When asked on CBS' "The Early Show" this morning on how President Obama can prevail upon BP to expedite or streamline the process for Gulf Coast businesses and residents, Gibbs said, "The best way to prevail on BP is to take the claims process away from BP.
"The president possesses the legal authority and will use it to make this claims process independent, to take it away from BP, and to ensure that those who have been harmed economically have their claims processed quickly, efficiently, transparently, and that they're made whole again for the disaster caused by BP," Gibbs said.
"So that's going to happen?" asked anchor Harry Smith.
"That will happen," Gibbs replied. "The president will either legally compel them or come to an agreement with BP to get out of the claims process [and] give that to an independent entity, so that the people that have been damaged can get the money that they deserve quickly."
Mr. Obama is on the second day of his fourth trip to the Gulf. Yesterday he met with local businessmen in Gulfport, Miss., and toured an Alabama facility where workers clean dirty boom. On Tuesday he will visit beaches damaged by oil in Pensacola, Fla.
Acknowledging the anger and frustration among those in the region, Mr. Obama said promised yesterday that "things are going to return to normal."
Gibbs rejected a suggestion that the federal government has not been doing enough, or has superseded local and state officials in their response efforts. He also rejected criticism from Florida Senator Bill Nelson, who said last week, ""The decisions are not timely. The resources are not produced, and as a result, you have a big mess, with no command and control." - CBS News Story
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