Obama: Feds Are in Charge of Cleanup

And critics of his Gulf response 'don't know the facts'
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted May 27, 2010 12:10 PM CDT
Updated May 27, 2010 12:23 PM CDT
Obama: Feds Are in Charge of Cleanup
A video grab from the 'top kill' operation.   (AP Photo/BP PLC)

President Obama asserted today that the federal government is, and always has been, in charge of Gulf oil cleanup. "Make no mistake: BP is operating at our direction," he said at a news conference, reiterating that the company is responsible for the bill. It's "an unprecedented disaster," and he said he's frustrated, too, but "we are going to stop it."

In response to a question, Obama said those who have criticized the administration for lax response "don't know the facts," reports the New York Times. He said from the "moment this crisis occurred," the White House has been "singularly focused" on solving it. "The day that the rig collapsed and fell to the bottom of the ocean, I had my team in the Oval Office."
(More President Obama stories.)

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