"I want to thank everyone who rolled their sleeves up and helped out" said President Obama yesterday evening as he stood in front of the world's cameras discussing efforts to tackle the oil spill, with his sleeves rolled up.
However, it was the line "this is an attack on our shores" that really made me sit up and take notice. An attack? It is an interesting choice of word. It is a disaster of course, probably even a tragedy as we will learn in time but an attack suggests a certain intent, or at least an individual or entity who must assume malicious culpability.
The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was, of course, the fault of BP, one of Britain's biggest companies, and it is now officially the US' worst catast of its kind. Countries have fallen out over far less so I daresay Cameron is watching on with his soon-to-be-trademark chewing of his lip, betraying his nervousness.
After all, natural disasters have the potential to affect a leader's approval ratings drastically. There was arguably not too much that George W Bush could do about Hurricane Katrina but it was this issue more than the econom and Iraq, two botched issues that he did have more control over, that really hurt him.
There's little doubt that the oil spill was BP's fault and there's little doubt that they have the responsibility and best chance of plugging the gap that is still squirting out 500 million barrels of black gold every day, but it is BO who will be feeling a little less slick once this is done and dusted. And if it keeps getting called an "attack" perhaps Dave and Bill's prized 'Special Relationship' will be deeply tarnished too.
6 comments:
So, the day after his deputy Michael Moore enters the UK Cabinet, the real boss - Tavish Scott - proposes "Calman Plus":
‘Lib Dems seek SNP deal’
http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/scotland/Lib-Dems-seek-SNP-deal.6329080.jp
But will the parliamentary Conservative Party be happy if the coalition government presents a Scotland Bill at Westminster based upon “Calman Plus”/Steel Commission, or would they prefer to stick to Danny Alexander’s original promise: the Calman report as published?
For background, here is the Steel Commission report:
‘The Steel Commission’
- Moving to Federalism - A New Settlement for Scotland
http://www.scotlibdems.org.uk/files/steelcommission.pdf
I wonder when the English Liberal Democrats will publish an Ashdown Commission or somesuch, proposing “A New Settlement for England”?
Hi Stuart
It is interesting indeed but seems to be more of a grudging statement of the facts rather than a serious attempt by Tavish to move things forward.
I can't help felling that Tavish has largely been marginalised by the UK Party, seen as a loser and unpopular amongst the general public, surely he must be replaced before the Liberals run for Holyrood 2011?
As for the Steele report, it still falls short of real fiscal autonomy by a long way.
The Steele Commission had a very weak statement to make on sharing oil revenues, simply saying that there may be a case for a specific tax sharing mechanism for North Sea oil revenues.
It's a typical piece of lib dem 'middle ground'.
What's a little disconcerting is that the Liberals were supposed to have built on this report, that's what Tavish said would be done but it now seems he's content to simply point to this report which predates the 2007 election.
With the reference to rolling up sleeves, I thought you meant something else by BO.
Oops slow on the uptake, probably you meant the double entendre.
Time to take a rest Jeff.
Will the BP disaster make America fall out of love with oil? I think not! They will still consume and consume more and more of the black gold.
The structural failure of the leeves during Katriona comes down to factors that all lead back to government. George W's response was the most damaging thing of all to the American people!
BO has learned from George W's mistakes and is trying to mitigate against the anger of the American people for the part his administration has played in setting up the condition which allowed this man made ecological disaster to happen.
Just a note: I'm waiting for BP stock to bottom out, and then I'm buying.
BP isn't going anywhere. It has too many assets for this to kill it.
Hurt it, and hurt it badly, yes, but it will still be one of the largest global oil companies when the oil is cleaned up and all is said and done.
Anonymous, are you using a solar powered computer?
There was arguably not too much that George W Bush could do about Hurricane Katrina but it was this issue more than the econom and Iraq, two botched issues that he did have more control over, that really hurt him.
What did for Bush was the image of his flying *over* NO, and observing as if a visiting Olympian. It's perfectly true that Federal Government has no authority on such state-wide affairs, but clearly Obama is creating the impression of his being prepared to go to Ground Zero.
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