Obama’s “misplaced” words about the oil spill

This afternoon the president gave a press conference concerning the administration’s response to the BP oil spill. Were the president my client, he would have been “fired” on the spot, and here’s why.

President Obama said quite clearly, “the federal government has been in charge since day one”.  Forgetting for the moment that no one believes that to be remotely true, he has handed BP a partial defense to damage claims on a “silver platter”.

The trial of damage claims will go something like this.  BP will freely admit, as it has to, that it is responsible for the explosion.  But, as a result of the president’s statements, it will also be able to now say to the jury, look, the federal government, not BP, was in charge of stopping the spill and the resulting damage from day one.  Had we, BP, been in charge, we could have stopped the leak much sooner, and there would have been far less damage.  But, our hands were tied by the federal government.

This is the part in any trial where the attorney puts his head in his hands, and tries to pretend that nothing “bad” just happened.

You never tell someone that you are in charge, particularly when you are not, unless you want to bear some of the responsibility for the damage.

Posted in

SoundOffSister

The Sound Off Sister was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and special trial attorney for the Department of Justice, Criminal Division; a partner in the Florida law firm of Shutts & Bowen, and an adjunct professor at the University of Miami, School of Law. The Sound Off Sister offers frequent commentary concerning legislation making its way through Congress, including the health reform legislation passed in early 2010.

8 Comments

  1. Anne-EH on May 27, 2010 at 11:16 am

    President Obama, sensing that even now his most loyal supporters, (example: James Carville), and those of the old msm, when they turn against him,(President Obama), it is certain the Obama White House is in BIGTIME trouble.



    • Dimsdale on May 27, 2010 at 5:28 pm

      I agree!  When you can't even get Carville to spin for you, you have major problems.

       

      Too bad we will never hear about it from the "objective" media outlets!



    • LH321P on May 31, 2010 at 4:59 am

      If  our prayers are answered — YOU ARE RIGHT!!



  2. Rick-WH on May 27, 2010 at 1:38 pm

    SOS, I know that your sound judgment would prevent you from ever taking President Obama on as a client.  However, had you been stuck with him as a client for some reason, you would have fired him as one long, long, before today.  Of course, this does open the door for some type of  "revenue enhancement" for the Federal government to be able to fund such claims.



  3. Dimsdale on May 27, 2010 at 5:27 pm

    Is there anything about this guy that isn't "misplaced"?  Like his college records, his legal publications as president of the HLR, his "experience", his honesty, all his campaign promises, his "transparency", his towering intellect, etc., etc., etc.?

     

    The only thing not missing is his socialism and the chutzpah it takes to lie directly to everyone's face as his does.  Clinton was a rank amateur compared to Øbama!



  4. Valerie on May 28, 2010 at 2:01 am

    He's trying to deflect the political damage.  Just sad, because he has a lot more legal training than most, has a ton a lawyers on his staff and still can't get it right. 

    I heard on Fox that there are ships that suck in the oil and sea water mix, reclaim the oil and return the water back to sea cleaned so that a spill like this won't damage the enviroment.  Where the heck are those ships Mr. Obama? 



  5. NH-Jim on May 28, 2010 at 1:51 pm

    Once again, this is where true executive experience is so invaluable.  An elected official who has had some experience as a CEO, an administrator, a small business owner, (heck) even a Boy Scout leader would have a better handle on this situation.  Isn't that right, Malia?



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