Obamas Go For A Swim In Gulf

The First Family visited the Gulf Coast over the weekend, taking a dip in the surf near Panama City Beach, Fla., and taking a boat tour of St. Andrews Bay.

“Beaches all along the Gulf Coast are clean, they are safe, and they are open for business,” remarked the President. 

“The Governor and the mayors and others invited us down to enjoy the beach and the water—to let our fellow Americans know that they should come on down here. It is spectacular. Not just to support the region; come down here because it’s just a beautiful place to visit.”

Oil Spill Response To Become More Locally Supervised

According to federal on-scene coordinator Rear Admiral Paul Zukunft, federal officials will be meeting with Gulf Coast officials, including Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (R), Friday to discuss their long term transition plan from acute spill response to Gulf restoration. In working to define “when clean is clean,” Zukunft emphasized that; “we are not there yet. But the important thing is, we are at the table at the local level where it matters, and we’re working with and through each of the parish officials.”

DeMint's Senate Opponent Officially Indicted

Alvin Greene, the improbable challenger to Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) in this fall’s South Carolina Senate race, was indicted today on two charges involving the possession and display of pornography. The Associated Press has more on the story…

Waters Press Conference Not Good For Democrats, Says Republican Official

Did Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) help her party by holding a press conference this morning to tell reporters how she plans on defending herself this fall against ethics charges? Republicans say no.

“It further exemplifies and illustrates the ethical problems that continue to pervade throughout the Democratic caucus,” NRCC spokesman Paul Lindsay told me following Waters’ 90-minute session.

Lindsay added that the decision by Waters and fellow House Democrat Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) to argue their cases in public this week “is not something Democrats want this August.”

Obama Will Travel To New Orleans For Hurricane Katrina Anniversary

The White House announced Friday that President Obama will travel to New Orleans on August 29th to mark the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

The President is scheduled to give an address from Xavier University.