Media Coverage and the Oil Spill

Jim Geraghty is concerned that the oil spill is falling off the front pages and getting pushed to the back burner in the media and he's justified in that concern.  This is what the Obama White House wants to happen.

The president also declared, “make no mistake: We will fight this spill with everything we’ve got for as long as it takes. . . . we must make a commitment to the Gulf Coast that goes beyond responding to the crisis of the moment.” Well, a search of Obama’s speeches on the Washington Post website reveals he has not said “BP”, “gulf” or “spill” since June 30. I realize there’s a national holiday in the past week, but it certainly is hard to believe this is still the top priority if he can go a week without even mentioning it. Back on May 27, he was insisting it was his top priority.

Now that the Department of Homeland Security is set to take over the information website, expect this trend to continue.

The US government is expected to take over control of the central information website on the Gulf oil spill response that has been run jointly by various agencies and BP for the 2 1/2 months since the rig explosion.

The spill is such a top priority for Team Obama, in fact, they're sending .... Michelle .... to come check it out. I'm at a loss to discover what good that will do except interrupt important work being done for more photo ops.

And The Hill also reports that Good Time Joe Biden is also planning a return trip to the Gulf.  Is that so he can do something constructive or so he can actually give Billy Nungesser more than 30 seconds this time?

A survey of Louisiana newspapers and blogs shows that we're still reporting on the crisis whether the mainstream media is or not and whether Obama is worried about it or not.  For example:

An editorial in The Times-Picayune calls for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to expedite the hearing on the moratorium.  They're to hear arguments today but a decision could be months away unless it is expedited.

Houma Today posts an interactive map by the AP of abandoned wells in the Gulf.

The Acadiana Gazette has a story on the hardships faced by the Pointe-au-Chien Indians because of the spill.

The Advocate has a story on the tar balls in Lake Ponchartrain

The Hayride continues its oil spill thread.

Jim Brown at Bayou Buzz wonders "as more states become directly affected by the polluted waters, and the Louisiana political and business leadership continues to call for more drilling, national sympathies are beginning to wane. Is Louisiana pushing the envelope, and trying to have it both ways?"

Whether the mainstream media stays on the story or not, we in Louisiana will.  The Heritage Foundation is staying on it as well.

I suppose the New York Times will get back to it whenever Michelle comes to visit in a couple of weeks.