Obama Breaks the World's Hearts ... Confesses He's Not Superman

Obama on Gulf spill: "My power is not limitless"
Posted June 11, 2010 4:30 PM
by Mike Memoli

The White House this afternoon released more details of President Obama's scheduled trip to the Gulf of Mexico next week, announcing that he will stop in Gulfport, Mississippi, Theodore, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida, "to survey the response efforts, visit with gulf residents impacted by the spill, and meet with area officials."

The administration response continues to be debated, as does the president's personal style in handling the crisis.

"I don't always have time to perform for the benefit the cable shows," he said earlier this week in response to a question about his "cool, calm and collected" demeanor.

In advance of his fourth trip, the White House today also offered a rare glimpse at Obama during his last trip to Louisiana a week ago. In footage of a meeting with residents who've been impacted by the spill, the president spoke candidly about what he is able to do.

"Even though I'm president of the United States, my power is not limitless," he is shown saying in the "West Wing Week", a video produced by the administration's new media team each week. "I can't dive down there and plug the hole. I can't suck it up with a straw. All I can do is make sure that I put honest, hard-working, smart people in place like Thad to implement this thing."

Obama also says he'll "do everything in my power to do right by you guys, and everybody along the coast."

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2010/06/obama_on_gulf_spill_my_power_i.html