May 26, 2010

What has the POSOTUS been doing over the last month?

It has come tho this: the BP oil spill still gushes out of control in the Gulf and The Pantload still gushes out of control as POTUS. Just for grins, I went to the internet and located a couple of sites that chronicled a time-line of the events transpiring since the drilling rig blew on 20 April. Then I located a similar site that had a chronology of Obama's activities over thee same period of time. This will be a long -- but instructive -- post. It sure does not look like the guy is too involved over such a catastrophe like this. One sort of wonders how he would have handled a couple of fast-moving hurricanes. 

Picture above courtesy of the America is and Obamanation blog, by the way.
April 20-A Transocean rig called the Deepwater Horizon explodes and catches fire, approximately 42 miles Southeast of Venice, Louisiana, while finishing a well for British Petroleum. U.S. Coast Guard District Eight command center receives report at approximately 10 p.m. Of the 126 people on board at the time of the explosion, 115 crew members were accounted for. Of these 115, 17 were med-evaced from the scene. Search begins for missing 11.

1547 EDT - Obama arrives at Andrews AFB.
1602 EDT - Obama arrives at White House.

April 21-Officials state environmental damage will be minimal. BP mobilizes an armada of ships and aircraft to contain the oil slick.

0932 EDT - Obama and Biden receive presidential daily briefing.
1002 EDT - Obama and Biden receive presidential economic briefing.
1032 EDT - Obama and Biden meet with bipartisan leaders of the Senate and Senate Judiciary Committee.
1232 EDT - Obama and Biden have lunch.
1417 EDT - Obama attends reception for G-20 labor ministers.
1452 EDT - Obama meets with senior advisers.
1552 EDT - Obama and FLOTUS welcome members of U. S. Olympic Team and Paralympic Team to White House.
1632 EDT - Obama and Biden meet with Sec. Def. Robert Gates.
1748 EDT - Obama and Biden meet with Treas. Sec. Geithner and HHS Sec. Sebelius.

April 22-The fire rages. Mid-morning Thursday a second explosion occurs causing the rig to sink. 700,000 gallons of diesel are enclosed tanks inside the pontoons at the time of the initial explosion. Unclear if diesel remains contained.

1003 EDT - Obama departs White House for Andrews AFB.
1018 EDT - Obama departs Andrews AFB for NYC.
1113 EDT - Obama arrives in NYC.
1158 EDT - Obama makes remarks on Wall Street reform.
1308 EDT - Obama departs NYC to Andrews AFB.
1403 EDT - Obama arrives Andrews AFB.
1418 EDT - Obama arrives at White House.
1533 EDT - Obama meets with Treas. Sec. Geithner.
1703 EDT - Obama meets with crew of space shuttle Endeavor.
1733 EDT - Obama delivers remarks at Earth Day reception.

April 23-Coast Guard state no oil appears to be escaping from the well head on the ocean floor. The U.S. Coast Guard suspends its search for the 11 missing crew members at approximately 5 p.m. ending a three day search that included 28 air and ocean craft and covered ~5,375 square miles.

1003 EDT - Obama delivers remarks at naturalization ceremony for active duty service members.
1148 EDT - Obama and FLOTUS depart White House en route to Andrews AFB.
1203 EDT - Obama and FLOTUS depart Andrews AFB to Asheville, NC.
1323 EDT - Obama and FLOTUS arrive in Asheville, NC.

April 24-With remotely operated vehicles, officials discover the oil is escaping from two leaks in a drilling pipe about 5,000 feet below the surface.  Leaks appear to be releasing 1,000 barrels a day.

No Scheduled Events.

April 25-The oil slick covering 600 square miles and spreading north, is about 70 miles south of the Mississippi and Alabama coastline.

1353 EDT - Obama departs Asheville, NC for Beckley, WVa.
1423 EDT - Obama arrives in Beckley, WV.
1503 EDT - Obama and Biden meet with family members of Upper Big Branch mine disaster.
1533 EDT - Obama and Biden attend mine disaster memorial service; Obama delivers eulogy.
1723 EDT - Obama departs Beckley, WV for Andrews AFB.

April 26-The oil slick stretches 80 miles across the Gulf and is 36 miles southeast of Louisiana. Cleanup crews set up booms to block as much oil as possible from coming ashore.  Remote operative vehicles are full day into operations to sea oil well on ocean floor. Reuters- “The leaking well, 5,000 feet under the ocean surface off Louisiana’s coast, has created an oil sheen and emulsified crude slick with a circumference of about 600 miles, covering about 28,600 square miles (74,070 sq. km), the Coast Guard said on Tuesday. That’s slightly bigger than the U.S. state of West Virginia….The spill, however, is not comparable with the infamous Exxon Valdez disaster, which spilled about 11 million gallons (50 million liters) of oil into the Prince William Sound in Alaska when it ran aground in 1989. BP’s well is spewing about 42,000 gallons (190,900 liters) of oil a day into the ocean, the Coast Guard estimates.”

0933 EDT - Obama and Biden receive presidential daily briefing.
1003 EDT - Obama and Biden receive presidential economic briefing.
1043 EDT - Obama meets with senior advisers.
1503 EDT - Obama welcomes World Champion New York Yankees to White House.
1633 EDT - Obama and Biden meet with Sec. Def. Gates.
1803 EDT - Obama delivers remarks at Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship.

April 27-Officials consider setting fire to the slick, which has grown to 100 miles across. The fast-moving spill is about 20 miles off the Louisiana coast. A controlled burn of the surface oil is now considered. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar say they are expanding the government’s investigation of the explosion that caused the disaster. Obama administration officials meet with top executives of BP. Governor Bobby Jindal requests Coast Guard set up protective booms around several wildlife refuges.

0933 EDT - Obama greets members of National Commission on Fiscal responsibility and Reform.
0948 EDT - Obama delivers remarks on nation's fiscal health.
1008 EDT - Obama departs White House for Andrews AFB.
1023 EDT - Obama departs Andrews AFB for Iowa.
1233 EDT - Obama arrives in Iowa.
1333 EDT - Obama tours Siemens Wind Turbine Blade Manufacturing plant.
1413 EDT - Obama delivers remarks on economy.
1503 EDT - Obama tours a local business.
1738 EDT - Obama holds a town hall meeting.

April 28-The slick nears to 20 miles east of the mouth of the Mississippi River. British Petroleum states a controlled test to burn the leaking oil was successful late Wednesday afternoon. NOAA-”Workers finish a containment chamber portion of a collection doom that will collect oil escaping from the well at the seafloor. The first rig to drill a relief well arrives on site and will commence drilling on Friday but will not be ready for several months. Good weather allows for both skimming operations and aggressive aerial application of dispersants – over 50,000 gallons of dispersant have been applied to the surface oil in the last two days.”  The U.S. Coast Guard move ahead with a plan to burn off some of the crude from the slick. Mineral Management Service calls off luncheon “to present its annual award for exemplary safety and environmental management.”  BP among list of finalists.

1033 EDT - Obama departs Des Moines, IA for Quincy, Il.
1181 EDT - Obaama arrives in Quincy, Il.
1323 EDT - Obama tours POET Bio-refining.
1403 EDT - Obama delivers remarks on rebuilding economy.
1523 EDT - Obama tours local farm and visits  with family that operate that farm.
1703 EDT - Obama delivers remarks on need to pass Wall Street reform.
1818 EDT - Obama departs Quincy, Il for Andrews AFB.
2008 EDT - Obama arrives at Andrews AFB.
2023 EDT - Obama arrives at White House.

April 29-Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal declares a state of emergency and the federal government sends in skimmers and booms to prevent environmental damage. At morning, the spill is roughly 16 miles off the Louisiana coast and stretches across a 600-mile area. Updated models indicate the the slick may reach parts of the coast by later today or early Friday.  President Obama designates the spill of national significance allowing personnel and equipment from other regions to be more easily mobilized and transferred to the scene.  BBC-President Barack Obama said BP was “ultimately responsible for funding… clean-up operations”. he US homeland security secretary, Janet Napolitano, is to visit the Gulf of Mexico tomorrow.  BP stocks plummet by 7% when admission that oil is leaking faster than original speculations.  At current rate of oil leakage in 58 days it will surpass the Exxon Valdez disaster as the largest oil spill in U.S. history. BP official on the Today Show welcomes help from all parties including U.S. military. Concerns grow on impact to Louisiana seafood and tourism industry. As of 8:42pm, “Faint fingers of oily sheen have reached the mouth of Mississippi River…By sunset Thursday, the oil had crept into South Pass of the river and was lapping at the shoreline in long, thin lines.” Jean-Michel Cousteau releases statement of dismay and asks all ot expect more of their governments, “Write your Congressional and State representatives demanding their support for alternative energy technologies and policies at all levels of government, including subsidies.” Senator Bill Nelson FL-D drafts legislation to suspend the Obama administration’s plan of offshore exploration and drilling until a full investigation of diaster and the development of new protocols are developed.

0904 EDT - Obama receives presidential daily briefing.
1004 EDT - Obama, FLOTUS, VPOTUS attend Dorothy Height's funeral; Obama delivers remarks.
1234 EDT - Obama and Biden have lunch.
1344 EDT - Obama delivers remarks at event honoring National Teacher of the Year.
1634 EDT - Obama and Biden meet with SOS Hillary Clinton.
1939 EDT - Obama attends DNC fund raising dinner.

April 30-Satellite photos from NASA are released showing a finger of the slick reaching the delta. Obama kills plans for new offshore drilling pending BP oil spill investigation results. Stench from oil spill blankets New Orleans and large parts of Louisiana coast.

1039 EDT - Obama makes statement on first quarter 2010 GDP numbers.
1234 EDT - Obama departs White House to Beltsville, MD.
1249 EDT - Obama arrives Beltsville, MD to visit James J. Rowley Training center.
1604 EDT - Obama arrives at White House.

May 1–Estimates of oil spill ratcheted up to 1,050,000 gallons (25,000 barrels). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service indicates that the spill will affect 20 National Wildlife Refuges.

No Scheduled events.

May 2–President Obama announces that BP is responsible for all costs associated with oil spill.

No Scheduled events.

May 3–NOAA states oil slick is moving toward Alabama and Florida coasts and Louisiana’s Chandeleur Islands.

1200 EDT - Obama receives presidential daily briefing.
1600 EDT - Obama delivers remarks at CINC Trophy Presentation with Naval Academy.
1845 EDT - Obama hosts dinner for Business Council.

May 4–Senior BP officials admit to Congress oil leak could be as high as 2,520,000 gallons (60,000 barrels) a day. Reports surface that BP twice decided against additional safety precautions because of cost.

0930 EDT - Obama and Biden receive presidential daily briefing.
1000 EDT - Obama and Biden receive presidential economic briefing.
1030 EDT - Obama meets with senior advisers.
1105 EDT - Obama delivers remarks to the Business Council.
1205 EDT - Obama has lunch with Ellie Wiesel.
1630 EDT - Obama and Biden meet with Sec. Def. Robert Gates.

May 5
–BP ROV plugs one of three leaks.

1000 EDT - Obama receives presidential daily briefing.
1030 EDT - Obama meets with senior advisers.
1115 EDT - Obama meets with Sen. Jon Kyle.
1145 EDT - Obama meets with Sen. Orin Hatch.
1330 EDT - Obama delivers remarks and signs Veterans' Omnibus Health Services Act.
1800 EDT - Obama delivers remarks at Cinco de Mayo reception; FLOTUS attends.

May 6–Oil spill reaches Gulf Wildlife Refuges as BP attempts to lower containment dome.

0915 EDT - Obama receives presidential daily briefing.
1000 EDT - Obama receives presidential economic briefing.
1000 EDT - Obama meets with national security team on Afghanistan and Pakistan.
1530 EDT - Obama meets with SOS Hillary Clinton.

May 7–No new oil spill news.

1100 EDT - Obama makes a statement on job numbers.

May 8–No new oil spill news.

No Scheduled Events.

May 9–BP’s attempt fails to contain oil leak under 100-ton concrete/steel containment dome.

0750 EDT - Obama leaves White House for Hampton, VA.
0855 EDT - Obama arrives in Hampton, VA.
1000 EDT - Obama delivers commencement address at Hampton University.
1306 EDT - Obama arrives back at White House.

May 10–Crews continue to use chemical dispersants, booms, limited burns to deal with oil on the surface and heading to shores. Leaks continue.

1001 EDT - Obama nominates Elena Kagan to Supreme Court.
1046 EDT - Obama receives presidential daily briefing.
1206 EDT - Obama meets with President's Intelligence Advisory Board.
1301 EDT - Obama meets with senior advisers.
1431 EDT - Obama holds meeting to review BP efforts to stop oil leak.
1601 EDT - Obama meets with Treas. Sec. Geithner and HHS Sec. Sebelius.
1631 EDT - Obama meets with energy Sec. Stephen Chu.

May 11–Reports suggest the BP oil leak disaster correlates to the Ixtoc oil spill in 1979 which took 9 months to stop.

0931 EDT - Obama receives presidential daily briefing.
1001 EDT - Obama receives presidential economic briefing.
1121 EDT - Obama meets with senior advisers.
1231 EDT - Obama and Biden have lunch.
1301 EDT - Interior secretary Ken Salazar makes an announcement on offshore drilling.
1326 EDT - Obama and Biden meet with SOS Hillary Clinton.
1346 EDT - Obama and Biden meet with SOS Hillary Clinton and Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry.
1416 EDT - Obama meets with Sen. Patrick Leahy.
1631 EDT - Obama and Biden meet with General McChrystal and Sec. Def. Robert Gates.

May 12–Oil still moving towards shorelines. Many sea animals reported dead.

0931 EDT - Obama receives presidential daily briefing.
1016 EDT - Obama holds bilateral meeting with Hamid Karzai.
1116 EDT - Obama holds joint press conference with Hamid Karzai.
1226 EDT - Obama has lunch with Hamid Karzai.
1401 EDT - Obama meets with senior advisers.

May 13–Companies argue over oil leak fault as oil continues to suffocate gulf; Obama plans tax hike on BP to pay for oil spill.

1001 EDT - Obama receives presidential economic briefing.
1051 EDT - Obama departs White House for Andrews AFB.
1121 EDT - Obama departs Andrews AFB for Buffalo, NY.
1226 EDT - Obama arrives in Buffalo, NY.
1336 EDT - Obama tours facilities of Industrial Support, Inc. (Sheet metal firm.)
1351 EDT - Obama delivers remarks on economy.
1521 EDT - Obama departs Buffalo, NY.
1626 EDT - Obama arrives in New York City.
1906 EDT - Obama delivers remarks DCCC fund raising dinner.
2036 EDT - Obama departs New York City.
2131 EDT - Obama arrives at Andrews AFB.
2156 EDT - Obama arrives at White House.
 
May 14-Accuracy of oil spill flow challenged. Believed to be more than 5000 barrels per day.

1011 EDT - Obama awards TOP COPS award recipients in a ceremony.
1116 EDT - Obama meets with members of cabinet about BP oil spill.
1151 EDT - Obama makes statement to press about cabinet meeting.

May 15–No new oil spill news.

1056 EDT - Obama delivers remarks at National Peace Officers Memorial.

May 16–No new oil spill news.

No Scheduled Events.

May 17–Latest BP attempt at stopping oil leak somewhat working. Attempt involves a remotely operated submersible vehicle (ROV) to which a mile-long tube is attached. The tube is snaking into the broken well pipe and diverting the oil to a tanker floating on the water’s surface.=

1001 EDT - Obama receives presidential daily briefing.
1031 EDT - Obama meets with senior advisers.
1136 EDT - Obama signs freedon of the Press Act; takes no questions.
1306 EDT - Obama welcomes NCAA champions U of Conn. Women's basketball team.

May 18–Time-line not available. Oil spill still persists.

1001 EDT - Obama receives presidential daily briefing.
1031 EDT - Obama receives presidential daily economic briefing.
1121 EDT - Obama departs White House for Andrews AFB.
1151 EDT - Obama departs Andrews AFB for Youngstown, OH.
1251 EDT - Obama arrives in Youngstown, OH.
1321 EDT - Obama torurs facilities at V&M Star. (Oil tubing and coupling company.)
1346 EDT - Obama delivers remarks on jobs and economy to workers.
1521 EDT - Obama departs Youngstown, OH for Andrews AFB.
1646 EDT - Obama arrives Andrews AFB.
1656 EDT - Obama arrives at White House.
1717 EDT - Obama meets with members of the Democratic caucuses.

May 19–Time-line not available. Oil spill still persists.

0932 EDT - Obama, FLOTUS, Biden, SLOTUS welcome Pres. Calderon of Mexico to White House.
1032 EDT - Obama holds bilateral meetign with Calderon.
1057 EDT - Obama and Calderon hold expanded bilateral meeting with U. S. and Mexican delegations.
1152 EDT - Obama and Calderonhold joint press conference.
1302 EDT - SOS CLinton and Biden hold lunch for Calderon.
1532 EDT - Obama meets with Lou susman, ambassador to U.K. and Northern Ireland.
1617 EDT - Obama and Biden meet with SOS Clinton.
1802 EDT - Obama and FLOTUS greet Calderon.
1832 EDT - Obama and FLOTUS take official photo with Calderon.
1912 EDT - Obama and FLOTUS host Calderon at State Dinner.
2032 EDT - Obama and FLOTUS attend State Dinner Reception.
  
May 20–Time-line not available. Oil spill still persists.

1002 EDT - Obama receives presidential daily briefing.
1032 EDT - Obama receives presidential daily economic briefing.
1102 EDT - Obama meets with senior advisers.
1502 EDT - Obaama and Biden meet with with Treas. Sec. Geithner.
1622 EDT - Obama makes a statement on Wall Stteet in Rose Garden.

May 21–Time-line not available. Oil spill still persists.

0932 EDT - Obama and Biden receive presidential daily briefing.
1002 EDT - Obama meets with senior advisers.
1047 EDT - Obama delivers remarks and signs Presidential Memorandum.
1132 EDT - Obama meets with Sen.Chris Dodd and Rep. Barney Frank on Wall Street reform.
1232 EDT - Obama and Biden have lunch.

May 22–Timeline not available. Oil spill still persists.

0812 EDT - Obama departs Andrews AFB.
0927 EDT - Obama arrives in Newburgh,NY.
1002 EDT - Obama delivers commencement address at USMA, West Point.
1222 EDT - Obama leaves Newburgh,NY.
1317 EDT - Obama arrives Andrews AFB.
1347 EDT - Obama arrives at White House.

May 23–Time-line not available. Oil spill still persists.

No Schedulee Events.

May 24–Time-line not available. Oil spill still persists.

0932 EDT - Obama receives presidential daily briefing.
1022 EDT - Obama attends reception for Federal Judge Association.
1107 EDT - Obama meets with senior advisers.
1202 EDT - Obama participates in daily briefing call with Gulf Coast governers on BP oil spill.
1432 EDT - Obama welcomes Prime Minister Saad Hariri of Lebanon to White House.
1602 EDT - Obama hosts reception celebrting Asian American and Pacific Islander Month.
1632 EDT - Obama Meets with Sec. Def. Robert Gates.

May 25–Time-line not available. Oil spill still persists.

1002 EDT - Obama receives presidential daily briefing.
1032 EDT - Obama meets with senior advisers.
1117 EDT - Obama hosts small business owners and delivers remarks about jobs.
1207 EDT - Obama addresses Senate Republican Caucus.
1402 EDT - Obama meets with President Napolitano of Italy.
1457 EDT - Obama departs White House for Andrews AFB.
1517 EDT - Obama departs Andrews AFB for San francisco, CA.
2037 EDT - Obama arrives in San francisco, CA.
2102 EDT - Obama delivers remarks at fundraiser for Sen. Barbara Boxer and DSCC.
2252 EDT - Obama attends reception for Sen. Barbara Boxer and DSCC.

May 26–Time-line not available. Oil spill still persists.

1238 EDT - Obama tours Solyndra,Inc. (Solar power firm in Fremont, CA.)
1323 EDT - Obama delivers remarks on economy.
1418 EDT - Obama departs Sanfrancisco for Andrews AFB.
1858 EDT - Obama arrives Andrews AFB.
1913 EDT - Obama arrives at White House.

May 27–Time-line not available. Oil spill still persists.

3 comments:

  1. Obama wants to have adulation without effort.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ..and now he'll have the effort without the adulation. He's now *up* to 45% approval from the previous toilet plunge of 42%.

    However, the plot thickens (as do the waters in the Gulf).

    ReplyDelete
  3. Notice he doesn't start 'work' until 9:30 most days. The only time he's before 9am is when he's travelling.

    ReplyDelete