President Obama walked the beaches of Louisiana's coastline today, picking up occasional tar balls as spectators held up signs saying "Help us Obama." The visit followed yesterday's promise to make sure "everybody in the Gulf understands" that the oil spill is his number one priority. As BP struggles to plug the Deepwater well, can he fight off the accusation that the growing disaster is "Obama's Katrina?" Was BP deceptive about the magnitude of the spill? Did Obama inherit a culture of lax regulation? What more can he do to illustrate that he's firmly in charge? We hear from supporters and critics in the US and Britain and update progress on "Top Kill."
The Oil Spill, the President and Public Perception
Credits
Guests:
- Mark Schleifstein - Times-Picayune - @mschleifsteintp
- Thomas Langston - Professor of Political Science, Tulane University
- Harry Shearer - Political satirist - @theharryshearer
- Eric Dezenhall - Dezenhall Resources
- John Dickerson - Slate / 'Face the Nation' - @jdickerson
- Guy Chazan - Reporter, Wall Street Journal