Bobby Jindal Holds up Deployment of National Guard

[Jamel]

You know how Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal likes to blame the Federal government for the damage caused by BP's oil spill, arguing that he could have kept all the oil at bay if President Obama had only given him the resources he needed to fight it?

Well, last night CBS News tore Jindal's argument to shreds, pointing out that while President Obama has authorized up to 6,000 National Guard troops to fight the spill, Jindal has only activated 1,053 of them -- leaving more than 80% sitting idle, doing nothing to protect the state.

It's must-see-tv (text version here):

When CBS confronted Jindal about leaving so many guardsmen idle while oil is washing ashore, Jindal -- naturally -- blamed the Federal government, saying that he had requested deployment for the full 6,000, but that his request had been denied because "the Coast Guard and BP had to authorize individual tasks."

It turns out Jindal's response was a lie.

But Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the national incident commander in charge of the government's response to the spill, said Jindal is just flat wrong.

"There is nothing standing in the governor's way from utilizing more National Guard troops," Allen said.

In fact, the Coast Guard says every request to use the National Guard has been approved, usually within a day. Now Jindal's office acknowledged to CBS News the governor has not specifically asked for more Guard troops to be deployed.

This is a very big deal. It exposes the fact that Jindal has been playing politics with the spill from day one. He's argued that the federal government has denied him the resources he needs to fight the spill, but even though he's had thousands of National Guardsmen at his disposal, he's only used a tiny fraction of them, allowing more than 80% of the resources at his disposal to go unused.

In light of Jindal's massive under utilization of National Guard resources, it's clear that his attacks on the Obama administration were motivated first and foremost by politics. More than anything else, Jindal wanted to take the heat off the oil industry and put it on the government.

Well, Bobby, mission accomplished. Too bad you didn't give a damn about stopping the oil.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/6/25/879265/-CBS:-Jindal-holds-up-deployment-of-National-Guard-to-fight-spill

[fascisthunter]

1. Bobby Jindal need to be thrown off a boat in the gulf

with a bucket of chum.

[Posteritatis]

2. But the Gulf's polluted enough as it is! (nt)

[fascisthunter]

3. lol... and the sharks are all dead for the poison

holy crap... a paradox!!!!!!

[JuniperLea]

4. He must be making hard decisions right now...

How can he make the Obama Administration at fault? How can he make himself out as a hero whilst making the Obama Administration look bad? How can he hamper relief efforts whilst making it appear he is a hero whilst making the Obama Administration look bad?

Well, Bobby... go Cheney yourself.

[HockeyMom]

5. I read that NONE of the Gulf Coast Governors

have deployed all the Guard offered, including "Independent" Crist.

[gratuitous]

6. Sure, Jindal's lying

But will any of the popular media outlets have the nerve to call him on it? "Signs point to no."