Obama Oil Spill Press Conference: Government In Charge Of Oil Disaster Response

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well -- well, let -- let me just make the point that I made earlier, which is, Salazar came in and started cleaning house, but the culture had not fully changed in MMS. And absolutely, I take responsibility for that. There -- there wasn't sufficient urgency in terms of the pace of how those changes needed to take place.



There is no evidence that some of the corrupt practices that had taken place earlier took place under the current administration's watch, but a culture in which oil companies were able to get what they wanted, without sufficient oversight and regulation, that was a real problem. Some of it was constraints of the law, as I just mentioned. But we should have busted through those constraints.



Now, with respect to Ms. Birnbaum, I found out about her resignation today. Ken Salazar had been in testimony throughout the day, so I don't know the circumstances in which this occurred.



I can tell you what I've said to Ken Salazar, which is that we have to make sure, if we are going forward with domestic oil production, that the federal agency charged with overseeing its safety and security is operating at the highest level. And I want people in there who are operating at the highest level, and aren't making excuses when things break down, but are intent on fixing them. And I am confident that Ken Salazar can do that.



Q And his job is (safe ?)?



PRESIDENT OBAMA: Yes.
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