tell BP to fuck off, but it hasn't happened.

[Cha]

19. I disagree..I think the Gov is doing

what they can. BP not so much.

Escorted out wearing a respirator.

[Webster Green]

24. OK then.

We disagree. :thumbsup:

[uponit7771]

4. These same people would be mad if Obama took over BP US and their assets....

[O is 44]

6. Polls such as these are meaningless because it does

not tell us what those who disapprove would like to see him do.

[Cha]

7. APMediawhore polls show a disapproval..

after the media says he's anything from not emotional enough to thinned skinned..so not impressed.

Too many people suck up what mediawhores say and stuff it in their brains along with all the other useless garbage.

I saw some of "An American Idiot" on Broadway being performed at The Tonys Sunday night..it was Awesome.

[atomicant]

21. the Washington Post/ABC poll gives Obama the highest approval (52%)

We need to make up our minds: Are media outlets only sometimes out to get Obama?

[Cha]

22. I don't have to make up my mind..I know

what mediawhores spew 24/7..they haven't changed in 10 years.

There are plenty of people who don't listen to them..not everyone is an American Idiot.

[atomicant]

23. But why is Obama's approval the highest in the Washington Post/ABC poll?

Did they forget to be out to get him in that particular instance?

[Cha]

25. Like I said..there are plenty of people who

don't let the mediawhores influence them.

[Drunken Irishman]

8. Of course...

When the media is constantly saying his response is poor, the American people, after a while, are going to believe it.

You can tell someone something once and they'll dismiss it. Tell them again and they'll probably dismiss it again. Tell them a few hundred times, though, and you start believing it.

The American people generally have no way of disproving what the media is telling them because it's difficult to obtain the entire story. It involves actually knowing where to go and where to look. So they rely on the news as an unbiased filter of events. Here, the news media has been critical of Obama's response since day one. They've rarely been positive about anything he's done.

He went to the Gulf within days of this story really developing and we were told he never went. A great deal in the media were demanding he make a 'first' visit to the Gulf States.

That right there implants Obama's no-response in the mind of many.

So he goes again and we're told he wasn't there long enough. He did what they said he needed to do (a second time) and they still question whether it was long enough. Then, instead of camping out in the Gulf (which undoubtedly would be spun against him), he had the audacity to return to Chicago for Memorial Day weekend - the bastard!

So the media whines about that. Oh but wait, they also whine about the fact that he joined a chorus of past presidents by not attending Arlington on Memorial Day.

Then we hear he's too calm. As if being calm in crisis is a bad thing. We need Pres. Obama to show his anger. Rip off his shirt if he has to! That's what the media was demanding. So he shows a bit of anger and then they suggest, like Andrea Mitchell today, that he's too thin skinned. Hun, what is it? You can't have thin skin and consider yourself calm!

So then Pres. Obama returns to the Gulf (his third visit, but officially two since we so easily discounted the first visit when this thing began) and it's still not good enough. You've got Chris Matthews saying he's not engaged enough (Chris probably wants him to put on a scuba suit, land on one of those tankers out there and plug the whole himself - that's what Bush would've done!) and because he's too calculating, he's not doing things right.

Cause, you know, being calculating is such a bad thing.

Worst of all, it seems they want him to be Bush. They want him to play dress up and act as a president.

Well you know what? There is a huge difference between playing the role of a president and actually being president. This isn't Hollywood, folks. This is real life. Obama might not be playing the role of president very well, but he damn well is playing the part of being president - you know, the decisive leader who actually is looking for results and not photo ops - as about as well as I could expect.

But the media won't report that. They won't report on everything the WH has done. They only want the illusion of action and unfortunately, what Pres. Obama is doing right now is not something easily put on display. And that's because leadership often takes place behind closed doors and away from the cameras. It's the most important aspect of a presidency and it's something that the American people do not want to see. It's boring. They don't want to hear how Pres. Obama spends his days manning the phones and researching and creating commissions to deal with this because it's not entertainment. What is entertainment, however, is a president flying down to the coast, standing on a beach with a bullhorn and muttering how everything is going to be all right.

That makes for good entertainment. Bush did it well - until we realized he was nothing but an actor. When it came down to the leadership part, he was all hat and no cattle. That's when we turned on him. That's when we mocked his dress up and play time.

Bush was good at the photo ops. He just wasn't good at anything else.

But it seems the media forgets that. Do they want a photo op or real leadership? If they want the former, then they better not complain when Pres. Obama spends his entire presidency playing dress up and fails to get anything done.

[Tarheel_Dem]

20. +10000

[Thrill]

18. SHOCKING!! If you listened to the talking heads on TV

you would think the President went down there and kicked a hole in the damn thing and started the leak

[treestar]

26. That would include right wingers, presumably

who of course don't approve of anything the government does.

[AtomicKitten]

27. Some 71% (CNN poll) say he's not being tough enough on BP.

I hope tonight is the beginning of a remedy to that.