Thread for President Obama's 6/15/10 Address to the Nation on the Oil Spill

I read the transcript here since I don't have TV and only limited internet. What I got from the whole thing was just as I figured it would be. The typical flag waving rhetoric he's been spewing. He made a few decent points about moving away from fossil fuels, but still, it was pretty weak, and just rehashing old speeches. I figured he would tell us something we didn't already know, but we got the 'our government loves you and we're fixing this for you because you're special' dribble. He did admit that the govt has been involved in this since day one. That tells me that govt has repeatedly dropped the ball while pointing the finger at BP. It's an international problem with international consequenses, with international involvement. He's basically (in his own words) waging battle against the oil It seems any more they are all about damage control instead of preventative maintenance (never let a good crisis go to waste).
What this also told me was that it was the perfect window of opportunity to ram the new Energy Bill through CONgress ("a bill that finally makes clean energy the profitable kind of energy for America's businesses"). He also activated 17,000 National Guard to coastal areas. That doesn't mean he sent them to shoot at civilians, they are supposed to be there to help. But being actively stationed is only 1 phone call away from having their orders changed when the time comes.
He also mentions that the well will continue to gush until late summer... wonderful...
I sure hope this is not the "green jobs" he was talking about creating. As for the wind turbines, I think they outsourced that to China.

Originally posted by they see ALL
As a side - but very interesting - note, when you type "Obama 6/15 oil address nation" into Google, this thread is the 5th one down! Yay us!

Now we are the number three hit on Google when you google that! Nice! Thanks all for weighing in on the address!

Originally posted by Throwback
Christ ya'll are negative. And how many of you actually live in the Gulf area and are sincerely worried? Probably not that many. This isn't an opportunity to bash the President or push these annoying conspiracy theories. Your negativity isn't helping at all...

I don't live on the coast anymore, but I have family that lives less than 5 miles from the beach in west Florida. I lived there too for about 2 years. It's going to be a shame to see it all dead and black. I was hoping to visit there again, but that doesn't sound likely anymore.
THEORIES? Obama set the record for ignoring a natural disaster, right behind Bush and Katrina, right behind Clinton and Hugo. If you've not been paying attention, that speech was all hype and wind. He has repeatedly lied to the public, and you want us to be all rainbows n' butterflies because he had a few positive words on his teleprompter? We've been trying to get them to do something constructive for over a month now, and they blacked the whole thing out of the media. You bet your arse we're bashing him!.... Theories?

One thing really stood out for me in this speech.

BO mentioned using a 3rd party to handle the money distribution. What would you bet its either a government affiliated group that he chooses (aka one of his buddies) or a company who has a chief exec in either Haliburton or BP pockets already?

I would have probably "felt better" if he had been direct and honest in providing even a few actual facts, figures,possible outcomes, and gasping here: maybe even a Plan B in case things really turn ugly?

I don't think that anything to do with the drilling of oil is an "exact science" but one based on experience and calculated risks...he said nothing that would allow me to believe he even understands the situation but rather that his energy has been spent lining up the players in yet another of his agendas.

I am disgusted because he "speaks" but the words have no weight, no meaning, and for all his talk of "faith", I have less than even in his administration's ability to do anything that works FOR the people of this country!

I sure have seen "change" in recent months and it hasn't been good!

It will most likely turn into yet another furious-fleecing of us all only this time I honestly do not believe that people will swallow it down quite as easily and that things will get worse before they get better.

Everyone I talk to is fed up and not going to lie down and play dead...

I sure believe that he's MUCH more interested in extorting everything he can from the "players" in this disaster than about the needs of the people who are going to be lost for many years to come.



[edit on 15-6-2010 by irishchic]

[edit on 15-6-2010 by irishchic]

The blue eye shadow gave a nice effect.

I was rather distracted by the strange position of the bird on the flag to the right. Knowing there are messages in visuals, it seemed rather portentious that the bird leg is holding the "greenery" high and the arrows, low. Very awkward position for the bird. Perhaps the imagery is "telling" in that this "disaster" is being used as a catalyst to bring the green movement to fruition.

While many comments and videos are focused on corporate evils and political collusion, I believe there are supposed to be 3 frogs that are croaking...

One seems to be missing from the limelight as yet, but the sudden burst of religiosity may have been a touch of foreshadowing that the third frog will soon step up to the plate.

[edit on 16-6-2010 by Alethea]

[edit on 16-6-2010 by Alethea]

reply to post by wheresthetruth


I immediately had similar thoughts to his use "3rd party." Who would be qualified and for what reason? It doesn't make sense.

I think every person would have a bias one way or another in this situation. How could they not when yet another part of our planet is being destroyed?

Originally posted by wheresthetruth
One thing really stood out for me in this speech.

BO mentioned using a 3rd party to handle the money distribution. What would you bet its either a government affiliated group that he chooses (aka one of his buddies) or a company who has a chief exec in either Haliburton or BP pockets already?

You can almost bet Goldman has their hand in the cookie jar too.

This may be a crazy observation, but I've noticed everytime they are on a mission to bull@(#*$ the public, they have a blue tie on, and when they are doing something that directly relates to their agenda they have a red one. I noticed that in quite a few presidential speeches, and yes I've even seen the dems wear red ties, and the repubs wearing blue ties. There are more than 2 colors of ties but that is usually all they wear.
Just a thought.....

I was late watching the speech, because my teenager was having his own end of the world melt down.

It was crazy. I thought he was my president, not my preacher.

He looks way too nonplussed.
I don't feel informed.
I don't feel better, or safer, or anything....
I voted for him, but I don't trust him.

He reminded me of a model spokesman trying to act like a preacher.

reply to post by OuttaTime


Well, when they push for new legislation he's been wearing purple. Not just him, but his wife, Pelosi and all the major leaders will have on PURPLE ties. I think because they want to get bipartisan support and look innovative and all full of 'change.'

They do wear a lot of blue and red - but the state of the union - before healthcare - that was one purple tie event.

What a useless, clueless, incompetent waste of space and oxygen this man is.

Same crap in this speech as he has been spewing.

"We were there from day one" BS, NO they were not.

"We will do everything.... blah, blah, blah" BS! They rejected help offered by other countries, they have rejected products made by American companies that absorb oil because they have not been EPA approved. We have a major disaster in the Gulf and can't use products that have been demonstrated to WORK because of no EPA approval? What a bunch of crap!

Now, I certainly don't think the blowout was Obama's fault, although the MMS bears some responsibility for this mess because they approved BP's plan to drill this monstrosity. But there is NO EXCUSE for the slow response to the clean up.

All talk and no action, except to push his damn Cap and Tax agenda.

Originally posted by hadriana
reply to post by OuttaTime

 

Well, when they push for new legislation he's been wearing purple. Not just him, but his wife, Pelosi and all the major leaders will have on PURPLE ties. I think because they want to get bipartisan support and look innovative and all full of 'change.'

They do wear a lot of blue and red - but the state of the union - before healthcare - that was one purple tie event.

OK, so what you're saying is that I'm not crazy?
I'll have to pay more aattention to the purple thing then. I've just been keeping an eye out on the red/blue.

Well... the husband threw a pillow at the TV and stalked out.
I sat in amazement.. and then anger. Im intensely offended! WHo the hell is this guy anyway? He certainly isnt president material and even the deep asleep had to notice that he is impotent as a leader. He addressed nothing concerning the real lives that are being destroyed on the gulf coast and blatantly rode the backs of the dead BP workers, the financially devastated gulfers, and the entire nation's coming tragedy to push some stupid cap and trade/tax environmental agenda BS. He is so concerned about becoming Spain that he doesnt notice that Spain and their environmental and energy policies have them one step away from Greece-like failure. Im ashamed already and I havent yet read the world's take on this speech...

This is NOT my America anymore. She apparently died long ago and I didnt even notice.


So.. where do we go from here? How do we assist our fellow Americans who are being effected RIGHT NOW on the gulf coast? They cant live there... its dangerous and they will lose everything.

Bah... this is an incredible calamity and its just started... How are people acting as if its just another day??


Im originally from New Orleans.. born and raised. My home is going to die. My relatives are fearful and do not know how to handle this. After this "president's" speech tonight it's quite clear we have to rescue our own and not wait for the gov or BP or whomever to do whats right.

Originally posted by hadriana
I was late watching the speech, because my teenager was having his own end of the world melt down.

It was crazy. I thought he was my president, not my preacher.

He looks way too nonplussed.
I don't feel informed.
I don't feel better, or safer, or anything....
I voted for him, but I don't trust him.

He reminded me of a model spokesman trying to act like a preacher.

No doubt. Far be it from him to pray about anything good or positive. If hot air could plug the well shut, Obama could seal it off all by himself.

reply to post by Dixie70


I worked in the O&G industry for years, lived on the Gulf Coast from Corpus Christi to Ft. Myers, Florida, 5 yrs. on NO, have lots of friends that work in the O&G industry and a number of commercial fisherman friends. Their lives are in limbo now.

I knew the jerk wouldn't say anything worth hearing, but I thought, "just in case he actually says something" I should listen. All it did was make me madder than I have been for the lat month or so.

He's more interested in pushing the agenda that he is in Gulf Coast and the enormous problems this gusher is causing.

here's something to add to the speech,

Mr Obama has set up a bipartisan, seven-member committee, drawing together leading scientists, environmentalists and energy experts to determine what caused the rig to explode and sink in April.

Earlier today, the scientific group put together by the US Government to assess the amount of oil flowing from the leaking well estimated the spill rate as being in the range of 35,000 to 60,000 barrels per day.

The group added that the cap currently in place over the well is capturing "up to 18,000 barrels of oil per day".

BP said the cleanup and compensation effort cost had risen to about $US1.6 billion, which included "the cost of the spill response, containment, relief well drilling, grants to the Gulf states, claims paid, and federal costs".

guess bp is now fully paid out, hopefully this will be enough for compensation in case this spill drags on for years or decades.
don't think there will be anymore coming peoples way.

The blame for all the current Government's mistakes and inept handling of the Gulf Oil crisis can be laid at the door of every idiot who voted for Obama and his socialist administration. I hope you all like the CHANGE you got!!!. you voted for a snake oil salesman,named Obama.
Obama makes the second worse President Jimmy Carter look good.

reply to post by they see ALL


He does nothing but lie anyway. Name one thing he has done that was promised? Without the liberal spin and do cite the "Bills" and explain how they do what he promised. He is a sick man, and is either a very practiced liar, or a pathological one. Either way, his actions show me he is all lies.

reply to post by wfaherty


Either way was bad, the entire system is corrupt. Campaigns are lies, but I do think Mccain would be in Iran by now.