Oil spill could 'top kill' Obama presidency
Business Times - 02 Jun 2010 Oil spill could 'top kill' Obama presidency Poll shows over 50 per cent of Americans rate his response to disaster as poor or very poor By LEON HADAR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT WITH the failed 'top kill' operation of British Petroleum (BP) to plug the gushing oil well in the Gulf of Mexico, US President Barack Obama and his aides are now bracing themselves for the worst. Indeed, it seems that the most devastating environmental catastrophe in American history is gradually becoming Mr Obama's most destructive political crisis. It could not only damage the efforts by the Democrats to maintain their control in Congress after November's midterm election; the political aftershocks of the oil spill, coupled with public discontent over a high unemployment rate and rising government spending as well as general cynicism over the conduct of politicians, could make it more difficult for Mr Obama to return to the White House for a second term. Foll...