Gergen, Brazile, Carville, Matthews and others are typical of bullshit punditry that abets MSM spin

[ProSense]

Gergen:

A month ago, it looked like the White House was on top of this problem, as Cabinet officers scurried here and there, the Coast Guard and others swung into action, there were talks with BP, and the president paid a personal visit. But increasingly, it has become apparent that the federal government may be present but is not in charge.

It keeps saying that BP bears ultimate responsibility. It is keeping the press away. No wonder James Carville, Chris Matthews and Donna Brazile exploded late last week. They are right on a basic point: Ultimately it is not the responsibility of BP or any other company to protect American interests but the responsibility of the federal government. Some Obama supporters have argued that the 1990 Oil Pollution Act limits the president's capacity to take action. Others disagree. Either way, in an emergency, laws can be changed.

Although this disaster is not an existential threat, it could be argued that if the U.S. government had fought World War II in the same way it has fought the oil spill, we might well be speaking German now. Faced with a growing danger to our well-being, a WWII-type government would at minimum have:

• Brought in the CEOs of all the major oil companies and charged them with the duty of an all-hands collaborative effort to stop the spill and help ward off the damage.

• Brought in the best minds in the country, from universities and technology, for emergency efforts to find solutions.

• Moved quickly to mobilize the National Guard and other military forces, if necessary, ensuring that they received the resources needed to protect our beaches.

• Made a clear call to citizen volunteers to help where necessary.

• Given Cabinet officers an ultimatum: Get this under control in the next 30 days, or else.

There will be ample time after this disaster for finger-pointing and blame-laying. The key now is to get this spill under control before it does far more damage.

<...>

Let's see:

• Brought in the best minds in the country, from universities and technology, for emergency efforts to find solutions.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 19

Top Scientists Engaging Closely with BP’s Efforts to Cap the Leak

As a responsible party, BP is charged with capping their leaking oil well. However, the U.S. government is taking an active role to ensure that BP’s approach is as strong and as innovative as possible. The Department of Energy has engaged some of the world’s top scientific and engineering minds from Sandia, Los Alamos and Livermore Labs—to lend their expertise to BP’s efforts to cap the well and permanently stop the leak.

These government scientists are reviewing every plan on the table, validating those that are moving forward and providing additional expertise and input on new tactics.

• Moved quickly to mobilize the National Guard and other military forces, if necessary, ensuring that they received the resources needed to protect our beaches.

FRIDAY, APRIL 30

In response to the BP oil spill, the Secretary of Defense authorizes under Title 32 the mobilization of the Louisiana National Guard to help in the ongoing efforts to assist local communities in the cleanup and removal of oil and to protect critical habitats from contamination.

TUESDAY, MAY 4

National Guard Activation

Secretary Gates has authorized use of Title 32 status for up to 17,500 National Guard members in four states: Alabama (3,000), Florida (2,500), Louisiana (6,000) and Mississippi (6,000).

The state of Louisiana has activated approximately 1,200 National Guard members under Title 32 for command and control and sandbagging operations in St Bernard and Plaquemines parishes. Louisiana National Guard personnel are actively manning the Joint Operations Center and Tactical Aviation Cell.

THURSDAY, MAY 13

National Guard Support Continues to Build

1,304 National Guard personnel are currently supporting oil response—952 from the Louisiana National Guard are providing Command and Control and sandbagging support to St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes, supporting marina operations and conducting HAZMAT training; 323 from the Alabama National Guard are deploying protective barriers around Dauphin Island and conducting sandbag and security operations; 25 from the Mississippi National Guard personnel are providing helicopter support and liaison officers to aid local officials with emergency response; and four from the Florida National Guard are performing liaison duties in support of the response effort to the Unified Command Center in Alabama and to its own emergency operations center in Tallahassee.

THURSDAY, MAY 20

Natural Resource Conservation Service Continues to Build Response

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service has deployed personnel and multiple vessels to assist the Louisiana Department of Fisheries and Wildlife in monitoring oil making landfall in Terrebonne Bay and Breton Sound areas in Louisiana, and continues to assist the Louisiana National Guard with technical engineering recommendations for stabilizing beach and headland areas where sand and earthen material is being placed to plug openings to prevent the oil from entering the wetlands.

• Made a clear call to citizen volunteers to help where necessary.

MONDAY, MAY 3

More Than 2,000 Volunteers Are Trained To Assist

More than 2,000 volunteers receive training to assist in the response effort to that date. Volunteer recruitment efforts include outreach to local fishermen with boats, which can be used as vessels of opportunity to assist contractors in deploying boom.

• Given Cabinet officers an ultimatum: Get this under control in the next 30 days, or else.

TUESDAY, MAY 4

Cabinet Officials Brief Members of Congress

Secretary Salazar, Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, Administrator Jackson, DHS Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute and Admiral Allen provided a bi-partisan and bi-cameral briefing to Congress on the administration’s all-hands-on-deck response to the spill. They updated members of Congress on the status of ongoing, coordinated response efforts in the Gulf coast states and delivered an update on BP’s mitigation plans for potentially impacted Gulf Coast states.

Cabinet Officials Host Daily Coordination Calls with the Gulf Coast State Governors

To ensure consistent coordination with the Gulf Coast states, Admiral Thad Allen, Secretaries Janet Napolitano and Ken Salazar, Administrator Lisa Jackson and NOAA Deputy Under Secretary Monica Medina began daily calls with the Governors from the five Gulf Coast states to provide updates on the response to the BP oil spill and answer any questions that arise. Governors Barbour, Crist, Jindal, Perry and Riley have been invited to participate in the daily calls moving forward. These daily calls are a follow up to the calls last Friday and Sunday between the Governors and the agencies involved in the federal response, as well as the calls last week between the President and the Governors and the President’s visit to the region on Sunday. These calls are intended to further the already unprecedented cooperation and focused effort between state and local officials and the federal government in response to this situation.

Maybe Gergen should have visited deepwaterhorizonresponse.com

The Ongoing Administration-Wide Response to the Deepwater Horizon BP Oil Spill

[treestar]

1. It's too easy for these people to flap their gums

Tweety may have a big mouth, but there's a reason he's not President.

Honestly, I seethe at the money these people make. I myself could get on TV and blab for hours to (or radio, like Rush). So could you. Why does Tweety and Rush get the job? It's just wrong. :rofl:

[ProSense]

3. Yeah,

and people don't mind cheering gums flapping.

Now, who's going to credit the administration for having already taken these actions?

[BeFree]

6. Republican smears

Oh, they love the corps. Gergen wouldn't say anything bad about them.
And you did a good job pointing out their hypocrisy.

[bluestateguy]

2. They are all part of the same Georgetown Cocktail Party circuit

and once their talking points materialize they can be stubborn things.

[FrenchieCat]

4. The netroot was in on those talking points.....

as that was the only thing talked about this weekend right here on DU.

In essence, the Corporate media saw how the net was blaming Obama,
and so they took the game to the next level.....
The only problem is that it is us that will ending up losing the game....
but whatever! At this point, I'm starting not to care.
I hope the leak stops, but apart from that, they can all blame who they fucking want,
if it will help them feel better about it, since they are helpless to do anything else,
then so be it. Just deserts are right around the corner.

[BeFree]

7. Just deserts?

What do you have in mind?

[FrenchieCat]

8. Pie in the face,

instead of pie in the sky.

[VMI Dem]

5. Chill the fuck out pundits. BP has got this.

[Cha]

9. Thanks for laying this out, PS.

[Political Tiger]

10. "in an emergency, laws can be changed"

Isn't that George Bush's mantra?

[ProSense]

11. Look at how this thread is being ignored. n/t

[KansasVoter]

12. Yes, because it is worthless!

[ProSense]

13. In what way?

What an idiotic response.

[dchill]

17. One does not prove worthlessness...

by demonstration, does one?

[Arkana]

22. Thank you for your insightful and thoughtful analysis on why you feel this way.

[LiberalFighter]

14. There you go! Feds aren't doing anything.

[Jennicut]

15. The media's job is to create ratings. Is anyone surprised?

I mean, Carville? Matthews? All of sudden some on DU care what they say?

[dchill]

16. Bullshit punditry IS the MSM spin.

As usual, the media are creating their own reality, and unfortunately, some around here are hungry for it. Even though they know Whoppers are unhealthy, meaningless calories.

[butterfly77]

18. Especially that asshole Gergen..

Carville has been showing whose side he was on every since the election. I have watche many of these people before,during and after the election. Carville is still angry that Clinton didn't win Gergen is a racist he tries to hide it but it shows.

I use to think he was fair but once the TEABBAGGERS got started he really showed who he really is,he was almost jumping out of his seat at times because he hated the fact that Obama is the President,I have never seen him as excited to criticize a President as much as he does this one when he knows most of the shit the PRESIDENT IS dealing with is BUSH/CHENEY/REPUBLICON/BLUEDOG bullshit!.

Many of these fUCKERS are working behind the scences to sabatoge this adm. A lot of these people are in every DEPARTMENT of the Gov leaking lies and misinformation..

[freddie mertz]

19. Yeah, that "Obama-hater" Donna Brasile!

How dare they speak their minds and air concerns in the face of an unending disaster?

You never get sick of it, do you?

[ProSense]

20. Ridiculous straw man. No one said she is an Obama hater.

That doesn't mean Gergen was clueless when he wrote this piece.

[freddie mertz]

23. "Brazile... and others are typical of bullshit punditry that abets MSM spin.."

So she's an unwitting tool of the "haters" then?

Just trying to understand the "subtleties" of your Manichean world view.

[ProSense]

25. On this issue, most definitely

Is your point to defend Gergen? Somehow, I'm missing the comment where you stated that Gergen's points are valid.

[freddie mertz]

26. I was defending Donna Brasile.

Gergen is usually reasonable, but I haven't really thought about his comments.

The attack on Brasile, who is a native of LA, was ill-considered in my opinion.

[Uzybone]

21. But why is the self described "left" trying to pin the blame on the govt

instead of keeping all our boots on the neck of BP?

[donco6]

24. Yawn. This trick is really old.

When the winds of change blow negative, pounce on the pundits. When the winds blow back, praise them.

[pundaint]

27. Fine piece of work ProSense. Congress, however, should still be fired for this and about 30 other

things.

[depakid]

28. The usual second guessing and criticism

To be expected- and if this is a responsible administration (I have my doubts) learned from.

Expect to see a LOT more of this over the coming months. Some of it well deserved and legitimate, some of it off the deep end.