A Whale of a Skimmer

An article in The Washington Times reported the skimmer, named A Whale, is being tested close to the wellhead "because officials believe it will be most effective where the oil is thickest rather than closer to shore". Makes sense.

Governor Jindal expresses frustration with the Obama rhetoric versus reality:

During a Thursday tour of the inlet to Barataria Bay, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said it was exasperating to have A Whale anchored offshore instead of being put to immediate use.

"They've used the war rhetoric," Jindal said aboard a Louisiana state wildlife boat floating in oil-slicked waters near Grand Isle. "If this is really a war, they need to be using every resource that makes sense to fight this oil before it comes to our coast

And, in The Washington Examiner, the report of Placquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser being silenced by the administration is disturbing. Shades of heavy Chicago-style politics surface yet again from this administration. Nungesser is a familiar face on television with the leadership fortitude to demand stronger federal action. According to Mr. Nungesser, he was visited on Father's Day at his office by two White House officials. They were there to silence his criticism of the federal response. "What do we have to do to keep you off tv?" He simply replied, "give me what I need". He claims at a later town hall meeting, a request was made for 20 skimmers. "They gave us two skimmers to shut us up."

The Obama administration is doing heavy duty public relations spin control. Caught flat-footed from the beginning of this tragedy, with local leaders willing to speak truth to power, like Mr. Nungesser, we read that it was very definitely BP in control of disaster management from the beginning. The Coast Guard was taking orders from BP up until President Obama's May 28, 2010 visit. You may remember the Deepwater Horizon exploded on April 20, 2010.

Is vital equipment being rationed out as the voices grow louder? Why is it not the top priority of this administration to manage this disaster with competence? If it were the East coast and not the Gulf coast, would the response be different?

Day 77.