Oh, christ
http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/51836
Carol Browner, the President’s adviser on environment and climate change, said on Face the Nation that BP’s next effort after "top kill" failed to staunch the gusher could make things even worse, and that we may be facing months of uncontrolled oil/gas gushing into the Gulf. . . . [read on]
http://firedoglake.com/2010/05/30/why-did-obama-trust-big-oil/
[Obama] Where I was wrong was in my belief that the oil companies had their act together when it came to worst-case scenarios. . . . [read on]
http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/who-could-have-known-there-were-safet
[NYT] Internal documents from BP show that there were serious problems and safety concerns with the Deepwater Horizon rig far earlier than those the company described to Congress last week. . . [read on]
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/05/no_plan.php
[MM] What has continued to bother me about this whole affair is that no drilling projects can be initiated without full disaster fall-back plans that have to be approved by the government. These plans are supposed to take in every eventuality. . . . [read on]
More: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/30/opinion/30rich.html
Obama’s Katrina? Maybe Worse
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_05/024034.php
Dana Milbank argues today that while his predecessor "refused to accept blame," President Obama seems to accept too much blame. . . .
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_05/024036.php
Conservative columnist George Will said this morning that President Obama is "being unfairly blamed" for the response to the BP oil spill disaster. But, Will added, he's glad the president is receiving the unfair criticism anyway. . . .
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/5/30/871323/-Risk-communication-and-disasters:-just-tell-the-truth
A misguided apology
http://www.eschatonblog.com/2010/05/wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.html
"The first thing to say is I'm sorry," [BP CEO] Tony Hayward said when asked what he would tell people in Louisiana, where heavy oil has already reached parts of the state's southeastern marshes.
"We're sorry for the massive disruption it's caused their lives. There's no one who wants this over more than I do. I would like my life back."
The Obama Justice Dept may go after Arizona’s immigration law
http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/justice-department-may-step-fray-agains
Republican irresponsibility, without fear of consequences
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_05/024033.php
[Steve Benen] There are, at present, about 240 administration nominees waiting for a confirmation vote, an almost comically ridiculous number given how long they've been waiting. On Thursday, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) tried to reduce the number by seeking unanimous consent to approve about a third of the pending nominees as a bloc. The total of about 80 officials was made up of nominees who'd already been through the vetting process, had already been approved by the relevant committee, and were filling government posts that are currently vacant.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) refused. It wasn't because the nominees weren't qualified; it was because McConnell's feelings were hurt when the White House gave a recess appointment to Craig Becker to serve on the National Labor Relations Board earlier this year.
And so, important government posts remain vacant, and qualified officials wait patiently for months (or years) for no apparent reason, because Mitch McConnell isn't especially concerned with whether our federal government has the personnel in place to function as it's supposed to. . . .
More: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/05/weakening-america-mitch-mcconnell-shows-how/57441/
Gee, I can’t see any way THIS could cause problems
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/30/AR2010053003471.html
New records show some lobbyists are top fundraisers for political candidates

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/cleavage-and-crossed-legs-this-week-for.html
[Glenn Beck] "Did you see the picture of his wife yesterday, all dolled up? 'Sex in the City' is what it said on the Drudge Report. She looks positively like she's trying to be some Greek statue. I don't think I've ever seen the first lady with her -- excuse the expression -- but with her breasts all smooshed up, sort of. I mean, what is that?" [read on]
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