Oil Spill Panel: White House Blocked Federal Scientists From Releasing Worst-Case Scenario For Gulf

[Imagevision]

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration blocked efforts by government scientists to tell the public just how bad the Gulf oil spill could become and committed other missteps that raised questions about its competence and candor during the crisis, according to a commission appointed by the president to investigate the disaster.

In documents released Wednesday, the national oil spill commission's staff describes "not an incidental public relations problem" by the White House in the wake of the April 20 accident.

Among other things, the report says, the administration made erroneous early estimates of the spill's size, and President Barack Obama's senior energy adviser went on national TV and mischaracterized a government analysis by saying it showed most of the oil was "gone." The analysis actually said it could still be there.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/06/oil-spill-panel-white-hou_n_752612.html

When I voted for Obama I never thought that big business would dictate what this presidency would and would not report to the American people as being truthful.

[Kdillard]

1. I would like to read the report myself rather than the

media narrative. I have read that nobody came close to the accurate reading except for Stephen Chu. Outside scientists came in on the low end so really a whole lot of people were wrong.

[babylonsister]

2. OMB denies report it may have suppressed data during BP spill

I don't know; two different stories.


OMB denies report it may have suppressed data during BP spill
By Ben Geman - 10/06/10 04:46 PM ET



The White House is pushing back against a report that it blocked public release of worst-case projections during the early days of the BP oil spill.

The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in a statement Wednesday, said, “senior government officials were clear with the public what the worst-case flow rate could be.”

“In early May, {Interior} Secretary Salazar and Admiral Thad Allen told the American people that the worst case scenario could be more than 100,000 barrels a day,” notes the joint comment from OMB and Jane Lubchenco, who heads the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The comment comes hours after the presidential commission probing the spill released a draft working paper that said OMB might have blocked NOAA efforts to release worst-case projections of how much oil could flow from BP's ruptured well.

more...

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/123041-white-house-denies-it-suppressed-oil-flow-data

[Imagevision]

5. @babylonsister - Scientists were asked why they were still reporting on more spills?

[Imagevision]

3. @Kdillard - Then read!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/06/oil-spill-panel-white-hou_n_752612.html

[ProSense]

7. Read it

Comments here.

Not that the facts matter.

[Imagevision]

21. K&R!

[Kdillard]

9. That is not the panels report. If there is a pdf of the report I am not

seeing fine otherwise I am just not going to have the media take crap and Interpret it for me.

[Imagevision]

12. AKdillard-WASHINGTON (AP) - Documents released today show the White House blocked efforts by federal

scientists.
Panel finds Gov't failed to tell public worst case scenario on BP oil spill.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39543397
Would you believe it if it came from Obama himself?

[Imagevision]

8. Outside scientists came in Because Prsident Obama asked them to.

[FrenchieCat]

4. Who appointed the Oil Spill Panel?

[Imagevision]

6. @FrenchieCat- Panel appointed by Obama to investigate the worst offshore oil spill in U.S …

Panel: Gov’t blocked scientists on spill estimate.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/oct/06/panel-govt-blocked-scientists-on-spill-estimate/

[FrenchieCat]

11. So what does Obama's Panel that he appointed and the article have to say about this.....?

“In early May, {Interior} Secretary Salazar and Admiral Thad Allen told the American people that the worst case scenario could be more than 100,000 barrels a day,” notes the joint comment from OMB and Jane Lubchenco, who heads the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).


May 2nd CNN Interview transcript:
SALAZAR: From day one, there has been the assumption here on the worst-case scenario. And so the--

CROWLEY: What is the worst-case scenario, while we're on that?

SALAZAR: The worst-case scenario is we could have 100,000 barrels or more of oil flowing out. And the requirements BP has is to have the capability to respond to that kind of a spill. And it means doing everything that's going on, including containing the well down at the bottom, mitigating the impacts on the sea, mitigating impacts as things happen on shore.
http://archives.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1005/02/sotu.01.html


SO WHAT SAY YOU? Was a CNN interview not public enough?

[Imagevision]

19. Secretary Salazar and Admiral Thad Allen told the American people bla-bla-bla!!!

[Imagevision]

13. @FrenchieCat -Google it this is is old news - ru kidding!

[discopants]

10. "... just how bad the Gulf oil spill could become...

Quote :"locked efforts by government scientists to tell the public just how bad the Gulf oil spill could become."

So today's Obama Outrage is about speculation of a possible disaster senario that the Administration did not go public with. Okay.

[Imagevision]

14. The oil just seems to have disappeared? repugs believe it and so do Dems?

[ClarkUSA]

15. "big business would dictate this presidency"?? The Chamber of Commerce & BP would disagree w/you

Thanks for posting the latest bullshit-stirring anti-Obama narrative from HuffPo.

:sarcasm:

[Imagevision]

16. The Chamber of Commerce & BP would disagree w/you (?) hahahahahaha... so funny;-)

[ClarkUSA]

17. What's funny about the truth? Your meme is both false and baseless. nt

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DirkGently]

20. This merits discussion, not poo flinging. Did they or didn't they?