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Tonight on 360°, seeking transparency from BP. The federal government wants it. We want it. Is the company paying enough claims? How much oil is really leaking into the Gulf? There are just of the questions we want answered. We have all the latest developments from the Gulf and tonight's other headlines.
Want to know what else we're covering? Read EVENING BUZZ
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Anderson Cooper goes beyond the headlines to tell stories from many points of view, so you can make up your own mind about the news. Tune in weeknights at 8 and 10 ET on CNN.
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President Obama: Declare a state of emergency in the entire gulf!
@Brooke Yes, cutting through the red tape what ought to happen, I agree, though from Ed Lavendera's rept sounds like they need more people on hand to actually process claims.
Wouldn't basic income information that can be quickly confirmed speed up the compensation?
Its been said the military is not trained to clean up the oil spill, but they have trained accountants! Why not mobilize some reserve units, there has to be plenty of accountants, adjusters in the private sector who also are in the reserve.
Then, BP can & will speed up the process of paying these people what they need to survive this chaos.
That James Carville has some spunk huh? "We're being invaded"
BP does not need to put a cover on the drill. The most effective solution is to put a big suction hose upon the drill and pick up by suction the oil onto the surface into storage boats. Since water and oil do not mix with each other, only the oil will be sucked up by the hoses.
I worked with Diamond Offshore Company in Ecuador, so I have experience with off-shore drilling.
Galo Oliva
Can some one answer these: who allows such deep water drilling; who issues the permits; who owns the leases; who is supposed to ask the questions about contingency plans if a disaster happens? Given that the gulf drilling was at an extraordinary depth, some one had to have asked and answered these.
Thanks
@Gady Mayen – Hamilton,
it's great that you would like to help out...there seems to be so many that want to help and are unable or are limited to at this time...it all looks very frustrating...
Whatever money BP has paid CNN to air their "We're sorry" commercial should be donated to help the people in the Gulf. After all, this disaster is causing more people to watch the news!
I agree with one comment made–Someone take charge and get this done. Too many chiefs and not enough Indians and nothing gets done. Is this really the American way? I cannot believe this is gone on for 51 days and they can't stop this thing. You would think that they (BP)would have had a plan in place for a situation as this and to be able fix it and do it quickly. It does not say much about their executives.
All relief efforts are under the control of BP. I visited the State of Florida website to look for volunteer positions and all links led to BP sites. I called a bird rescue organization and the volunteer number the voicemail gave was a BP number. Why is Obama allowing BP to have 100 percent control over the rescue efforts of the birds? Who is in control of this country? I am shocked and scared of the events that are unfolding in front of my eyes.
Anderson,
Hi!
I hope you are in Louisiana as long as you need to be. BP just seems inept.
I think the Federal Government should step in and compensate the gulf oil victims in full and then send the bill to BP. That is the most expedient solution (and good politics)
\ken
@ Charlie, thank you for the comparison between how safety is first in Norway drilling but not here in our Gulf. Yes, unfortunately you are right about the power these huge corporations have and the privileges they are afforded here in the U.S. And yes, it speaks very badly of our government. As hard a pill as it is to swallow, we have ourselves to blame for a huge part of this. We need to take a much harder look and more active role in what our elected folks are doing in Washington.
When you are at fault for so many of the economic disaster to an area, you do not get to dictate who you pay out. Instead, you pay out all claims, illegitimate and legitimate. Then, you can send your adjusters to appraise whether or not the claim was Over or Under.
Are there shelters set up for fisherman and others who may have no money for food?
You guys are great – thank you for doing the hard hitting reporting – and I love James Carville
Why can't the govt use the military to seize that oil well and take control. Bring in our nations best specialist in the oil industry to get this under control. BP which stands for Bad People, is dragging their feet. I feel our country will handle this much quicker. We are running out of time on this disaster.
Forget transparency, I want accountability. I'm disgusted with the lack of crack down on BP's BS. The excuses are old and I for one am getting tired of waiting to see the "ass kicking" that they deserve. Actions speak louder than words or press releases and so does their lack of anything.
from the underwater video i saw the pipe looks about 3 ft around, why not slide a flexible tube over it long enough to reach the surface an have it go into a ship's hold, or does that make too much sense????
i hope Doug Brinkley is right, he should be this spill is going to destroy these sensitive marsh lands. It is truly a unique and wonderful place, teeming with life. So BP, Transocean, and Haliburton should pay for fixing the problem with the wetlands , and all people involved.
Anderson Tony Hayward know's that you would humiliate him with no mercy so he is kinda smart .
This leak is by my estimates is between 35 and 45 thousand barrels per day....BP is still low balling the numbers....
Why is the live feed showing fire out the well now ?? How come BP hasnt said anything about that? Its right there for everyone to see.
does BP have unlimited funds to clean up this mess? At what point will they say they are broke and can't pay.
@Anderson,
KEEP inviting BP to be on AC360!
Don't give them an accuse to say that they would have appeared on the one show that it didn't happen.
I think that it's great that you are willing to do the interview in the AM too!
Stay on it Anderson! Keep inviting them. Persistency is the key.
So why do they keep refusing to come on this show specifically......what the?
Ed S. I agree with you about the money for the commercial! I see it as CNN again profiting from the disaster.
As a people of the United States of America, it is seriously time to disallow corporations the political power to evade responsibility and commit atrocities. The oil catastrophe will ruin a way of life and will affect the web of life in ways we can't imagine yet. Welcome to the 21st Century.
Place an expandable bladder over pipe, insert into gushing pipe, expand bladder with water or any material that will withstand pressure until leak has stopped or at least restricted, close off pipe attached to bladder and drill below seal later. Complicated? I don't think so.
BPand Whoever else is responsible for this mess, should be requitred to pay the annual wages, salaries, and the profit loss for all the business and resident enterprises, affected by this arogant and heartless negligence of big corporations. They should pay right now , and continue paying until the gulf is clean and back to normal, even if it takes decades. Our government should seize thier assets to make this happen. I hope the people directly affected by this will not just accept a quick check, like they did in Aklaska.
@Darren B., "The government of the United States is totally sitting on their hands."
I totally agree with that! I would like to know how many of our "esteemed" (snicker, snicker) congress people owe their careers to BP money.
Why not have the federal government create an escrow acct and make BP fund the acct. Then the Gov can take control of how the people get paid bk for the cleanup and lost jobs ect.
hi Anderson
I have been watching the coverage of the spill since day one , all i can say is BP only knows the making money part of their business , the 4th largest company in the world and they spend pennies on spill response research each year when there profits are probably astronomical , they should know there business and truthfully they don't . they really need stop beating around the bush and get this disaster under control. I don't think people truly understand that this is gonna affect the gulf and more than likely the eastern seaboard for many years.....
I think anybody watching this show knows that BP is playing games and that horrible commercial is NOT sincere...The fact is, BP's gotta pay for air time and it's fitting that they should have to pay for something... I don't see any hypocrisy in CNN airing that ridiculous commercial ~ If anything, it serves to remind people that BP has only it's own interests at heart (Albeit a cold, stony heart!)
riser pipe that fell to ocean floor is attached by hex bolts to a mating flange at the top of the BOP – Remove & bolt on new riser and flange
if you look at hires feed you can see top of BOP flange and mating flange with cut off riser – this estimated to be changed in 8rs...
This could have been done after the smoke cleared (day 2) and this disaster avoided ...
p.s. It is unfathomable why this was not done.
Thank you Anderson for exposing this,thank you for your relentless pursuit of the truth.The corruption is staggering.I may well have to relocate.Every coastal residence affected from this "spilling"should have a claim and BP should have criminal charges brought against them.The magnitude of this tragedy remains to be seen.How long can companies lie and scheme before we question there right to exist?
Temporarily nationalize BP so the US federal government can take over control of the company to facilitate coordination of the leak, clean-up, payments. Report what is happening internally to the people in MMS who did not require BP or other drilling concerns to provide adequate mitigations for events such as these. Their is culpability between BP and the USGOV.
$5,000 check, give me a break. I hope BP does not go broke over that.
Has the BP CEO appeared on any American news network to answer questions?
Hi all,
To be fair, I think it's reasonable for BP to ask for three years past income statements or tax returns, and it shouldn't be too hard to provide them with that. Are there people who are giving BP all the paperwork they want who are still not getting a response?
Hahha Buggy Vegas is a cute name.
BP has said from the begining that they would cover the bill!!!!
@ Megan – Do you agree?
I am pretty sure that BP is hiding behind a full command center of lawyers, lobbyists, insurance, and PR specialists...
I am sure their strategy is to wait it out and go under governments belt for protection. Some one said there are at least 13 government agencies trying to help clean up the spill.
The red tape needs to be torn. Seems like BP's silence is only more dreadful as each day passes!
I think we need to start a movement to boycot BP
@ Tony Tetrick: I agree completely!
BP has already paid Google and Yahoo insane amounts of money to manipulate search results – anyone searching for the oil spill will get BP results first in their search. As for the commercials, BP is probably again paying an astronomical amount of money to buy the air time for the commercial. They know Anderson is bashing them and they hope the commercials will sway us.
Unbelievable – theenvironmental damage that this spill is causing.
I think that fishing may be done ifor awhile.
Very sad for the many hardworking folk that rely on the ocean for their livelyhood.
Where is our national guard? We want them back here.
How about forming a funnel around the oil leak using material that will contain the pressure and debris until further control of material can be achieved. The funnel could slowly be pulled together at the site of the leak. Hope this will help.
...and why are these people having to go through all this red tape filing claims? Where are the pallets of cash like those we sent to Iraq? I don't understand why no one is in jail?!?! I'd be cuffed with a knee in my back if I was caught dumping waste in a POND let alone trying to cover it up!
Surely there must be some reason that BP cannot unbolt the riser flange now plainly visible and accessable and bolt a valve or another BOP on top to stop this damn thing. The only hurricane plan I've heard is to disconnect whatever they come up with next and run, leaving the well to free flow until it's safe to resume operations. This is Insanity!!