Charleston, South Carolina (CNN) - Mitt Romney accused President Obama Friday of mishandling the BP oil spill, and specifically charged that the president had a dangerous hands-off approach in the early days of the crisis.
Romney, appearing a campaign stop in South Carolina for gubernatorial hopeful Nikki Haley, called the Obama administration's response to the spill "ineffective" and said the White House has relied too heavily on BP to cap the oil leak.
"In this kind of a crisis situation, the president's response should have been to step in, bring in the experts, people from various oil companies, from leading institutions, academic and engineering firms and look at the options for actually capping this oil spill and then actually making those decisions," Romney said.
He added, "That is something which he has delegated to BP. As the company responsible for causing the spill in the first place, I think it was a mistake to rely on BP for 60 days or so to make the decisions on how to cap the oil spill. They have been ineffective in that regard."
The former Massachusetts governor and possible 2012 presidential candidate would not comment on a controversial remark by Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas. Barton apologized Thursday for saying that BP's $20 billion fund to pay for oil spill damages was the result of a "shakedown" from the White House.
Romney said he is "pleased that funds are being put aside" to help Gulf residents affected by the spill.
From CNN Politics
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This clown endorses Nikki Haley and we're supposed to take him seriously?
Mitt, go bck and do what you're best at. Count your pile of money.
Obama is doing a terrible job. Even the people who voted for him admit it....
obama should be impeached for not accepting help from other countries in the week after the blowout.
The oil that is fouling our marshes and beaches could have been contained just with the tanker ship skimmers they offered, they offered four tanker/skimmers that together have almost double the capacity of the amount of oil that's leaking into the gulf.
BP caused the problem, obama made it much worse to allow him to push his crap and trade bill.
I'd like to hear how Romney would solve the crises. If you are going to criticize, tell us how you would stop this spill.
...and if anyone has not noticed, Obama is still relying on BP to fix things. In a couple moths, they better have this this thing in control!
Meanwhile, let's have a circus to slap around the CEO on TV. We'll run it under the guise of a Congressional Investigation. That oughta drum up some votes.
Mr Romney sound like a executive with expereince, rather than the response of our current community organizer. Mr Obama is more suited to legislation that leadership, although I do think that democrts tend to lump the two items together.
Mitt/Sarah in 2012
Very easy to stand on the sidelines and critize someone else. The republicans are in bed with the big oil companies and the American people know it. The republicans deregulated and deregulated and this is what we end up with. To Mr. Romney and the rest of the Grand Oil Party: Just shut the hell up and go away!
So, Republicans want the President to leave businesses unregulated so the market can work, want smaller government and states rights, lower taxes and lower spending... except when it is politically beneficial to want the opposite. Good job waffling!
Anyone who believes that what spews from Romneys pie hole is not just as toxic as Gulf oil has never been stepped on him while he half-governored Massachusetts. Oh wait, didn't his buddy do that in Alaska too? Funny how these idiots think we're that stupid. Please don't prove them right
wow, for someone with NO prospects, you sure talk alot
A $ 20 Billion fund NOW, that's not a cap. It will not be tied up in a Court system for years, not subject to attorney fees, administered by the guy who handled the 9-11 Fund. A $100,000,000 fund for oilfield workers displaced by the 6 month(maybe less) Moratorium on Deep Wells(500'). Only an Obama Hater could find fault.
Romney should be ripping BP not the President! He's just playing politics as usual.
WHAT? I don't agree with how this thing has been handled, but repubs always preach about gov't overstepping? BP HAS experts to deal with this. Do you think BP wants more and more oil to flow into the ocean. The more oil that leaks....the bigger the fines! Our "leaders" from both sides are screwed up....BIG TIME!
So clearly it is that the 2012 hopeful for the White House, Mitt Romney is talking without thinking, and is already starting to be his nasty self. Pathetic!
Oh no Romney, don't take a stand and until the dust settles, that way you can see which way the wind is blowing, you PUNK.
You couldn't even say that Barton was wrong!!! If you cant even stand up for that (which even your fellow moron Boehner did) you deserve to be nowhere within 2000 miles of the White House, not that you would even have a chance anyway.
Mittens, you and your tighy-whities are LYING! Period. Next subject.
If he would have stepped in and brought in his own experts Romney and the like would have used it as an example of Big Government stepping on corporations. Heck, even when he didn't, he is still accused of doing that when he got BP to agree to put money aside and let an independent party issue payments to the families and businesses of the gulf coast that are affected by BP's actions.
Rand Paul said it. Joe Barton said it. Ben Stein and the tea party lady said it again on Larry King last night!
You can't complain about it both ways folks, sheesh!
Who wouldeve guessed the presidents after clinton and bush would be Obama and Jindal.
"In this kind of a crisis situation, the president's response should have been to step in, bring in the experts, people from various oil companies, from leading institutions, academic and engineering firms and look at the options for actually capping this oil spill and then actually making those decisions," Romney said.
I believe that it was reported that this was actually done, and that the decisions were actually being taken by the Coast Guard – he dose seem to be terribly mis-informed...
Thank you, Mr. Soon-To-Be-Elected President Romney.
Anyone remember how this country came together after 9/11. A large majority of Republicans, Democrats and Independents supported the president? Sadly, the people on the right refuse to do that now...they prefer to use the continuing tragedy for political gain. How shameful!
Romney 2012! Our country will be fortunate to have Gov. Romney as our president. He has what it takes to get us out of this mess (through-the-roof unemployment and slow economic recovery) that Obama created and keeps pushing down our throats. Gov. Romney – we need you!
A little bit of jealousy Mitt? You know YOU
will never be POTUS so just show how classless
you are and keep ragging on Pres. Obama who has more intelligence in his little finger than you have in your whole BRAIN????
Obama is not concerned with fixing the oil leak, he just wanted money from BP.