James Carville walked into one of his favorite New Orleans eateries, Eleven 79, Tuesday night — and was stunned to find BP CEO Tony Hayward and Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the two men tasked with stopping the Gulf spill, eating dinner together.
Hayward, looking up from his Gulf shrimp and pasta, wasted no time defending his embattled and vilified company — to the rail-thin Democratic operative who has come to embody the growing popular disgust at BP and the federal government.
“You’ve said some harsh things,” Hayward said, according to Carville, who sat with the pair for about 30 minutes — the time it took the Louisiana-born Democratic consultant to polish off a Maker’s Mark.
“We’re going to make this right. I’m really committed to this,” Hayward told him.
The impromptu Gulf summit did little to dissuade Carville from his role as President Barack Obama’s No. 1 Democratic critic on the spill — and White House officials make no secret of the fact they’re annoyed by Carville’s criticism.
Carville has accused Obama of being too disengaged and deferential to BP, saying the president needs to become BP’s “daddy.”
Carville walked out of the restaurant unrepentant. “I don’t think they particularly care for me, and I don’t blame ‘em. I’ve been around long enough to know there’s consequences,” explained Carville, a former adviser to both Bill and Hillary Clinton.
“I’m doing what I have to do,” said Carville, who has called the administration’s initial response to the spill “lackadaisical” and lacking urgency. “I tried to get their attention for some time. I am a Democrat. I like almost all of their policies. But I’m trying to everything in my power to help my state — short of just going after them. But I did and I will again.”
A longtime Carville friend said he only went public after repeatedly trying to engage his closest friend in the White House, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, who told him that the administration was already doing all it could do, short of plugging the seemingly unpluggable leak.
Administration officials also have accused Carville of snubbing Allen, who called Carville about two weeks ago to talk about the spill and a controversial plan, supported by many Louisiana elected officials, to create sand barriers to block the oil from reaching shore.
“James said he couldn't talk at that moment, but then didn't call him back,” an administration official told POLITICO. “Basically, Thad called him two weeks ago, or whenever he said his first thing, and then Carville said he couldn’t talk and that he’d call him back.”
Carville tells the story a little differently: After an initial conversation on the phone, he gave Allen his schedule. Allen made one follow-up call but didn’t leave a return number — just a commitment to try again.
Louisiana has become Carville's passion and cause: He relocated to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina with his wife, Mary Matalin, and bitterly criticized the Bush administration's reconstruction efforts.
The couple have adopted a similar gadfly-ombudsman stance with the BP spill, inviting suggestions and complaints from a broad array of those hit by the spill -- environmentalists, small oil services companies, fishermen and parish officials.
James obviously puts country before party - a practice more Dems should adopt. Rahm didn't even feign interest, huh? Maybe he's too busy knitting. Isn't that what he told us to do after the primary? As I recall the sorry pos said that we should stick with out knitting - or something to that effect - rather than protest the sham Dem primary. Knit this, Rahm. You've hitched your back-stabbing, sexist, a** to Obama's star - and now it's falling. Couldn't happen to a more deserving sexist.
Go James Go.
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It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union.... Men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less. ~Susan B. Anthony
This response by James adds credence to Jen's comment about the possibility that James is trying to lay a little ground work for Hillary to run in 2012. Let's hope.
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It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union.... Men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less. ~Susan B. Anthony
This response by James adds credence to Jen's comment about the possibility that James is trying to lay a little ground work for Hillary to run in 2012. Let's hope.
yes especially since Jindyl is looking like a doer and a hero and was already being talked about before the spill as a possible 2012 candidate for pres
Good point about Jindahl, Amy. The worst disaster to befall the USA during Obama's presidency is happening in the backyard of one of his chief rivals for 2012 and this rival is showing that he is clearly better prepared for those 3 AM phone calls than Bozo. Plus, all of this is happening on a national stage.