President Obama "bluntly defended" his response to the BP oil gusher in the Gulf of Mexico this week, telling Matt Lauer on NBC's Today show that he has consulted with experts since the early days of the spill to learn "whose ass to kick." The comment contrasted sharply with his normally cool demeanor, prompting a debate over whether his salty language was a genuine expression of toughness, or an attempt to defuse complaints that he's not angry enough about the growing environmental disaster. "I thought nothing would top 'plug the damn hole'" as a phony display of bravado, says Allahpundit in Hot Air. Sorry, Obama, this macho bluster is "roughly six weeks too late," and it's not fooling anyone. It wasn't meant to, says Marc Ambinder in The Atlantic. Obama is plenty angry, but he shows it by working on the problem instead of putting his emotions on display. Remember, he's not the one who conjured up "the posterior metaphor": Matt Lauer had just asked him how he responded to critics who say he needs to stop consulting experts and "kick some butt." Here's what Obama said:
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Massacre in the favela: Rio’s police take on the gangsIn the Spotlight The ‘defence operation’ killed 132 suspected gang members, but could spark ‘more hatred and revenge’
-
The John Lewis ad: touching, or just weird?Talking Point This year’s festive offering is full of 1990s nostalgia – but are hedonistic raves really the spirit of Christmas?
-
Sudoku hard: November 15, 2025The daily hard sudoku puzzle from The Week
-
Has Zohran Mamdani shown the Democrats how to win again?Today’s Big Question New York City mayoral election touted as victory for left-wing populists but moderate centrist wins elsewhere present more complex path for Democratic Party
-
Millions turn out for anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ ralliesSpeed Read An estimated 7 million people participated, 2 million more than at the first ‘No Kings’ protest in June
-
Ghislaine Maxwell: angling for a Trump pardonTalking Point Convicted sex trafficker's testimony could shed new light on president's links to Jeffrey Epstein
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidentsThe Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
-
'Seriously, not literally': how should the world take Donald Trump?Today's big question White House rhetoric and reality look likely to become increasingly blurred
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
-
Democrats vs. Republicans: who are US billionaires backing?The Explainer Younger tech titans join 'boys' club throwing money and support' behind President Trump, while older plutocrats quietly rebuke new administration
