by Lisa Mascaro
Sarah Palin, the former Republican vice presidential candidate who helped popularize "Drill, baby, drill" as a slogan, suggested Sunday that President Obama's campaign ties to the oil industry were impeding cleanup of the BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs responded that Palin should better inform herself about oil politics and policy.
Speaking on " Fox News Sunday," the former Alaska governor said she remained a "big supporter" of oil drilling but believed "these oil companies have got to be held accountable."
Pointing to what she termed the White House's relationship with "the oil companies who have so supported President Obama in his campaign and are supportive of him now," Palin questioned whether "there's any connection there to President Obama taking so doggone long to get in there, to dive in there, and grasp the complexity and the potential tragedy that we are seeing here in the Gulf of Mexico."
Gibbs, on CBS News' "Face the Nation," suggested Palin do some homework.
"I'm almost sure that the oil companies don't consider the Obama administration a huge ally," Gibbs said. "We proposed a windfall profits tax when they jacked their oil prices up to charge more for gasoline."
Gibbs said, "My suggestion to Sarah Palin would be to get slightly more informed as to what's going on in and around oil drilling in this country."
The oil and gas industry donated $2.4 million to Palin's running mate, Republican John McCain, in the 2008 election cycle, and nearly $900,000 to Obama, according to the Center for Responsive Politics' opensecrets.org website.
One month after the BP rig exploded and sank in the gulf, thousands of barrels of oil a day continue spilling as experts struggle to devise a way to cap the break and contain the crude. A live webcam shows the oil spewing underwater in graphic detail.
Criticism has been mounting over the inability of the White House and BP to stem the flow that is threatening the economic livelihood of gulf coast communities and wreaking environmental destruction.
Gibbs said the government "is doing everything humanly and technologically possible to plug the hole."
"Every bit of government has been activated," Gibbs said. "The president has told the team to spare nothing in trying to cap this well."
Asked whether there would be a criminal investigation of the spill, Gibbs said Justice Department lawyers have been to the gulf "to gather information on this."
Republicans popularized "Drill, baby, drill" as a campaign slogan in 2008 as gasoline prices were on the rise and Democrats promoted alternative energy sources. The slogan gained prominence during the Republican National Convention, and Palin often was greeted by chanting supporters on the campaign trail.
Palin said Sunday that she remained "a strong supporter of domestic energy supplies being extracted," and she said onshore drilling can be safer than in ocean waters.
"Maybe this is a lesson too for those who oppose safe, domestic supplies being extracted on our shores and on the land," she said, citing regions in Alaska. "Let us drill there where it is even safer than way offshore."
Palin has been a longtime advocate of drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which environmentalists say should remain protected.
Comments
I love how the Whitehouse responds to anything Sarah says. Who cares what she says? Well the thin skinned Robert Gibbs does for sure. Sarah is just a deflection for a very bad situation that nobody can seem to stop. The fact of the matter is everyone is bed with BP in Washington.
Posted by: wingnutmaster | May 24, 2010 8:45 AM
Run, Sarah, Run and please, don't quit this time. While you are at it, why not pick-up your new playmate, Randy. Between the two of you, I am sure you can come up with, a great comic routine. Good enough to get you on the Leno Show, where anything passes as comedy. Good enough to let you continue to take money under extremely false pretenses. Run, Randy and Sarah, Run and please don't quit, being the fools that you are !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | May 24, 2010 8:46 AM
Alternative title: Palin too close to BP. Poster child for drill baby drill who spent months telling of how safe offshore drilling is, takes time to politicize this for her personal gain. great Americans all.
Posted by: bill r. | May 24, 2010 9:08 AM
Just like Bush over Katrina Obama will be questioned over the Gulf spill. Neither really could do a lot. When it came to Katrina the local politicians are mainly at fault and with the oil spill its BP. But, no matter whoever Pres. was they are going to take heat for this. That's just the way it goes when you dumb down society.
Posted by: CrooksInDC | May 24, 2010 10:03 AM
After six weeks and millions of gallons of crude oil polluting the gulf states, president BPbama stares at his trusty teleprompter waiting for an answer.
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | May 24, 2010 11:50 AM
I think it's great that Palin is brave enough to point out the connections between the Obama Administration and Big Oil. Democrats always pretend that they are the little guy, when they really get more money from the so-called enemies than the Republicans.
Sarah is great at continuing to poke holes in Obama's facade; it's wonderful to watch. As they say, the bigger they are the harder they fall; and, I have not seen an ego bigger than Obama's in my lifetime. Personally, can't wait for that fall. Go Sarah!
Posted by: Matt | May 24, 2010 12:06 PM
I think it's great that Palin is brave enough to point out the connections between the Obama Administration and Big Oil. Democrats always pretend that they are the little guy, when they really get more money from the so-called enemies than the Republicans.
Sarah is great at continuing to poke holes in Obama's facade; it's wonderful to watch. As they say, the bigger they are the harder they fall; and, I have not seen an ego bigger than Obama's in my lifetime. Personally, can't wait for that fall. Go Sarah!
Posted by: Matt | May 24, 2010 12:06 PM
I love how idiots like Fritz blame Bush for being in oil companies pockets well I got news for you, Barry is playing pocket pull with BP while the Gulf Coast is getting ruined. How blind the Kool aid drinkers are Blind and Dumb!!!!
Posted by: Libtard | May 24, 2010 1:49 PM
Libtard,
Talk about blind? Who do you think neutered the regulatory agencies over the past decade? Who thinks corporations should regulate themselves? It's hysterical that the wing-nuts even dare open their pie-holes over this.
Posted by: dt☢ | May 24, 2010 7:40 PM
Bush was blamed for not bringing a dog and pony show to New Orleans after Katrina, never mind that his presence in the days following the disaster would have diverted need resources away from recovery and rescue operations. He obviously "hates black people," because he only did a fly over to survey the damage. By this logic Obama must hate Gulf coast residents and he must really hate the residents of Nashville. How long did it take him to respond to the oil "disaster" and has he even yet acknowledged the flooding in Tennessee?
Posted by: dolphan | May 25, 2010 8:58 AM
Well, " conservaturd ", here is some information that I don't think you have much use for, because it contradicts your screeds and screachings. You can't handle the truth: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/24/opinion/24krugman.html?src=me&ref=general
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | May 25, 2010 9:06 AM
Keep stuff like this coming. Thanks for such a great post and the review, I am totally impressed!
Posted by: Vibram FiveFingers | May 25, 2010 12:40 PM
Let's get real for a moment. The Gulf spill is a tragedy and a total disgrace. And the government does not have the equipment nor should it for this cleanup. The oil companies should have this equipment in multiple locations ready for a rapid response. And all politicians are at fault for not seeing this was done after the spill in Alaska. It is disgraceful of a response to this. Right now the only one in and out of politics showing any character of good standing is the CEO of BP. He has taken full responsibility and blame for what is happening and done so in public. He has said BP is financially responsible for all costs related to this tragedy. It is up to the people and their politicians (whom I doubt) to see to that BP does what is expected of them.
Posted by: CrooksInDC | May 25, 2010 1:31 PM
What a great term. The Lame Stream media. I just love that.
Posted by: andray7 | May 26, 2010 5:07 PM