‘I’m responsible’, but completely uninformed

Sherman Frederick

15 years ago

President Barack Obama told the nation that he was responsible and in charge of the gulf oil disaster. But when asked about the departure of Liz Birnbaum as director the MMS that morning, the president didn’t know jack about her leaving. He didn’t know whether she was fired (that’s what the press corps was told) or she resigned.

Thought the whole deal looked weak. The president is either in charge, or he isn’t. If he truly is in charge, you’d think he’d know something about the departure of someone of the stature of Birnbaum, especially on the morning he’s giving a formal press conference on a disaster of which she is so involved.

Again, the theme of this presidency continues — all form; no substance and continually over his head.