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Published December 23, 2015
President Obama interrupts his Memorial Day weekend trip home to Chicago to travel down to the Gulf Coast of Louisiana where he will visit a beach that has been set up with a protective boom to collect the oil before it reaches shore. He will then receive a briefing from his oil spill point-man, Admiral Thad Allen.
This is the President's second trip to the region for an on-site briefing. His visit at the beginning of May was hampered by rain so he was unable to view the oil spill during a helicopter tour. The Obama administration has been widely criticized for what is perceived as the delayed federal response to the incident as well as the decision to allow BP to remain in charge of the clean up. The President disputed these charges in a press conference Thursday. "From the moment this disaster began, the federal government has been in charge of the response effort. As far as I'm concerned, BP is responsible for this horrific disaster, and we will hold them fully accountable," the President told reporters.
Louisiana Republican Senator David Vitter will be joining President Obama during his briefing and update on oil spill efforts. Vitter considers the federal response to protecting Louisiana's marshes from oil damage a "failure" and wants the President to do more. “I don't think President Obama should leave Louisiana to go on vacation until this failed federal response is clearly turned around,” Vitter said in a statement released Friday.
After his oil spill briefing, Mr. Obama will address the traveling press at 1:30p.m. ET. [foxlivestream]
Stay tuned to Friday's Special Report With Bret Baier for in-depth coverage of the President's Gulf Coast visit.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/watch-live-at-130p-m-et-president-obama-down-in-the-gulf-coast