The Hiller Instinct: President Obama's address

Before the speech, the nation was not convinced. A new poll shows 52 percent of Americans disapprove of how he's handling the oil spill.

For comparison, a similar number, 53 percent, disapproved of how President Bush handled Hurricane Katrina.

The problem for President Obama is that a million pictures of him on the beach won't stop a single drop of oil from leaking, and the federal government doesn't have the equipment or expertise to stop the leak itself.

So the President must sound in charge, even if he isn't, and the contradiction was clear again tonight:

"From the very beginning of this crisis, the federal government has been in charge of the largest cleanup in our nation's history...but we have to recognize that despite our best efforts, oil has already caused damage to our coastline and its wildlife. And sadly, no matter how effective our response becomes, there will be more oil and more damage before this siege is done," said President Obama in his address.

I don't think it's an exaggeration to say there's a new Gulf war.

The old Gulf war, which we're still fighting, ruined the reputation of our last President.

If the oil keeps leaking, this Gulf war could claim this President as a political casualty.

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