LKL MONDAY: 2-Hour 'Disaster in the Gulf: How You Can Help' special

As Congress adjorns for one hour to vote, an off camera Congressman stated, "With the depth of knowledge he's (Mr Tony Hayward, BP) displayed (in his testimony today), anyone of us could do his job (CEO of BP).

Seems to me that Mr. Hayward watched too many Hugh Grant movies for his on camera expressions. I think he should have been watching more films from Harrison Ford or Gov Arnold on TV to get his facial expressions down.

What's your opinion?

In response to the oil spill, It's unfortunate for this mayhem that has befallen bp. I don't have funds to launch, but i volunteer myself to work in the cleaning exercise towards the restoration of the Gulf coast.

Hi Larry,
Hi folks
Americans will not be found lacking in volunteer work or financial aid to the affected people of the Gulf.
However we will find politicians & law makers lacking in true grit.
Rep. Joe Barton is an example.His coming to the aid of BP so blatantly establishes how well entrenched are those up on the hill on the side of Big Business,lobbies & special interest.

Excuse me for that maybe stupid question but how can we donate then? And can we see the show live in the internet?
Well, my problem is that I am from Germany, so I can't watch the show on TV..... But I'd LOVE to help.... Can anybody help me out plz???

We might jog Tony Hayward's memory and motivate him to accept real responsibility by having him donate every last penny of his personal salary to the victims (both human and wildlife). He should be denied any income until the wake devastation he and his company have caused has been cleaned up and repaid.

...And while Tony Hayward's thinking about his next move, let's give him a pair of floaties, drop him in the gulf above the gushing oil and leave him there to decide how slowly he wants to clean up this horrific mess.

Sara Vazzana

Hi Larry,
There is one absolute-Fact: as you read my post, BP's Oil is continuing to leak into our Gulf. Regardless of the politics, the blame, the lack of responsibility, lack of regulation-–at the end of the day, this oil leak should have been sealed long ago.
I do not accept the Presidents comment that the leak will be 90% contained by the summer. Well, today, it's 100% devastating our Gulf Region. My message to our fellow Americans is this: Please help to seal the leak, politics and deliberations and blame thereafter.
Please stop and understand fully the repercussions of what is actually happening today-it will be far beyond the year 2035 that our Gulf Region's environment begins to recover.
Remeber, in the future when you are at a poll, what politician has put the best interest of the American people and our environment in perspective, then, make your choice on a poltitian that get's their job done! Today, our politicans, federal and local level and the lawyers and those wanting to capitalize and push their agendas during this crisis ought to be ashamed of themselves. When will we as a society begin to respect our planet we share with nature over money. Do we really want a legacy of greed and money?

Thank you for reading.

I think the American and British government should get involved and help with this disaster. Wveryone needs to work together and save the environment and wildlife.

WoW! As the Congressional investigation began questioning BP CEO Tony Hayward in the Congressional House Energy Panel, Republican Congressman Barton APOLOGIZED to BP CEO Tony Hayward and 'Told him he felt President Obama's 20 Billion dollar escrow fund which was secured from BP yesterday was a 'Governmental Shake-Down' by President Obama!

Wow! That is so very typical of how totally disgusting Republican lawmakers have become, it doesn't get more foul than that does it??

Needless to say, If BP wasn't paying 20 Billion dollars in this initial early-on clean up of the enormous Gulf Oil spill, It would be the American Taxpayers Footing the Bill.

Republican lawmakers in Congress, the US Senate and in the State of Louisiana remind me of a drug addict going thru withdrawal symptoms, demanding more of their 'drug'. Drill baby drill, give them more Oil lobbying dollars to pad their pockets! And in light of all the environmental damage from this current Oil Gusher, they are screaming for more of their crude Oil 'drug'.

All American's can help Louisiana kick their addiction to crude Oil by helping America move to non-crude Oil derived fuel.

And a special shout-out and thanks to CNN for showing the extensive coverage of the Congressional investigation from the House Energy panel of BP CEO Tony Hayward. It is really amazing the questions coming from the Democratic congresspersons appear right on the money while the Republican congressmen appear to be patting Tony Hayward on the back with there 'atta-boy's'.

Yesterday on CSPAN, the aging and grumpy Republican US Senator John McCain appeared to be sleeping during a Senate Gulf Oil Spill investigation as the Office of the GAO was explaining how toxic and poisonous the crude Oil was that is gushing out of the blow-out Oil well in the Gulf, go figure!

I'm a little surprised by this telethon this is BP's Bill to pay! I feel terrible about what has happened, but nobody did anything in IOWA when they had the floods in 2008! But let's give to Nashville, Lousiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and they actually have a place to go and get money it's called BP! Let them pay for this!

I would also like to add that I realize Iowa doesn't have the Grand Ole Opry, or the gulf, but it happens to have really good people that could have used the help, but did you ever hear them complaining about the government and what it didn't do, NO they picked up the peaces of there lives and moved on from it! Your enabling BP to get out of what is there responsibilty! They need to fix this problem.

What's going on with the deep sea Oil well blow-out in the Gulf of Mexico?

The Live feed from Skandi ROV1 shows a tremendous amount of Natural Gas mixed with crude Oil spewing out from a pile of equipment on the seafloor.

The Live feeds from other ROV's (Enterprise ROV 1) shows nothing but the standard view of crude Oil spewing from the top of the BOP clipped riser pipe!

It entirely appears there are multiple gushers that are erupting from the blown-out Oil well from more than one location. The Skandi ROV1 view is not the riser pipe on top of the BOP. Both of those streams are live views and both gushers appear to be substantial, one with more Natural Gas than Crude Oil, the other is mostly Crude Oil.

Lol @ this congress for grilling poor tony. What about their lack of response to allow the dutch in to build the barriers we need to protect the coast. This is the problem we face when we make someone president who does not have the experience. If i were tony hayward i would tell congress to shove it and clean it up and send me the bill. where is our leadership when we need it most. its like obama is watching tv responding to the peanut gallery. WAKE UP MR PRESIDENT AND LEAD!!!! stop following

Will the special be aired on CNN International in Germany as well? Would love to help!

That picture just breaks my heart to see the wildlife suffering.
God bless all the volunteers that help clean up this mess,don't forget to buy Dawn dish soap they donate $1.00 of every purchase to help this endeavor.
God Bless us all this is just horrific!

The damage is done. Instead of pointing out fingers to others and blaming previous authorities, we should be all working together for a solution.

The media shows all of these animals covered in oil and suffering. It is heartbreaking to watch. Where are all the people, conservation and natural wildlife employees? I live in NYS and what I would give to be able to go down to help clean these animals! I dont understand why these people arent doing more. It discusses me so! it is so hard to watch the birds and fish soaked in oil? Why dosent the media show these people helping!! I just dont get it!! This breaks my heart! If anyone has any answers please!

Also I am wondering why the government isnt approving Kevin Costners plan? They, including BP, should try his plan! What ever they have, is that working? Hell no!.. Just wondering? The celebs that are doing this telethon, have they contributed any money? I should hope so!! ..There were talks about using a nuclear bomb from what I hear? Um, wouldnt that cause a sunami??..Like I said, if I was able to I would be down in a heartbeat to help with these animals!! Seeing them is so heartbreaking..:(

I would like to know how anybody would apologize to BP for such a grave accident that could have been prevented just by doing the right thing. The bottom line with all these companies is money and how they can bribe the Republicans! When are we going to stop all the rhetoric? The blame is truly on BP who has no way to fix a severe problem they caused by neglect. We need to find a way to stop all the name calling and blaming our President, he did not cut corners in drilling for oil, it was BP. If they are so good why did they not have a plan prior for such accidents. Who are the idiots who had no way to take care of such a major problems. The news need to keep the pressure on people who are did the wrong. The government is only as good as we make it.

@ Magloj, obviously Republican Congressman Barton from Texas comes from a long historic line of Texas oilmen in politics. Even Bush sr. and Bush jr. were a Texas crude Oil wildcat family. Remember them? For 100 years, Big Oil is everything in Texas before moving across the Gulf as easy Oil dried up. Big Oil owns politics in Texas and a great many of the federal judges across the entire Gulf Coast. Republican Congressman Barton from Texas was simply speaking what ALL Republican lawmakers were muttering against President Obama.

President Obama stood up with courage and strength and demanded BP pony up 20 Billion into a private escrow account instead of the American Taxpayers being forced to pay that money for BP's mistake!

This reveals the very height of Republican hypocrisy as they spew their mantra of fiscal responsibility, yeah they would have just stuck the taxpayers with that 20 Billion dollar bill.

POTUS didn't ORDER anybody to do anything. That is a flat out made-up lie. Barton should resign. Then I'll believe his coerced apology. The Gulf is DYING. His statement was a complete betrayal of the Gulf Coast, its ecology, and its people.

WOW is an understatement at today's hearing. Mr. Joe Barton's offensive personal remarks is a disgrace to the proceedings. His remarks that he is ashamed to live in the US saying the White House hi-jacked the $20 million to protect us from BP. I SUGGEST THAT MR. BARTON DO JUST THAT RESIGN AND MOVE TO WHATEVER COUNTRY HE CHOOSES. His remarks are shamefull. As for claiming his remarks were personal rather than political is a farce!

I can't believe the guy who is arguing the Obama's hands were tied by BP. That's ridiculous! He's the President of the United States. The problem is that he treats every major threat to the Nation like a round table discussion. He sits down with Iran and takes a greedy negligent company at its word. He doesn't consider for a moment that they might be lying to him. Iran still builds nukes and BP is still poring crap out of its mouths at almost the same rate as that gusher in the gulf!

Does Dana Loesch know what she's talking about? All she can say is "It didn't have to be this big...." How? What is it that you expected? Quit looking for a reason to make this political and blame the administration that you already don't like and focus on the real criminals...BP

If I was a Texan or a Republican I would be embarrassed and ashamed by the comment made by Joe Barton (R) Texas on Capital Hill today!

Oh come on, Ben. He didn't order anything. He recommended they do it. That just is NOT a violation of the Constitution. What a reach.

Why the hell are we being asked to pay for BP's mistake? Why don't we have a telethon for the millions of unemployed while were at it!

Dana Loesch is obviously here on an anti-Obama campaign.

Texan Republican Congressman Barton spoke for the entire Republican Party today when he apologized to BP's CEO Tony Hayward. He was simply speaking what ALL Republican lawmakers were muttering after President Obama pressured their major donor into putting up 20 Billion dollars into a escrow account to help speed up funding equipment, vessels and supplys needed to clean up the enormous Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

President Obama saved the American Taxpayers 20 BILLION Dollars! Clearly the Republican lawmakers would have forced the American taxpayers to pay those costs and likely a great deal more.

President Obama is practicing fiscal responsibility and the Republican party is apologizing to their special interests in Big Oil for that!!! Go figure!

Why aren't we getting help from any other countrys We would be helping them

Eeally Really bad communication on this matter. Maby over communication ..I dont know how the president can even hear his own voice over every single network and politican speaking out. I do agree with the the shake down thoery.

who says no one knows how to stop oil leak ,
How to stop gulf oil leak, ask an engineer to look at this.
Take 3x3x1/2, or 6x6x1/2 inch tube steel and build a rectangular frame with the inside of frame a few inches wider than the flanges that would extend from a few inches below the bottom flange to 3 or 4 ft above the top of the leaking riser, on the bottom of the frame put 4 hydraulic cylinders on all sides pointing inward, and on the top center of the frame put a bigger hydraulic cylinder with a tapered metal plug a few inches round at the bottom to 1 or2 thousands of an inch bigger than the inside diameter of the riser, looking downward.
This outfit can be lowered over the leaking riser pipe and the bottom cylinders all activated inward to get a tight grip on the riser just below the bottom flange, after this activate the top cylinder to shove the plug into the pipe, the taper should take any deformalities out of the pipe for a tight seal. This can be done by using the underwater robots. Thanks randy

It’s sadly obvious that politicians and talking heads are playing to the TV audience because they love to hear themselves talk. One day they say Obama isn’t tough enough, next day, he’s shaking BP down. . . disgusting comment! A lot of questions that were asked of Tony Hayward today were good, but unfortunately they didn’t press Tony Hayward to answer them. Instead the politicians just talked on and on, letting Hayward off the hook, and the public is not hearing what we want to hear.

You have 4 cats there, looks tough to herd them.

BP and the Government are responsible. BP for the actions leading up to the spill and their continued 'corporate' response; slow pay,limiting access to media, no plan of containment and clean up to name but a few areas of malfeasance.

Government is responsible for lack of planning, failure to respond quickly. This has been a comical procession of bureaucrats practicing cya. No one is responsible apparently, except BP.

This is an assault on our coastline and should be treated as such. Call back Ret. Lt Gen Russell Honoree, he is from LA and has a track record of getting things done...he also has the only plan I have seen...on CNN.

One of your guests asked why didn't President Obama go to the Senate or Congress and get a law pass to hold BP accountable. What a joke! The Republicans would have found a way to hold it up. What President Obama did was expedient and we all know legal. He's a Constitutional Lawyer.

BP is the one holding the smoking gun but I think we are missing the real point here. WE the united states did not take care of business,,,The business of keeping our country safe. What BP did was very very wrong, but our lack of control, politics and big money caused this to be able to happen! Are elected officals run our country...Not BP...If we were doing our job they would hhave had to do theirs!

@Linda in Arizona I agree with you. I think he was trying to say that we should do something like this via the constitution and not by just recommending or telling them to do so.

Ok, I am 30 year old and a mother of 3. I think that it is devastating on what is happening with the oil spill. I agree that BP is at fault, but who was there when BP wanted to build in that sight, who gave them the ok, and who made sure they were following the regulations? Wouldn't OSHA be to blame too? Or whoever does inspections? Surely when they first started drilling or whatever, they had to have a game plan in place if this would ever happen. They had to get a permit or something to be there, what did that entail? Yelling and degrating the CEO of BP is not going to get anything done, we could have saved many animals from the oil in the time we wasted yelling at the CEO.
Just fix it already!

How can we stop BP from passing on the cost to the public from the oil spill? It was their mistake by cuting corners and the public should not have to foot the bill through higher cost.

Oh, Dana and Ben, why don't you get these international experts and bring them down there? If the President is not doing it, why don't you ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES AND GET YOUR OWN HANDS DIRTY? You cannot put partisanship aside for two hours to help.

Dana Loesch is chanting the senseless mantra that Obama himself should have stopped the Oil Gusher on day one! Clearly Dana Loesch is trying to fashion some fantasy of impossibility. President Obama appointed Admiral Thad Allen on day one to overlook and lend any help possible to BP and keep President Obama apprised on the growing situation.

Funny, as I watch tonights show, the Tea Party Rep is chastising our President for not doing enough, soon enough, concerning the Gulf oil spill disaster.

Gee, I thought the whole Tea Party Movement was about too much government intervention. As usual, as things go bad, NOW they want the govenrment to intercede.

Apparently they only want to pick and choose when and under what circumstances the government is involved with the current events of the country.

I dont want to sound irregular but I think that BP has something else in mind. I know companies have long term agendas. Look at it like this . THey know oil and thats what they do . Everyone else it saying tell me tell mee or pay . THey are not going out of business in mopinion

Bush-Cheney gutted a great many Oil and Gas drilling regulations during their secret 100 days of behind closed doors meetings with Big Oil CEO's leaving this landmine of legislation to explode on the American people in the Obama Administration. President Obama should do a bottom to top search of further landmines Bush-Cheney left which will explode on the American people in the future and remove them as quickly as possible.

The whole Congress "Investigatiuon" was nothing but political theatre. No one who is under investigation is going to say anything that might be used against him/her. It happens in every single one of these investigations and not one politician asking questions today would have answered in any other way should the roles be reversed.

Like the former head of Shell said on Campbell Brown, Americans politicians and the media are looking like children with their phoney antics. The only one whio is doing unbiased, fact based reporting fromm CNN is Ali Velshi.

Talking on and on is what Washington likes to do. It's always a dog and pony show, catering to their constituents and the camera. We have seen it with the auto industry, the financial institutions, Fed Chairman Bernanke, the Toyota CEO. In retrospect, I can't think of anything positive that came out of the public thrashings.

why can we not channel oil to the surface and do what we do with it

@ smith from oregon
I believe BP reported at the beginning of the oil spill that there were 3 leaks from the oil head. It is possible BP is trying to cover up the true nature of the spill and hoping the oil gusher will loose pressure after time so they can make the repairs.

The comment made by Joe Barton on Capital Hill has insulted the deaths of the men that died on the "Deep Sea Horizon" Rig and the families they once had! If I was a Republican on the Gulf Coast I would be disgusted!

Pass a law to hold BP accountable? I'm sure the republicans would be standing in line to help with that. They would oppose any legislative attempt to do what Obama has done. Don't get me wrong. I don't think he's done enough. I don't think he did enough from Day ONE. I don't think he's doing enough now. I think 20 billion is not enough, but at least he has legally obligated BP to do that much. Republicans would have blocked any bill to do the same until the end of time.

difficult to understand
the GOP keeps telling that Obama is leading the country to socialism by controlling companies too much. Happens the Gulf disaster and suddenly they accuse the government for not controlling enough...
wow...

I understand that the initial permit for bp tp drill the field was in Mexcan waters. What ristrictions did Mexico put on bp?

.The loss is American but we had no input of ristrictions, also no way to stop future drilling in Mexcan waters.

Ben Stein cries for the BP criminals, fearing they have to compensate. What price for a destroyed ecosystem, blighted wetlands, and a ruined Guld shore economy? I wish BP apologists like Mr. Stein, and Rep. Joe Barton (R. TX) would go to the beaches and pick up tar and oil, until they realized just how plain stupid and unsympathetic to regular people they sound. GOP propagandists like Ben Stein, and government for the wealthy politicians like Joe Barton, have blessed the plunder of America. Hopefully their message will be revealed for the wrong headed , and often destructive thing that it is , and people will no longer be fooled about how what is good for big corporation's bottom line is always good for the average American. This Gulf disaster is a stark object lesson to show that the insane policies dictated by greed, and on the take politicians is against the country's best interests.

As a Gulf Coast resident, I am appalled that Congressman Barton would apologize to the oil company responsible for this ecological/economical disaster! What a huge mistake on a personal level as well as for the Republican Party. I believe that the president and the current administration has handled this disaster poorly to the extent I was reconsidering my political party affiliation. I have since decided to remain a Democrat. After Barton's apology, how can we trust him or the Republican Party to have the United State's best interest in mind and represent the people when developing energy policy? Maybe Barton should visit the Gulf Coast in person to see the devastation? Hmmm…maybe not. I hope that BP will reward him handsomely for selling out the American People.

The President got this money legally. He knows that if the republicans really beleived their lie about "shakedown", the repubs would be trying to impeach him immediately. They know President Obama did not do anything illegal. However, the repubs know spewing lies to those who hate President Obama will be taken as truth.

You just now ask for our feelings on the death penalty. Here are min.

Anyone who murders someone without very good cause, or murders more than once, should have his life taken, and not 25 years later. Six months is a long time to live after being found guilty of cold blooded murder. Anyone who sexually abuses a child should be put to death as soon as the jury says "guilty". They should never be put back on the streets to do it to more children. Our babies do not deserve this.

The Bible tells us they should suffer pretty much as they have made someone else to suffer. That would be my form of "capitol punishmentz' An eye for an eye"

Representative Joe Barton (Republican , Texas) is a biig recipient of oil money. It really doesn't take much intelligence to realize that he and people like him serve a small minority of very wealthy contributors, rather than doing things for the greater good of the nation. This time he just couldn't contain himself, could he? Imagine, an ecological Chernobyl, and an economic hardshop for thousands of citizens, and he is worried about BOP compensating? Incredible, how these people keep getting voted back in office.

Who is responsible for starting the uncontrolled flow of oil into the
Gulf of Mexico???? My first guess would be the Technical Staff who
worked on the RIG.
The general public is misled by the media by its emphasis that the
CEO of BP and the President of the USA are directly responsible
and can get it fixed in short order.
The politicians questioning of the CEO seemed to be motivated
by selfish ambitions ( 17 Jun 2010).

If there are two or more gushers, there must be one or more of them rising from outside of the casing. I think I remember my Dad talking about the Leduc blowout in Alberta occured because the casing was not properly set into bedrock. If this is the case, the only solution will be the success of the relief well in August. I also conclude that BP does not want to explain the nature of more than one leak because it will be pointing the finger of suspicion at itself.

If there was only one leak from the riser our of the BOP, a simple solution would be to use a needle/stopper solution. Put simply, about 500 ft of 30 ft sections of 2" diameter steel bar (with a needle shaped nose) are guided and threaded into the large diameter steel pipe that is gushing oil. Joined to this steel bar are 500 ft sections of steel bar of increasing in diameter by 0.5 inches until they match the inside diameter of the pipe at the top of the Blow Out Preventer. FYI, the long length of bar sections will ensure that the weight of bar inside of the gushing oil pipe will be sufficient to overcome the high pressure of oil rushing out of it.

Why is there such a mountain of words being wasted on everything but the nature of the spill? The politicians and the media should be holding BP's feet to the fire in terms of requiring it to fully explain the number of sites that are leaking and the nature of those sites i.e. are they from sources other that the riser pipe from the BOP. To date, the world is left to believe that had the BOP been operative, there would be no spill. Why doesn't Obama zero in on this core issue?

If Representative Joe Barton (Republican, Texas) had his way the criminals at BP, who cut corners on safety in order to cut costs , would not have money put into escrow. That would leave American citizens to pay for the compensation through taxes. Apparently Represtative Barton doesn't mind "shakedowns" if it is from taxpayers to keep corporate criminals in the lush lifestyle to which they have grown accustomed. He is a walking advertisement for why we need lobby reform.

Wake up America! The republicans and democrats have sold their parties to the highest bidder. Every congressman on the panel today has taken money for big oil!! I'm sick of the blame game going on between the parties. If one party could cure cancer the other party would complain your putting doctors out of work!! I voted for Ralph Nader the last three election knowing he didn't stand a chance of winning but he was by far the most qualified. Joe Barton you should leave the country with your oil money. Ahhhh forget it we're screwed!!!

jack June 17th, 2010 10:16 pm ET
Thanks for the information. You are right on target as always! And a good evening to you!

What a tragic fate bestowed on this entire eco-system. How many oil rigs do we have in the gulf? If you can remove the oil with vacuum hoses, how about BP sending out a fleet of tankers equipped to remove the oil from the water? Nick Pozzi, an American oil and gas engineer, was in charge of a 700 million gallon oil spill in the Arabian Gulf in the 1990's who successfully cleaned it up and was cast out by BP saying he did not go through proper channels. Pozzi’s plan was to quickly remove the oil from the gulf into Supertankers, separate the oil from the water.

@ IKHAN

you stated: "Americans will not be found lacking in volunteer work or financial aid to the affected people of the Gulf. However we will find politicians & law makers lacking in true grit."

Stellar! Thank you!

@jack,
Don't you think the truth is that all present today at the hearing were catering to their constituents, not just Barton?

@Dodie There were several engineers who were involved in the clean up of the Arabian Gulf on MSNBC. the gulf does not have the depth to handle what a supertanker would need. While I was in Japan the past week, engineers on the BBC stated the exact same thing. The engineer on MSNBC stated that was the first question the President asked.

How can they clean the mess up when the oil is still gushing out into the ocean. It would be like fighting a losing battle I would think.

How is the containment of the oil going I wonder. Where are all those superior machines we are hearing of that can separate the oil from the water and what not.

Disgusting, they will get their karma.

It seems to me that if our government had reacted during the early stages of this disaster in the gulf to put a 20 mile radius around the spill and lay multiple levels of boom surrounding it, it would still be contained. I heard of an oil containment vessel in the Delaware Bay that was sitting there 2 weeks after the disaster and was not deployed. There is no doubt that BP's response has been less than adequate but why is The United States of America letting a company destroy our shoreline and our marshes.

By the sounds of it, it is no easy matter cleaning up the oil spill. That is toxic matter you are dealing with. One would need all the equipment necessary like protective gear and masks etc. Just mind-boggling.

@Tom Gillespie Be Real. They would use what works. This has never happen before. The plans all oil companies filed throught the years were lies. Water moves and currents??????

@Christie. You are probably right. It was just that Rep. Barton made it so blatantly obvious who they serve. When they come out of their box and make statements like he did, then they need to be called out for it. He was, and I hope he is voted out, along with Republicans and Democrtas that follow the kinds of ideas that he articulated today.
@Dodie...Hi, hope you are having a good night.

From CANADA
I am a very intelligent Canadian and wild lifer and I have been listening intently to various questions asked of BP …

This is the CEO of the largest Oil company in the world.. How in the dickens do you expect Tony Hayward to answer your questions when there are ongoing investigations going on. ANY person in his right mind would not be able to answer the questions that he are being asked. Yes he is the CEO and Yes he is the head of the company , however even in the smallest company the CEO does not know EVERYTHING.
Tony Hayward is being very careful in taking all questions and in answering them however I feel he is being BADGERED and we are not being fair to him either.

I am sickened by what is happening in our oceans and I am terrified that there will be a hurricane or a mother nature earthquake that will happen that will make this situation a whole lot worse than it is. BUT we must keep in mind , he is the CEO he has been talking to lawyers I am sure as a very smart man and he CANNOT say what he is really thinking.

IF a murder happens, do we accuse the person until he is proven guilty. NO then I think that we are being very unfair.

I see the animals and birds and KNOW that this is VERY SERIOUS but how can any one person be held responsible.

Would you as a company manager FIRE anyone with out the real proof of responsibility.
Going Willy Nilly and just firing people would not be a responsible thing to do at BP.

I feel for all US citizens that will be affected and I feel for the persons and family that have been killed due to this accident I feel for the nature that has been and will be destroyed.

I want all of the oil to be picked up and taken care of so that this horrible accident can be put to rest.

But I know that it will take YEARS to see what really happened and not just ASSUME that we already know.

Tony Hayward you have my sympathy , people of USA you have my sympathy, I am devastated as I watch the news. I though know that this is not going to be solved in a day or a week or a month and could take years.

The Government needs to get in there and MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.. no red tape just DO IT and so BP need to do the same.

What a shame that we all just cannot GET IT DONE
Sincerely my thoughts are with you all
Elaine A Schaeffer-Cooper
Ontario Canada

Our government is incompetant, all they do is blame bp. Bp has tried to co-operated in everyway. Bp is not the only ones to blame, our government didn't do what they are suppose to either. It is shameful the way they are treating Bp. It was an accident. It took Obama two months to contact Bp, that is ourtrageous. Anyone with half a brain knows that is the first thing you would do. You get together and try to figure out how to solve the problem. I don't Obama is to concerned about it, he would rather party, make speeches , or wave to people.

Your four visitors debating the oil spill is just like all our politicians, waisting breath, instead of doing something! Purchase Hay from our nations farmers, and put the rolls around the banks of where the oil will enter, and concrete and calcium will cap in well, guranteed! Why does the government and BP not want concrete poured down into the hole until it stops?

John
Lexington, KY

I am really sick of everyone blaming all.....just get all the smart individuals together and fix it......And what about all the people who worked for years for BP and now they are in their 80's and depend on the dividents which no longer are there.....or the stocks.....is this their fault...NO. My parents are worried sick and in their 80's they should not have to worry about money.....come on people...get your act together and figure this out!!!!!!!

First of all Tony Hayward said today that he wasn't strong armed. Second all I hear is how awful our government is. Can you imagine how happy all the people who hate our government (aka our country) and fight each other make the terrorists. They must be sitting back and laughing and watching America destroy themselves because they can't pull together. I'm sure not everyone likes the elected but they were elected and we should be trying to help instead of badmouthing all the time. No matter what our president does he gets badmouthed. No matter what he does. It is just terrible that so many people can actually stand up and tell the world how absolutely terrible our government is. They might just as well send an invitation to the terrorists to come and walk in because no one wants to be there. I don't feel that the people who voted are stupid. If that is the case I will never vote again because I don't consider myself stupid. All the rebel rousers who hate everything about America should just get out.

I am sOOOO tired of hearing the negative political bashing. First everyone said the President wasn't tough enough.......I think the President getting BP to commit to $20b trust was a HUGE START. Given this is only a start, I really wish certain media figures (not you Larry!) would STOP BASHING THE PRESIDENT. This is kind of constant toxic negative journalism is only spreading deep anger and fear amongst citizens of gulf and the U.S. and not really helping anyone!

I'd like to start hearing commentary from expert engineers regarding possible solutions and risk management measures oil industry should consider in future. Thank you.

Is there any way the panel can put aside their personal agenda and fingerpointing and tell us what they are doing to help. Fence-sitting, holier-than-thou, my politics are better than yours, blame the president for not doing enough, but what are they doing?

No one realizes that the focus has been to "re-tap" the well. Bp wants to still recover the oil. If they would just use some high explosive at the base to permanently seal the well it would be finished, but they want to still syphon the oil. The focus is still to profit off the well instead of sealing it permanently.

Obama do not have anything to do with BP oil spill, no matter what obama do , everybody gone try to make him look like he's not doing his job.

Is this the end of BP and if not.., why not.., with over 700 records of safety violations.., and many people.., working people dead why not.

Look.., lets not delude ourselves.., BP has made a big hole right in the middle of Gulf of Mexico.., it is a hole and oil is gushing from that hole to the surface killing all kind of livelihoods.., at the same time the chief executive of BP.., Tony Hayward in response to how and when this hole is going to be fixed…, if ever.., have said that “BP will not guarantee anything”.

If there are no guarantees so what are the alternatives and believe me there are not many.., for the first someone.., somehow got to fix this hole.., for the second someone needs to guarantee those who lost or those whom are and were making a living out of what is lost and going to be lost in near feature.., otherwise it would add to amount of homelessness already exist.., those who are going to lose their house because they have lost their legitimate income…, here I don’t think that Tony Heyward or any other BP or other oil companies executives care.., if they did.., we wouldn’t be here to see and feel this catastrophe and talk about it.., they simply would correct their safety record and learn one or two lessons from their history.

Some people been very sensitive about the wording of “shake down” yet if the wording been tolerable or not it shouldn’t be of much concern, although one might think that: by the same token the representative who used the wording might have something to do with BP defending their behavior.., their safety record or just because that BP is a British company and Tony Heyward have a accent that not many people understand what a h he is saying .., but I think the frustration comes from how BP is going to pay for what they have caused this catastrophe .., the 20 billion dollars in 4 years time should be of every ones concern.., in another words.., BP is going to pay 5 billion dollars per year and for next 4 years…, this money have to go to those who have and those whom is going to lose their income.., OK good but then what…, perhaps the government have thought about the issue and made it clear for itself that the interests of this 5 billion per year for next 4 years would be enough when BP would say that is brook and can not pay anymore.., that is to say if the money which is going to be deposited in escrow would pay enough dividends to pay for rest of the time.., month and perhaps years to come.., furthermore if BP is going to refuse to pay any amount over and above this amount (20 billion for next 4 years) then what…, I am sure the US government will take BP to court.., but would that resolve the money issue…? Supposedly the court would vote the guilty verdict and hang it on the neck of BP.., or for that matter Tony Heyward.., yet their attorneys’ would argue that BP have no money and therefore cant pay.., then what..?

Further and for the sake of argument say…, that Tony Heyward is plead guilty and the court sentence him to 5 years in prison..! but he is a British citizen and by then his been tipped off to move back to England.., then what.., is there any agreement between US and British government in sending this man back to US for his sentence…, lets say that he is back in US and doing his time…, what would the British government do to help this man out of jail and back in England.., yet what about MMS and those who granted the Bps derailing permit knowing that Bps safety records stinks as a dirty sucks.., would they face the judge too and if convicted.., would they go to jail…! Not feeling sad or sorry for Tony Hayward or the present or past government or for that matter MMS management.., yet by now the time that have passed is almost 4 years.., BP has paid its part of agreement and due to loss of business in US and elsewhere BP is unable to pay any more money to anyone.., then and at that moment in time the question is.., now what.

In such scenarios and time now what is then and then is now..; however.., the hole where this oil is gushing…, by know is purring the double amount of 35-60 thousands barrel per day because of all that pressure from the earth under the hole which have made the hole wider…, then what.., perhaps then.., the government would suggest the use of atomic bomb to below this hole where perhaps it will stop this gushing oil or maybe it will stop by itself if we prayed more and more and forget about the LA Lakers and soccer games and put our head where its belongs and stopped fooling ourselves and take the matter more serious.., and take a look at these companies and their involvements making profit all over the world especially from Middle East where the oil is. Lets not fool ourselves that they all been involved in all kind of mafia tactics since the beginning of their existence.., today hearing.., to me.., is looked like another of those hearings where a mafia boss was brought in and he didn’t hade anything to say but admitting that he worked for BP and today day was Thursday June 17, 2010.

Larry,

would like to know,what will happen to those peolple who have a business for many years fishing these waters.
lets say they are making $100.000 the last 5 years.
will BP pay them for all the years they cant fish?

And why is everybody blaming Obama,he whas against for more drilling right.

lololololol dear larry

that seattle call saved you lollo i almost fell off my chair

@ Dianne

I just googled both the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Mexico depths. This is what I found:

The waters are overall very shallow in the Arabian Gulf, with a maximum depth of 90 meters. The gulf of Mexico maximum depth of over 13123 ft (4,000 meters). Unless all the sites are wrong, what the engineers stated was incorrect. The Gulf of Mexico is much deeper and could easily handle super-tankers for cleanup. As the tankers approach the land, of course it would be too shallow and the same would apply for the Arabian Gulf.

@ jack. It's a good night! Thank you for asking! Very kind of you!

Joy Earl- there are ships from other countries, waiting in the waters, wanting desperately to help. Ships from the Netherlands with special equipment to deal with oil spills were sent our way immediately. It is the US who is not allowing them in. There is some kind of law that no foreign aid can be accepted in this situation, research it.

Well larry Ben Stein is right.
The pres. can't do what he did to BP.
But the Pres. can twist the arms of a senator or house member all he wants.
I'm glad I never have voted Dem. ever
They want it all but for nothing.
My President the strongarm for the USA MOB.

Political circus and continued rush to blame and judgment. Where is the criticism around TransOcean, MMS, Halliburton and Cameron. If Transocean (who by the way was the owner and operator of the rig) thought it was not a safe operation, they should have shut it down. the as the operator have the right and obligation to do so for the safery of their employess. A thorough investigation needs to review all companies involved and normal industry practices used to determine fault.

Too much exaggeration by politician and in this thread. 100% of gulf coast impact? really, how about the additional traffic from all the media folks. how about workers hired by bp/us coast guard. like to see what they were make prior to this. i would imagine most making more money now then before the rig explosion. the revenue and tax dollars us gov't gets from oil (leases and royalties) far exceeds the usgc fishing industry.

Thank goodness for that. We, on the Gulf Coast, were beginning to wonder where all the celebrities and telethons were for us. We were beginning to think we were being forgotten about again. They all come out to help others. Thank you for coming to the aid of the Gulf Coast.

My comments are because of the comments of the family of the man who was put to death, and even the family member of the victim. You should read Leviticus chapter 20. God himself ordered death for certain Crimes. But He gave that to the leaders, which today are governments. For you, and me , to kill is a sin. Governments are given that authority to both protect the innocenbt from the guilty, and to perhaps to act as a deterent for others. That was part of the reason why these events in earlier times here, and since early times was to scare people from commiting those crimes, not to hide them. Executions need to be a public event. Governments killing of those commitiing some serious crimes is not a sin.

Just like the former Big Oil CEO's that were requested to take the oath and appear before the Congressional Energy Hearing and Investigation, BP's CEO Tony Hayward was ALSO previously given a summary of ALL of the questions he was asked today in person.Tony Hayward didn't even act like he had read them, much less looked up requested BP documents nor contacted his staff for any answers. Just the same blank look as the previous Big Oil CEO's adopted to their questions.

Constantly performing the old Bush-Cheney two step of denial, don't recall, do not know and repeating the lawyered up mantra's of 'doing the best', 'doing everything possible' really falls short of helping Congress and the American people feel very much compassion for BP period.

Nonetheless, it appeared during the Congressional hearing that there are THREE owners on the Oil Well Lease and BP is only one of the three. Regardless if BP is seen as a 'principle' owner or not, Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (APC) one of the other two owners is likely going to be compelled to pay for the Oil spill damages and penalty's.

Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (APC) was of course summoned to appear as was the third owner of the lease on this blown oil well before Congress. Neither of them even showed up! For the record, Anadarko is listed as 25% owner on the lease and well.

Investors have certainly torched the stock holdings for the corporations involved. Just for giggles, here are those numbers:

– BP PLC, majority owner of the leaking well and operator of the rig that exploded and sank, down 48 percent, to $31.71 from $60.48.

– Anadarko Petroleum Corp., 25 percent stake in the well, down 44 percent, to $41.60 from $73.94.

– Transocean Ltd., owner of the drilling rig, down 46 percent, to $49.43 from $92.03.

– Halliburton Co., performed cementing work on the well, down 21 percent, to $26.39 from $33.31.

– Cameron International Corp., made the blowout preventer that failed to stop the oil leak, down 18 percent, to $37.60 from $46.04.

More than anything else, when other Corporations and their CEO's see such huge drops in the above company's worth and millions of investors jump ship dumping their stock, they certainly do not want to risk ending up in a similar state of slide.

I wouldn't be surprised if the board of directors in each of the above companys insists their CEO's be replaced and there are large shakeup's with the executive officers and management in each of those companys.

Larry, I want to volinteer my time and equipment to cleanup the Gulf Oil Spill disaster. Beleave me I can do it.
I am an x MMS and BLMer who served 16 years for the Department of the Interior, Oil and Gas Inspection and Enforcement MMS/BLM Department. I have been trying to seek the answers of what happned and why the Drilling Ship exploded and sunk with loss of life.
Here’s what my conclusions are, the fire started because of the BP companies man ordered that a backfill to be performed, this was yielded to by the Driller an against his judgement and is no where allowed as an approved procedure in the APD’s reqrirements. The only thing such a procedure would accomplish is to save the cost of drilling fluids. So you might ask what does that meen . It means that seawater that weighs 8.7 lbs. per gallon for approximately 3.5 miles displaced drilling fluid that weighs from 15 to 20 lbs. whas displaced in lue of seawater, possibly after running in the casing string which was never cemmented in the well .and it appears that this happened after the drill string column was pulled out from the wellbore. Now that means big trouble for us, because you cannot fix or solbe this problem because it has now became an impossible mission. Wellbore fluids are being produced from between the BOP’s hydraulics rams and the riser pipe and then against other open pipes which are also flowing oil and gas throughthem. You could never hope to hold back 44,000 pounds of flowing pressure with 22,000 lbs of seawater at the ocean floor. against that amount of production pressure.
However,I FIRMLY DO BELEAVE THAT I HAVE THE SOLUTIONS FOR OUR PROBLEMS.

However, thats another story.
Yours truly,
Roland Leaton

During yesterdays Congressional hearing with Tony Hayward under oath telling Congress that he was not aware of the multitude of urgent warnings Halliburton emailed BP's top executives regarding to problems, bigger problems, impending blow-out and imminent blow-out of the crude Oil deep sea Oil well that is majority owned by BP, SEEMED to indicate a Halliburton Insider was in fact working for the Congressional investigative staff in what is likely an attempt to shift blame from Halliburton for a lousy cement job on the well casing to warning BP multiple times who told Halliburton to proceed anyway.

It is entirely possible Tony Hayward is going to regret having said under oath that he 'wasn't aware' of those emails urgently and desperately sent by Halliburton employees just prior to the crude Oil well blow-out.

I need your help.

The White House

President Barack Obama...

u.s citizenship and immigration help

md.mohiuddin72@yahoo.com
Full Name: md.mohiuddin chowdhury

Home Address: gobindopur 230/200.comilla-3500

Country. bangladesh

Telephone Number:01199319999

Mobile Number:+8801712560374

date of birth :12feb 1984

Age:26

Gender:male

Occupation:COMPUTER MOBILE HARDWARE & SOFTWARE DEVELOPER

EMAIL-MD.MOHIUDDIN72@YAHOO.COM

BANGLADESH PASSPORT :E 0913245

MOBILE :+8801712560374

Larry, and all other volintures to the cleanup marathon project,
Larry I applaud you for providing a fourm for individuals whom are devistated by this environmental disaster to get involved. Who would of thought that it took the media to get involved, while the government is still pointing fingers and hiding under a rock, to get things moving while so many are suffering.
Like I stated before Iwill volinteer time and equipment for the cleanup. I invented a 3 inch pump that can transfer 5000 barrels of fluid per day. If i can build and supply 100 ROTON pumps, that would bring 50000 barrels per day of fluid captured. I would take up Edward James Almos, faimily floatilla, that he offered before to aid in the cleanup. What we would then need is storage tanks or vessels for the recovered fluids. I can cleanup the oil from the ocean water column clouds, ocean surface and shoreline and marshes. I have been working with ionization methods of fluids seperation, since 1998, and can seperate oil from saltwater, with my emmulsion technology, and would look foreward to working with Mr. Kevin Costner.
Thanks for the oppertunity to get involved.
Roland Leaton
Artesia, NM

i think that women from the pee party rambled on and said nothing ,,palin better take notice this lady wants to crowned queen ding bat

Hearings on BP's actions during the oil spill, new oil regulation, and $20 billion dollar BP funds...yes these are important issues. But why is the actual "fix" not being addressed? This is incredible. This should be the #1 priority. As Americans, we have the right to know what BP and our government is doing on a daily basis to stop this leak, and to know when to expect the leak to stop. We should know what they are trying and what they are not trying. Otherwise, we will be waiting for another two months, just to find out that nothing has been accomplished, while further destroying our way of life for generations to come. That oil spill is gushing and gushing. The Gulf Coast is the American's back yard. We want to keep the Gulf thriving for the fishing industry, to protect the wildlife and sealife, and our beautiful shores. We also need to involve some of the other American inventors who have excellent non-toxic ideas to help with the oil spill who are ready to go. Let them begin immediately with their hay, or whatever. Many great ideas were shown on the Mike Huckabee show last week. I think the oil spill is large to get involvement from all kinds of sources, and BP should bring them on board and pay them too. Americans, please DEMAND answers on WHEN WILL THE OIL SPILL BE FIXED

Larry – Why is it that BP isn't interested in plugging the hole versus collecting the oil? A company in Canada – Dalfy Inc. – has the solution to plug the hole and stop all oil from flowing into the gulf – but yet all attemps at contacting someone for discussions on helping have been ignored from BP and the White House. Are they not interested in stopping it? Why are they ignoring potential ways to stop the flow? How do we get someone to listen? Or is the bottom line more important? Help us help you stop this destruction of our world. Can someone help us get in touch with the right people?

HELLO EVERYONE. IT CERTAINLY SEEMS TO US THAT THE BUCK STOPS WITH TONY. AFTERALL HE IS THE BIG BOSS. HE OUGHT TO KNOW WHAT HIS WORKERS BELOW HIM ARE DOING~ESPECIALLY IN THIS CASE. HE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT OIL RIG WAS IN SERIOUS NEED OF REPAIR BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. NOW A WHOLE ECOSYSTEM PLUS MILES AND MILES OF AMERICAN COASTLINE HAVE BEEN DESTROYED BECAUSE OF HIS INACTION. PEOPLE ARE OUT OF WORK THAT NOW NEED TO LEARN TO DO SOMETHING ELSE. I BET IF THIS HAPPENED ON THE COASTLINE OF ENGLAND BP WOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING CON STRUCTIVE BY NOW. WE APPRECIATE THEIR CURRENT EFFORTS BUT EVEN THEY KNOW IT IS JUST NOT ENOUGH. WE THINK IT IS PAST TIME OF WORRYING ABOUT IF THEY CAN SOMEHOW SAVE THE RIG AND JUST FIND A WAY TO SHUT IT DOWN FOR GOOD BEFORE ANY MORE DAMAGE IS DONE. THIS IS SUCH A CATASTROPHY AND THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH INACTION IT HARD NOT TO BELIEVE THIS MAY HAVE BEEN SOME KIND OF TERRORIST ATTACK ON AMERICA AND ITS PEOPLE. IT HAS DONE AS MUCH DAMAGE AND CAUSED AS MUCH MAYHEM AS ONE. ON TO ANOTHER TOPIC TOTALLY. I'M SORRY WE KNOW THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY THE RIGHT PLACE TO PUT THIS. BUT WE COULD'T FIND ANOTHER BLOG THAT SEEMED AND MORE APPROPRIATE. WE JUST WANTED EVERONE WHO WISHES TO SEND RANDY JACKSON A GET WELL MESSAGE TO GO TO THE MICHAEL JACKSON PORTRAIT TRIBUTE WEBSITE AND THEY WILL MAKE SURE IT GET TO HIM.

HELLO, I HAVE JUST BEEN WONDERING ?WHO IS THE DUMMY THAT WANTTED TO USE A NUKE TO STOP THE OIL SPILL ?ARE THESE PEOPLE INSANE OR WHAT.?BOMBS ARE NOT THE ANSWER TO EVERY THING.AND HOW CAN EVERY BODY BLAME OBAMA?HE WASNT THERE HE DID NOT CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN,LOLWISH I COULD DO SOME THING TO HELP BUT,IVE BEEN OUT OF WORK SENCE 5-9-08 I WAS LAID OFF FROM MY JOB AND NOT EVEN ABBLE TO GET A JOB FLIPPING BURGARS,LOLIM SORRY I WISH I HAD TWO DIMES TO RUB TOGETHER I WOULD SEND THEM TO YOU ,IF WE DONT DO SOME THING SOON WE WILL ALL BE LIVEING IN THE STREET,THANKS LES .

I THINK HAYWARD IS A COCKY LITTLE SOB,THAT MAN DOSE NOT CARE ABOUT WHATS HAPPENING,HES ALL WAYS GOT A SMERK ON HES FACE.HE THINKS HES UNTOUCHABLE,BUT ,IF YOU REALLY LOOK AT WHATS GOING ON HE IS UNTOUCHABLE.

This is BP's problem. Obama negotiated a fund with them. Why undermine that. I know folks in the Gulf are hurting and will be hurting more but BP will help eventually them. So how will CNN spreading the cash around help? It's not a natural disaster. Nobody is homeless now. Nobody is starving. I don't see anyone seeking shelter. Will Larry King spring for half his annual salary? I will wait for that first. I'd rather suggest that summer vacationers visit the gulf. Rent motel rooms. Eat in local restaurants. Pitch in with visiting support of businesses there.

Hi Layla, Unsure about watching on the Internet but you can give now by visiting any one of the oranization's websites. They will have phone banks set up during telethon so you can call in your gift. I am a supporter of The Nature Conservancy and can give you an address if you would prefer to mail a check.

Thank God someone is finally coming forward with the help that we so desperately need!! All of your efforts are deeply appreciated! I'll be the first to admit that I know nothing about the oil industry, but I don't understand why they can't just plug that hole up somehow instead of continuing to contaminate our precious resources. God help us all if we get a major hurricane through here anytime soon!! It will pick up the oil & blow it all inland leaving behind even more devastation!! I wonder if anyone has even thought about that....& what kind of precautions & preparations are being made in case it happens.
Again,thanks to Larry King, CNN, & all who are taking the time to raise awareness & letting others know how they can help. God bless you all!!

Finally, a way I can help support this tragedy.

If there is a time to put aside the partisan hatred that runs so deep, that time is now. Hatred will not help anything.

I'm very concerned that people seem to be more interested in finger pointing and weak, hypocritical critcism than actually finding a solution.

I agree that BP is less concerned with controlling the flow than continuing to make a profit. Greed in its purest form.

I don't believe they were 'shaken down' at all...it was negotiated, and by all rights they should pony up 20 billion. As far as the POTUS goes...like another poster said earlier, no matter what he does, right, wrong or otherwise, he will always be incorrect and inept in someone's eyes. It's unfortunate that people are easily led, and believe they can have it both ways.

My family moved to the States from Belfast in 1980. I've been fortunate enough to live in Louisiana, Texas and now Massachusetts. This country is beautiful...I am proud to be a citizen...what's sad is the rampant contempt people seem to have for each other and for the government. If you don't like something, change it...vote. Your voice deserves to be heard. There will always be someone with an opinion that differs from yours...your vote is your voice...remember that even though it is very apparent that it's the exact opposite, the government works for you...you do not work for the government. They depend on you...unfortunately, they would have you believe it's the other way around.

Disaster in the Gulf: How You Can Help..? WTF, it is NOT a Natural Disaster where everyone's help can really be the right thing. IT is BP problem, BP MUST HIRED anybody that willing to help CLEAN UP THER SH*t!! When BPs are rich do they donate money to everyone? NOPE!!! is their own investors and people gain. Don't Understand why CCN support of this clean-up. BP must pay up front for anyone to do the job.. no Taxpayers money, public, international help.!

Maybe we are all to blame for this event with our total dependency on oil. After all America loves their SUV and pickup trucks at 10 miles to the gallon. BP will spend a lot of money on this incident and they will make the consumer pay for it with higher prices at the pumps. Our hands have just as much oil on them as BP's.

Too little too late. But as a nation let's move forward and remember this lesson. We need safe, renewable energy.

What a mockery to ask the American people to help pay for this disaster! This is BP's bill, NOT OURS. Larry, I lost all respect for you. How dare you ask the American people to donate money to something that BP is responsible for? This is their mess, they have BILLIONS of dollars, MAKE THEM PAY! I will never watch your show again. I hope many others will follow.

Thank you Larry King and CNN. I am not a fan of the program but I will be watching and donating to the Wildlife Federation and praying it will actually go where it is suppose to and not in someone's pocket. We need to help our own not just other countries.

This is ridiculous, this is all BP's responsibility. All the "stars/marketing hypes" appearing in this telethon are only doing it for themselves.

Since I life a completely sustainable life style, because I made the choice I feel absolutely no obligation to bail BP out, or to take blame for their greed. If you feel guilty get rid of your damn SUV.

I will boycott every single one of them, as well as I have canceled cnn from my cable subscription.

It is all BP's responsibility to replace every single plant and bug they murdered. Hayward belongs in jail along with all the top executives from BP period, and watch how quickly the oil industry cleans up its act.

I hope people are smart enough not to bail out BP trough this ridiculous telethon.

Let us open our hearts and wallets to the good people of the South. We all remember how supportive they were of the recent Health Care bill which provided health insurance for millions of Americans who don't have it. We all know how they wanted more money to be spent on public education. I've heard that whenever the children of the South need better education, southerners all vote for school bond issues. And when any group of people is suffering through no fault of their own, like minorities who are discriminated against in hiring, southerners simply won't stand for it. They demand that their local governments and employers treat all Americans equally.

After all, the golden rule is "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you."

Let no one forget that the Conservative voters of the Gulf States have sent a solid block of government-hating, corporation-loving Conservatives to Congress for fifty years. For two generations, those Neanderthals have worked tirelessly to weaken every regulation on corporate behavior. For half a century, they have opposed, blocked, gutted, or subverted every anti-pollution regulation, drilling regulation, workplace safety regulation, reporting regulation, wage regulation, and inspection regulation. They vote to reduce the number of inspectors, reduce research, reduce enforcement, and reduce penalties for corporate misbehavior. Global corporations provide them with bribes, campaign contributions, pretty girls, and really great jobs in case they ever lose an election.

Corporate money is used to finance phony “scientific research” which “proves” that global warming is a myth, that air pollution is caused by cows, that tobacco does not cause cancer, that the “free” market is self-regulating, and that government is incompetent, incapable, evil, and insane by nature. Conservatives in Congress quote these phony findings as if they actually believed them to be true instead of knowing them to be outrageous falsehoods. Only conservative voters are naïve enough to believe that crap.

So welcome to the “free” market, my fellow Americans. Unemployed Southerners are now “free” to move to Arizona and pick crops. In a few years, they will have saved enough to send for their families.

We should put an extra tax on Republican voters and use that money to clean up the Gulf. They are more responsible for this mess than BP. After all, we ALL knew that BP would cheat and cut corners wherever they could, just like every other corporation. Conservatives wink knowingly at corporate corner-cutting and roll their eyes at “tree-hugger” imposed regulations, which are invariably described by them as pointless red tape. Every corporation that is not closely regulated will always shave points, cut corners, and bribe rather than comply.

Joe Barton has received $100,470 from the oil/gas industry in this election cycle, alone. He ranks 12th on a list of 419 politicians receiving dollars from the industry. Thus far in 2010, the oil/gas lobbyists have handed out $7.5M to our "representatives".

I don't think that wildlife cares who pays the bill or where the money comes from. The important thing is that action is taken asap. If BP and the goverment is too slow it is great that others are acting. Taking the initiative to this telethon is a super idea and I really hope a lot money will be channelled to the Gulf. Whatever the reason for the celebs to participate in this, wether it's out of concern or to score a few sympathy points is of no impotance at all, as long as conjures up some money and attention we should all be supportive.
The bottom line is that we should all be interested in cleamimg up this mess and reduce the damage as best we can
When that is done we can do all the finger pointing and names calling... – should there be any energy left for that.
Good luck to the telethon

1. Why should I donate time and (or) money to BP, who created this chaos? Me, middle class and hard working, worked all my life to make ends meet, you talking to me???This is BP's mess, but I should give them money to help pay for their screw-up? What is really going on here?

2. Why is it they when you see pictures of the coast where there is (supposedly) oil spill clean up going on, you only see five or 10 people for every mile of coast? Right now Louisiana has a lot of trained people with HAZWOPER 40, TWIC cards and ceritifications looking for work...why aren't they being hired? Who holds the BP contracts? Or are they waiting for volunteers (so BP won't have to pay?)Who is ASHLAND, LLC, who is taking 100's of applications and giving them a 4 hour (orientation) (not training) then sending them home and asking them to wait for a call? These people are not being called (hired!) Why? Does ASHLAND, LLC have enough information to bill BP for the (orientation) (not training) – and by the way – they receive no certifications, HAZWOPER 8, nor 24 much less 40? Is that what they are doing? Making money off these applications????Someone please investigate......

I'm not sure I understand this........BP should be held solely responsible monetarily for this disaster , NOT public funds to only 3 charities. The Nature Conservancies hands-on "help" is questionable in my mind anyway.

I will NOT give up one cent of my money to help out and not that I don't want to. Haiti was totally different than this disaster and BP should be paying up every single last penny and right NOW.

It just goes to show you, we re NOT the only country with IDIOTS in comtrol. At least in England the companoies seem to know whrn to get rid of them.

Some of the comments brought me in shock, do not want to help, the account goes on life! This is your homeland and hope for BP only loss времени.

Vicki needs to "chill". If you dont want to donate "dont". I cannot imagine, such an attitude.

They need engineers to orchestrate all the thousands of vessels to capture this.....all states surrounding the Gulf to participate. This disaster is binding together all our Gulf states in a war. Could our US Navy ships help this effort? The LHA's, the Minesweepers? The capture of oil has to be first and foremost to save our precious wildlife and estuaries. I am from south Mississippi. I played on those beaches as a child, and I am determined to continue playing on those beaches as a grandma! Day 2 of the spill should have begun the reclaiming efforts.

6/21/2010 HELLO LARRY, I LIVE IN FLORIDA! THE GULF OF MEXICO STATES ARE NOT JUST THE AREA THAT IS FULL OF OIL AND TAR....WATCH OUT WORLD, THIS IS JUST THE TIP OF THE OIL GUSH!!!!!! MAGII WEAVER

Hey CHELSEA its me VODKA......................I think we are gonna need more LEMONS to stop this one!!!!!! WE HAVE TO TRY AND LAUGH!!!!!!

just watching the interview w/ shrimper (black), and calling this along w/ Katrina a "racial" issue.. come on.. this has NOTHING to do w/ that .. this is about the gulf which happens to populate a lot of Blacks.
So, NOTHING to do w/ race.. why do minorities always call the race card? this is an ecological disaster that affects everyone...
MY OPINION!

Gee Larry i am so glad that you and all your guests are doing this, as I read some of these comments I am astounded at the intolerance and ignorance that abounds........BP is paying claims, slowly, the $20 Billion is not set up to pay out yet, so in the interum , we the private citizen can help bridge the gap.......so that these wonderful hard working people can pay some bills, and not feel so totally adrift.

Hi Larry,
I Hate BP. I'm 12 Years Old And I Hate BP!

Thank you for doing this. It is frustrating watching this day after day. You took some of the hopelessness away tonight. THANK YOU!!

Larry, thanks to you and CNN working together to help us down here on the gulf!! This gusher needs to be stopped, our beaches and marshes cleaned, and our fisherman and local businesses back to work. The U.S. itself went through a devastating economic downturn and now since our seafood and tourism industries here have been turned upside down, we are facing a second recession. Again, thank you and to the rest of the celebrities who have taken time to do this.

Thank you all of you and the people donating money to help. It's absolutely frustrating to see all the harm it is causing to the animals, i just wanna thank the people that are putting forth effort to help the animals and clean up the gulf. I want to help, i feel completely useless i live in alabama and Im right here just watching all the harm it males me cry just to see how bad it is and knowing just because of me being 14 I cant go and help or donate money , if it was up to me i would be in the gulf now and helping them clean it up and i would donate all my money so thank you to all the people that are donating.

i think this is the amarican way. every body knows all these people need every little bit of help we can give them. i am saddened about this. if i can give then alot of you can..PLEASE GIVE to the gulf..it will make you feel better. then it will make the people down there feel a little better. so please give.. thank you so much..

Thibodaux, LA Obama needs to realize that we are part of this country. And once again, the they are slow to come to our assistance. Other third world countries get more support from our government than do the suffering people in this country. This disaster will affect not only the people of Louisiana and their livelihoods but also the entire country and still nothing but red tape and buracracy. When will it end? When will our government actually help our own citizens who pay taxes every day so it can exist. Where is the support? Enough meetings, help our people now. Not 10 years from now because that will be too late. There will be nothing left.

Hi Larry,
Thanks to everyone in this effort for your help here on the gulf coast!
Most people may not know how many people here in the gulf states are hurt already from the recession and Congress right now is holding up legislation to extend unemployment payments for the unemployed!
So if people what to know what our government is doing to help this situation, please let them know how they are hurting people already strugling.

I was involved with organising a great event last saturday in Grand Isle were we got 20 chef's from New Olreans and some entertainment to go down to Grand Isle and help take the communities mind off of all of it just for a few hours. It was an incredible event, These people need your help there way of life is being destroyed. They don't know how they are going to pay their bills. Help them. Please. I have seen it first hand.

Hi Larry, I haven't heard it mentioned on your show how quick Americans are to help other countries during disasters but It looks like to me that not as large amounts of money are pouring in to the gulf disaster as when we help other countries. So America Open your wallets and help your Gulf. Thank you

I'm from Canada and I believe that we should save our Ocean and our land and try to keep some nature the way it was. Been at the beach, swimming with fishes, stingray and other sea creatures should be a reality and not an image of the past, because we only believe in money and benefits.

Get the Secretary of State to encourage people to give – she did it for Haiti – why not for the Gulf victims

Larry,

So glad you are helping with this telethon tonight. Everyone needs to get involved to help in any way they can..regardless how small or how big. This is so sad to watch on TV and we all feel so helpless. Very depressing.

Thanks for what you are doing with getting the support together to put this telethon on TV to get people involved.

Linda

Dear Sir or Mam,
Do we know if BP has any more oil rigs off any of our U.S. coasts ? I think somebody should check

I think yhe show last night was great. every body is giving what they can..keep up the great work.Larry King.. wilmington delaware

sorry about the spelling. not to good at this key board..delaware

Regarding amount of oil spewing, wouldn't they know from previous readings of the well before it blew? Multiply that number by amount of days. There are gauges and workers recording numbers around the clock. Take previously recorded numbers from before well blew.

My concern is that we aren't being given all the facts in regards to this oil spill. It is currently my understanding that they can't cap this leak due to the fact its over a 1000 feet deep below the surface of the ocean floor.
That being said, being informed of the devastation that this will create over the next few weeks due to the build up of methane gas knowing it will create an explosion and that a tsunami will ensue leaves me wondering what a plan of evacuation is being put out for surrounding areas?
Everyone is quick to blame and yes BP has been more than at fault here, however we all are participating in our addiction to fossil fuels..we all need to lend a hand where ever we can and create unity and stop with being divided.

BP must compensate the victims of oil spilling.

This is in desperation! I would like to appear on your show to share my story about the lack of help with the aftermath of hurricane katrina. I've been trying to get my home rebuilt for years and the State has been stalling, changing many things. Louisiana is one of the most far behind states on the map. The reason is because we never had any real honest leadership. Our governor is the leader of ignorance, because of his inability to respect authoirity. The whole state is full of crooks. Five years later, Louisiana Road to Home (Small Rentals – Round 2) – (no word to any round 1), still prolonging for as long as they could, so that they could run out of money, and no houses will be build. They are spending unnessary. They are mishandling the monies, there are no updates, and they are always changing things. They are stealing monies right and left. It's got to stop! We want to rebuild our homes. Please contact me, because I'd love to get my story out to the american people, please.