Obama News Conference (Transcript)

Read the full transcript.
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Why didn't Obama hold this long, long-awaited news conference in prime time?

His team knew it would be an oily mess and Obama wouldn't perform well. Good call.

With teleprompters in place, Obama began his news conference by discussing the oil spill in the Gulf, now bigger than the Exxon Valdez.

He blamed BP for the disaster and said that the U.S. government will hold BP accountable for the damage.

Obama then went on to say that his administration has been completely involved and will continue to be involved in cleaning up BP's mess.

He said he wanted to be clear that BP is operating at his administration's direction. The company can't make a move without the government's approval.

Obama spoke of "appalling" corruption in the industry prior to his election. In other words, blame Bush.

He said for years there has been "a scandalously close relationship" between regulators and the oil companies.

Obama's message on responsibility for the spill can be summed up in three words: Cheney, Cheney, Cheney.

About offshore drilling in the U.S. --

Forget it.

The first question was about the Obama government's slow response to the disaster, giving Obama the opportunity to defend himself.

He said his administration was "singularly focused" on stopping the leak from the moment the crisis began.

What a laugh!

Obama said it must be understood that the crisis has been his "top priority."

I don't buy that. Doing political damage control is Obama's top priority.

There's no question that Obama was on defense. He looked more frightened than cool. I think he realized that he actually was facing media that weren't going to coddle him, though I'm sure some in the media will spin his responses as strong and heroic and refreshing.

His answer to the first question was typically long and rambling, eating up a lot of time.

The second question came from Jake Tapper. He brought up all the help that's been offered from experts around the world from 17 countries, Gov. Jindal's plan, and others - help that the federal government has rejected. Yet Obama claimed his administration has done everything possible to stop the leak. Tapper asked how he could claim that everything possible has been done when that clearly isn't the case.

Obama said the response hasn't been perfect. In retrospect, mistakes were made but everything possible has been done.

Yeah, no.

Chuck Todd asked about all the Katrina comparisons.

Obama said that he'll leave that "up to you guys." Obama continued to push the message/lie that the government has been involved and in charge from Day One of the spill.

He said he's confident history will look back and record that his administration was on top of the crisis.

Steve Thomma, McClatchy, wanted to know if the administration really acted from Day One for a worst case scenario.

Obama repeated that since the crisis he's done all that's needed to be done. The problem was the industry was such a mess prior to the time he assumed office, again shifting blame away from his administration, demonizing Bush and Cheney.

Chip Reid asked about Elizabeth Birnbaum's resignation and whether "other heads should roll." He also asked about the "cozy relationship" and the blame Bush-Cheney line.

Obama said that he tried to clean up the industry but it was such mess due to years of being "cozy" that there was still more to do.

He said he didn't have information yet on why Birnbaum resigned. Very strange. He claimed that he's on top of the situation but he had no idea what that was about? That doesn't make sense.

Julianna Goldman asked about being able to trust information from BP since it was revealed that much more oil has been gushing from the leak than initially reported.

Obama said BP wasn't forthcoming and his administration pushed them to tell the truth.

He said to keep in mind that the lower estimates had no impact on his administration's response.

Helen Thomas was the first to raise an issue other than the catastrophe in the Gulf. She asked Obama: "When are you going to get out of Afghanistan?" She said she didn't want to hear the "Bushism" that if we don't fight them over there we'll have to fight them here.

Obama didn't answer. He said it's a "big, messy process." Shamefully, Obama made no mention of the escalating American death toll in Afghanistan.

Back to the oil spill--

About drilling, Obama said he was wrong about the oil companies having their "act together" when it came to dealing with an accident. "Those assumptions proved to be incorrect."

He said, "You never heard me say the phrase, 'Drill, baby, drill.'"

Obama said the fact that it's necessary to go miles down to get to the oil shows that it's too expensive and risky to do. We need other forms of energy.

What is he talking about? Of course, oil is far below the earth's surface.

Macarena Vidal asked about Obama's plan to send the National Guard to the border. She also asked if he would support the boycott of Arizona.

Obama said again he doesn't approve of the Arizona law.

As far as boycotts, Obama said, "I'm president of the United States. I don't endorse boycotts."

But, Obama said that his administration is examining the law and we need a comprehensive approach to immigration reform.

Obama was all over the place in this news conference, contradicting himself and rambling.

Obama said the National Guard plan was in place before the Arizona law, but the solution isn't troops. Reform is the solution. He repeatedly referred to holding employers accountable.

Last question, from Major Garrett, FOX News:

"Is your boot on the neck of BP?"

Garrett wanted to know if Obama was comfortable with that metaphor. He said that Ken Salazar has been emotional and angry and he probably wouldn't use that language.

Garrett asked about the Joe Sestak scandal. Obama blew it off, saying that a statement will be coming shortly.

"I can assure the public that nothing improper took place."

Obama ended with an obviously prepared message. He said the spill is the last thing he thinks about before going to sleep at night and the first thing he thinks about when he wakes up.

When he was shaving this morning, Malia asked him, "Did you plug the hole yet, Daddy?"

That definitely was a planned statement. Did YOU plug the hole yet?

Obama now is prepared to be responsible.

Obama said he takes responsibility for stopping the leak. But don't forget, BP is really responsible and Bush-Cheney are really, really responsible.

"The federal government is fully engaged and I'm fully engaged."

Yes, Obama is fully engaged in political CYA.