Earth Protect Blog

President Obama declared Gulf Coast beaches clean, safe and open for business Saturday as he brought his family to the Florida Panhandle and promised residents that the government wouldn't forget them once efforts to stop the leak are finished.

On a warm and muggy day, Obama pledged to "keep up our efforts until the environment is cleaned, polluters are held accountable, businesses and communities are made whole, and the people of the Gulf Coast are back on their feet."

Obama is in the region for a brief weekend trip with first lady Michelle Obama, daughter Sasha (her sister Malia is at summer camp) and the family dog, Bo. Their 27-hour stop in the Sunshine State is as much a family vacation as it is an attempt by the president to convince Americans that this region, so dependent on tourism revenue, is safe for travel — and that its surf is clean.

To reinforce that message, Obama and Sasha swam Saturday, according to White House spokesman Bill Burton. The highly anticipated dip was away from the media's view. The Obamas swam in Saint Andrew Bay off of Alligator Point, technically not the Gulf, according to maps.

Obama said his family planned to "enjoy the beach and the water — to let our fellow Americans know that they should come on down here."

So let's get this straight Obama, You put your kid in the water after BP spilled millions of gallons of water? Are you crazy?

More on this article at http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-08-14-obama-florida-trip_N.htm?csp=34news&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+usatoday-NewsTopStories+(News+-+Top+Stories)&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher