Obama's Katrina

From Mike Allen's Playbook:

BREAKING -- Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, to David Gregory on “Meet the Press,” on the Gulf gusher: “The scenario is a very grave scenario. You’re looking at potentially 90 days before you ultimately get to what is the ultimate solution here, and that’s a relief well that’s going to have to be built down three and a half miles below the ocean floor. And by the time you drill that well down, a lot of oil could spread. … This is the beginning of a campaign for what’s going to be a massive restoration of the Gulf coast.”

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, joining Salazar on-set for four Sunday shows: “We had DOD resources there from Day 1. This was a situation that was treated as a possible catastrophic failure from Day 1. … Every possible resource was being lined up on shore. … The physical response on the ground has been, from Day 1, as if this could be a catastrophic failure. … All of these actions are being taken, but BP is going to pay for it.”

WORST-CASE SCENARIO – AP: “Scientists fear if the oil spill isn't contained and the underwater well continues to spew unstopped, it could grow so large that it may be sucked with the currents around the Florida Keys and up the East Coast.”

Notice how many times Napolitano said "Day 1" during her comments. That's clearly the White House spin working, trying to make us all believe they took this seriously from the start.

I can't help but wonder if in fact they realized how bad this could be, and weren't all that upset about it. After all, it will play right into their hands when it comes to banning further offshore drilling, and we know that's their ultimate goal. If a few sea birds and fish get lost along the way...oh well.

However, this thing seems to be spiraling out of control on them. If oil is sucked around Florida and fouls beaches all along the East Coast this will be a mess of historic proportions and there will be increasing focus on the Administration's lack of interest during the first 11 days.